Pinkish Face

[tanman]

I have a 28g tank which has completed 3 weeks of initial cycle. I have two domino damsels, one blue damsel, one 3 striped damsel, one hermit crab and one chocolate chip star. About 8 lbs of live rock and 25 lbs of live sand. All inhabitants seem to be feeling fine, however, this morning I noticed one of the domino damsels face is pinkish, especially around the gills. It still eats and swims fine. Ammonia is not detectable, ph is 8.2, nitrites around 2 and nitrates very low.
No other fish show any sign of illness.
What could cause this and should I do anything to try to treat it?

 

[beth]

Originally posted by Tanman
I have a 28g tank which has completed 3 weeks of initial cycle.
There's no such thing as an "initial cycle". Either the tank is cycled, or not. In the case of your tank, its not cycled yet. And I can tell you that 3 wks is not enough time to have all those critters in it....thus, you have toxic nitrite readings.
this morning I noticed one of the domino damsels face is pinkish, especially around the gills. ..... Ammonia is not detectable, ph is 8.2, nitrites around 2 and nitrates very low.
Any level of nitrite is toxic and potentially lethel, thus you see a fish in stress. I'd suggest you do a water change. Don't add anything else to your tank.

 

[tanman]

Beth,
Thanks for your reply, but I'm confused. If I do a water change, won't that interrupt the cycling and soon the tank will go through this again? What should I have in this tank to cycle it?

 

[beth]

I'm trying to suggest to you that you need to do whatever is necessary at this point to eliminate toxic organics----nitrite--- from your system because you have animals in your tank. Ideally, your tank should have been allowed to cycle before placing animals in it. Now, to save the animals, you are going to have to continue diluting the water in your tank with clean PREmixed salt water until the nitrite is eliminated.
Tanman, do you have a any good hobby books that you can use as a reference? I'm guessing that you are new to the hobby, and, IMO, no new hobbyists should be without Robert Fenner's, "The Conscieious Marine Aqaurists". It is an excellent book that covers this hobby thoroughly. If you don't have it, I'd suggest you get it. You will get a lot out of it and enjoy it as well.
And, of course, stay tuned to SWF.com.

 

[tanman]

Thanks Beth,
I'll try to find the book. I'm new to marine fishkeeping, but have experience with freshwater fish. With fresh water, it takes fish to produce waste to initiate cycling and I was told by the lfs and have generally heard that damsels are good cycling fish, so that's why I am where I am. What do you think of using Prime to neutralize nitrites at this stage?

 

[beth]

The best thing you can do to reduce the nitrates, is water changes. Nothing substitutes for a problem tank better than water changes.
Using livestock to cycle tanks is OLD FASHION. Tanks that have LR and LS in it, or even just LR will usually cycle on its own. You can also add a bit of fish food, or finely chopped fresh shrimp to cycle a tank. No animal sacrifices. Now you can teach this to your LFS. And, if you stay with us on this site, you're be able to teach your LFS a lot....believe me, most LFS have a lot to learn!
You can buy the book I mentioned here on this site, or at Amazon.com. Consider getting it. You won't regret it.