Am I just paranoid...

[Criptix]

Brought home a Yellow Tailed Damsel yesterday and he seemed to be doing great.I put him in the tank to help with cycling and he played pick-a boo for awhile but he came out it full view after awhile.Now he is hanging out at the bottom of the tank near the heater behind the lr. The hydrometer reads 1.020 and the power head is blowing just a little air.Is this normal or am I just paranoid?Also, the power head is designed for tanks up to 30 gallons...trusted pet store; however, the power head did not come with instructions...It is a Topfin powerhead 30.I have under gravel filtration(I know not the best thing but hoping to get a 29 or 36 gallon tank with a canister filter in the next 32 months or sooner depending on the finances).Any advice would be appreciated!I really want this fish to live to be housed in a bigger tank!

 

[DWilliams]

I'd raise your salinity to around 1.023-1.025 & I've had the topfin power heads before & the Aqueon power heads there all junk. Spit out air, make lots of noise randomly, & don't last long. Invest in a hydor koralia circulation pump, not that expensive & are good. maybe thro like an aquaclear filter on there also.

Also what is your temp in the tank?

 

[obscurereef]

Maybe the damsel isn't used to your parameters..I know damsels can be extremely hardy, but some don't make it. How'd you acclimate him? After or during acclimating him, did you leave the lights on? This can cause a lot of stress. Most fish don't come out right away so if this lasted a week I'd be worried.

 

[Criptix]

How do i raise the salinity?Also how long should i keep lights off.I turned them on this morning for the first time around 11am?Should i turn them back off?I will see about the new filter...the thing is this tank isn't permanent sooo I am not sure about getting a new filter just yet.I plan to have oe by Christmas and this is the filtration I have chosen:
Would it be to big for my 10 gal?
Also I am never getting Top Fin anything again!

 

[Criptix]

ps: the temp in my tank is about 74 degrees.Should I turn up the heater?

 

[Criptix]

One more thing,I fed him about 10:30 last night.Should I cont that or feed him earlier?1-3 frozen Brine shrimp is what I was told to feed him a day until he is acclimated and the tank matures.

 

[Criptix]

I just remembered one more thing,I put his bag in the tank water for about 30 minutes lights off and then put him in the tank keeping lights off.

 

[DWilliams]

Your temp is too low it should be around 78-80. Damsels are very hardy that's why people use them to cycle there tanks with. You just need to get your levels right. Salinity is your salt level, so mix up some saltwater with around 1.023 salinity & add it too your tank. It's better to raise the salinity level slowly also. I keep my lights on a total of 8 hours a day with great results.

 

[Criptix]

What about feeding the Damsel?Same time everyday? Early or later best?I go to work at 3 pm and don't get home until 11.Yet one more thing,I decided to turn lights off and he seems to be calmer than with them on.I think I shall get a light timer.

 

[DWilliams]

Feeding everyday is fine I feed every other day. Just make sure you don't over feed. I usually feed a couple hours before my lights go out.

 

[Makoa]

What part of Nevada do you stay cuz I got a DIY 10 gal DIY sump/refugium you can have for free...

 

[Makoa]

Here's a pic

 

[Criptix]

Jackpot...The middle of nowhere'svilleI will think about taking that off your hands.I am just hoping that I get my "dream" tank in the next couple of months so my new little guy can have room to swim and have some tank buddies.
Right now my tank is sitting on top of my bookcase...pic before my Yellow Tail Damsel,Peek-A-Boo, addition.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

How do i raise the salinity?Also how long should i keep lights off.I turned them on this morning for the first time around 11am?Should i turn them back off?I will see about the new filter...the thing is this tank isn't permanent sooo I am not sure about getting a new filter just yet.I plan to have oe by Christmas and this is the filtration I have chosen:
Would it be to big for my 10 gal?
Also I am never getting Top Fin anything again!

You can raise the salinity very easily! Since you are supposed to top off with fresh water, don't top off as much. Then when you do your weekly water change increase the salinity by one or two pts. If you are at 1.020 then after some evaporation you will probably be at 1.021 depending on the amount of evaporation of course. You would then mix your water to 1.023 or .024. Because you are doing smaller water changes it wont increase the salinity overall by much. The Damsel is going to be fairly hardy and shouldn't react poorly. LFS keep salinity low to save money on salt but also in hopes of deterring parasites. It's not a good level for long term and your fish will thrive and live longer at levels closer to those of their natural habitats. I keep mine between 1.025-1.026 and have for years.

 

[Makoa]

I'm in sw Vegas I also have a marineland 350 biowheel filter you can have free also... Petco has a $1 gallon sale on aquariums $40 for a 40 gal breeder tank check it out...

 

[Makoa]

I just remembered one more thing,I put his bag in the tank water for about 30 minutes lights off and then put him in the tank keeping lights off.

When you take the bag out after 30 min. you should put you fish in a bucket with the water from the bag and have water from you tank drip slowly in bucket for about an hour removing some of the water from the bucket every 15 min or so, then put you fish in your tank.. Don't put water from the bucket in your tank just fish...3 or 4 drips a second... This way your fish will adjust slowly to your tanks temp and salinity.. Less stress happier fish

 

[Criptix]

Thanks for all your help!I think I just may have been paranoid.He is swimming all over and his color is still bright and vibrant!I did turn up the heater and the tank is now 78 degrees.Speaking of temp, it seems to be heating unevenly because I put the heater up to 80 and before when I had it at 76 degrees the thermometer read 74 degrees.Should I be concerned? The heater is on one end and the thermometer is on the other.The heater is a 50 watt heater.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Thanks for all your help!I think I just may have been paranoid.He is swimming all over and his color is still bright and vibrant!I did turn up the heater and the tank is now 78 degrees.Speaking of temp, it seems to be heating unevenly because I put the heater up to 80 and before when I had it at 76 degrees the thermometer read 74 degrees.Should I be concerned? The heater is on one end and the thermometer is on the other.The heater is a 50 watt heater.

If the heater is in tank then stick a power head next to it so it blows to the opposite side some. I use to do that and it seemed to work.

 

[Criptix]

Your temp is too low it should be around 78-80. Damsels are very hardy that's why people use them to cycle there tanks with. You just need to get your levels right. Salinity is your salt level, so mix up some saltwater with around 1.023 salinity & add it too your tank. It's better to raise the salinity level slowly also. I keep my lights on a total of 8 hours a day with great results.

My thermometer now reads 80 degrees, but it seems a little high.How do I know my fish isn't liking that temp?