Please help. My damsel changes its original color

[ktoy]

Hello everyone,
I am a new beginner on saltwaterfish. I just have my tank set up for 2 weeks, and have bought 2 small damsel for testing. Today, I found out that my 2 small damsel have color change on their scale. I am so worry that if anything wrong with the water, like unclear water, water with virus or I did something wrong on the water set up. I tried my best to manage well on the salt level, ammonia level, and temperture. Please please help to comment on the fish disease, or suggest how I can help.
Thank you so much.
ktoy

 

[jakob4001]

the LFS SHOULD have told you to wait AT LEAST another month before introducing any fish; if they care at all about customer service, they will allow you to return your fish until your tank has cycled...
you SHOULD have an amonia spike, then nitrite, than nitrates...it's normal...if your LFS won't allow you to return them, than about all you can do is wait and see, but DO NOT add ANYTHING else to the tank as far as live stock goes...
what kind of damsels are they?
LFS probably told you to add damsels to the tank to help cycle it; most of the time they end up being sacrificed in doing so; you can purchase 1 or 2 uncooked shrimp that you simply dump in the tank & allow to decompose in order to cycle your tank safely w/o risking tank citters to do so

 

[beth]

This is the problem when fish are used to cycle or “test” aquaria . Of course, any living creature is going to be subjected to stress, disease, if not mortality, if they are going to be the medium in which a fish tank is cycled.
Ammonia and nitrites are toxic substances that are lethal to fish. The fact that damsels are commonly viewed as expendable fish for the purpose of cycling is why you are in the position you are in. The truth is, your LFS likely did not know better when they advised you to use damsels to setup your aquarium. This has been the standard mechanism for cycling a tank for many yrs and LFS's, for the most part, are the least informed people when it comes to better or newer ways of doing things.
What type of tank do you have setup? Is it a fish only? You could have used a few pieces of fresh or frozen shrimp to cycle your tank and avoided injury to your damsels.
I’m not exactly sure what you mean that the fish were used to test, except if you bought them to see if they could live in your tank...and if they didn’t than the tank was not cycled? I assume that this is what you mean. Can you clarify?

 

[ktoy]

Thanks Jakob4011 and Beth.
Well, I think I should write as much details as I can regarding my tank set up. So that anyone of you can help my situtation.
On 6/Jun I started up my 50 gallons tank and bought a 7 lbs live rocks.
On 11/Jun, after I checked the water level with 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm NH3, 0.3 ppm NO2, 10 ppm NO3 and PH 8.1, I introudced one blue damsel and one green chrone damel into the tank.
On 17/Jun, 2 damsels are still good. And water level is 0.1 ppm ammonia, 0.2 ppm NO2, 10 ppm NO3, PH8.1. Then I think it's time to introduced a new small lion fish (just purchased from the store) plus another 20lbs live rocks into the tank.
On 20/Jun, I found out that 2 damsel has a light brown color all over their bodies, seems like the original color has been washed off and replace with a light brown color (looks like they are mix by brown with blue and brown with green). And the lion fish, he seems like don't eat anything at all, plus he don't swim, he just use his bottom fin to climb on the live rocks, very inactive. By then, I felt something wrong so I had the tank 20% water changes.
Right now, 2 damsels are still with unusual color but they are still very active, swim everywhere of the tank; the lion fish, same thing, don't eat don't swim.
As I am a new beginner to pet fish. Please comment on the above situation. Please tell me what I can do now, what's the problem. I actually have been told by the LFS that damsels are for the start up the tank. But what I am worrying about is the water. Does it have virus, unclear, bacteria, or fungus? Please help on my situation.
Thank you so much.

 

[beth]

You can not add all those fish at once to a new tank! You should return them. A better option would be to add more live rock, as live rock will cycle your tank faster than sacrificing live animals to the process.
I would suggest that you get a very good book on the marine hobby once you return your fish to the LFS. I'd recommend Bob Fenner's, "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist".
You should not have added any fish while you have readings of ammonia or nitrite, and especially a lionfish!! If you want to be a marine aquarist, you must be patient and learn before you leap into acquiring live animals. These animals should not be sacrificed. Please do as I suggest, return your fish to the fish store, perhaps exchange them for some more live rock. Then get a good marine hobby book and read it cover to cover before you get any more animals. The one I suggested would be very good for you.
Please look at this link:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1890087025/qid=1024753936/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-1543619-4880062" target="_blank">Get Me: The Conscientious Marine Aquarist</a>
We are hear to help you learn and, given the chance, and patience, you can learn a lot just by spending a few wks with us at SWF.com. Please take my advise.