Yellow tang with white underbody

[steve-s]

The nitrites I am seeing may even be none.. it's just the reading of the test.. it's not 100% clear.. ya know??

Any color change on a nitrite test reading is not a good sign. The NO2 should be undetectable in a properly cycled tank. With a still newer set up there are "ups & downs" especially when adding new waste producing animals. It can take a little time for this to settle down. Keep in mind that bacteria grows to meet the demands placed on the tank so with each new addition of a waste producing animal, time must be given for the biofilter to catch up. Personally I don't think 10 gal weekly water changes on a 75 gal tank with 5 damsels as the ammonia starter will have impeded the cycle to any real degree. In future though, please read here...( not a lecture, just a point of reference )
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15

Water changes are definately in order. Please be sure the new SW is well aged/aerated for a day before use. Do several over the next few days, 10-15 gal each.

How long have you had the angel and how are the damsels behavior generally towards it? Agrressive or passive?

Also, tell us how you acclimated these new fish to the tank.

I would also like to know, this can be especially important dendant on where the LFS keeps the chemistry/parameters of their tanks.

Given the decsription of the fish's behavior ("he is swimming weird.. and kinda floating") and no mention of skin abnormalities I am inclined to think an internal ailment, possible internal damage from netting or acclimation. There is also the possibility of cyanide capture.

If you've had the angel for any length of time I might also suspect diet...

Cheers
Steve

 

[ph34r3d]

I did the water change about a week ago and I kept the damsels in because I was told that would be fine?

 

[steve-s]

Keeping the damsels is fine as is the water changes... however if you could answer the questions, it would go along way to helping your situation

How long have you had the angel and how are the damsels behavior generally towards it? Agrressive or passive?

Tell us how you acclimated these new fish to the tank?

Also, are you seeing any bulging in the fish's belly, stringy or white/pale feces, what do you feed the fish/how often?

Any discoloration on the skin?

One other point I missed earlier was the salinity. You mentioned it varied from 1.022-1.024 SG. It should actually not vary really at all in a 75 gal tank. You need to keep the tank topped off with fresh (unsalinated) water daily to maintain a more constant salinity. Ups and downs of this kind will actually stress the fish quite badly and can cause internal stress/osmoregulatory problems.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ph34r3d]

had angel about 1 week and the damsels were cool with it.. never bothered it at all.... and what I did to acclimate was let the fish in the tank for about 10-15 min(to bring it up to temp).. then added 1 cup of water to the bag to the bag every 5 min for about 15 min... then put the fish in the tank.. ... no bulging.. no stringy ot pale feces(that I can see) and I feed the fish shrimp brine, and every day... not to much though. The only discoloration I seen with the angel was at night.. or when the lights were off... as far as the salinity.. it didn't vary "much" and when I took notice to the difference I added the buffered water(freshwater)

 

[steve-s]

what I did to acclimate was let the fish in the tank for about 10-15 min(to bring it up to temp).. then added 1 cup of water to the bag to the bag every 5 min for about 15 min... then put the fish in the tank.. ...

Depending on the salinity/pH of the LFS water, this is most likely your issue. Temp needs to be stabalized before opening the bag to help reduce pH shock. Generally speaking most LFS's keep much lower salinities to help reduce stress and a side benefit of saving on salt costs. When acclimating new fish, increasing salinity rapidly is very very harmful to the fish. It can not osmoregulate to the higher salinity at all quickly, it must be done over days. There is really nothing you can do to correct this at this point unless you have a properly cycled QT and/or no inverts of anykind in the main.

I added the buffered water(freshwater)

Do not buffer your top off water, there is absolutely no need for that and can/will alter your tank chemistry significantly over time. You seem to be doing regular water changes thus far so rely on that to maintain your numbers (salt mix depending).

Cheers
Steve

 

[ph34r3d]

so I shouldn't be adding ph buffer to the water??

 

[ph34r3d]

and the tang I added the same day.. is doing just fine now.. at first it was a little weird with coloring.. but it's fine now? maybe there was an internal issue with the angel?

 

[Fluff]

I feed the fish shrimp brine, and every day... not to much though.

Brine shrimp have next to no nutrisional value at all. I'd suggest trying a different food. Mysid are a better food as well as any quality flake food. There are tons of other frozen foods to choose from as well. And, if you aren't doing it already, your tang and angel need something to graze on. Get some nori/seaweeds sheets to hang in there daily for them.

 

[ph34r3d]

the angel is dead now :{

 

[Fluff]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[ph34r3d]

but the tang seems to be doing good now?

 

[steve-s]

so I shouldn't be adding ph buffer to the water??

Definately not without good reason. Buffer continously added via top offs will raise alkalinity to dangerous levels. If you are doing so for a pH problem, don't. Buffers and the like are bandaids for such problems, they do not fix them and they usually end up making it worse.

Do you know your alk level?

but the tang seems to be doing good now?

More than possible it adapted better then the angel or there was some sort of unidentified malady affecting the angel. In either case, lets hope the tang remains strong and healthy.

Cheers
Steve

 

[ph34r3d]

I wad told by the pet shop I should add the buffer to my evap water to make sure the ph is at 8.3 or whatever when adding the water? so that is not good?? the tang is def. healthy from what I can see.. I think the orginal color change was just maybe some stress from the damsels.. or new environment.. he seems to be perfect now. I also bought that seaweed like fluff had suggested and they all seemed to love it. I also got flake food. would it hurt to switch between flakes and shrimp brine daily? I am also in the process of getting new water ready for a 5-10 gal. water change again? and that darn brown algea... it's getting worse... could it be the type of light? length of time? I know fluff said to get snails.. but I also hear that snails don't generally eat brown algea, they normally eat green? or will some eat both?

 

[Fluff]

The brown is probably diatoms. I don't remember if you said how old the tank was but diatoms are just one of the nuisances of a newly established tank and is normally only temporary. Adding a clean up crew should help some. As for the brine. If you do decide to feed that ever other day, try soaking them in a good vitamin supplement like Zoe first.

 

[steve-s]

I wad told by the pet shop I should add the buffer to my evap water to make sure the ph is at 8.3 or whatever when adding the water? so that is not good??

It's not necessary and as I said can lead to problems, stop adding buffer. The one thing you need to remember above all others when it comes to any type of additive is never add anything to the tank without being able to properly test for it first.

Buffers impact both pH and alkalinity equally. pH depending on the product used will stabalize/lower over time. Alkalinity will continue to increase with each addition. Buffers should be used to maintain alkalinity thereby helping to prevent changes in pH, buffer should not be used to maintain pH.

Please post your morning pH and evening pH readings as well as alk if you have the kit. Be sure you have not made any recent buffer additions (within the last 12 hrs) for more accurate results.

Cheers
Steve