swollen or open lips

[fish_doc]

The following is text of what someone messaged me. Let me know if I need to ask any more information from thim. I am not familiar with saltwater tanks. So any advice would be appreicated.

I am cycling my tank, and am starting with a blue damsel, annemie (sp) and a true percula clown. Day one, everything great. Day two, clown and annemie doing well, clown eating, annemia still full. Trouble, damsel will not eat, and his lips are "swollen" or in a open state all the time, no real visable marks or spots, will not eat, still swimming fine. Advice?

Thanks

water still test fine, 1.021, Ammonia is low but a little higher then with no fish, PH 8.2...

Could the fish possibly have tryed bitting the annemie and gotten a suprise? Any advice welcome.

[reefrunner69]

Well, the first thing you should advise them is to remove the fish and anemone and anything alive from the tank until it is fully cycled. SW fish cannot tolerate the ammonia of a cycle like some FW fish can, this person is definitely going to lose the anemone (not recommended for tanks under a year old) and likely to lose the fish. It is easier, cheaper and more humane to cycle the tank with a piece of raw cocktail shrimp from the grocers seafood counter.