sick damsel

[afcc.77]

Hi,
Two days ago i bought a few damsels and some clownfish to start my tank. This morning I've noticed that two of the damsels were dead. I took them out and went about my day. When i go home tonight i noticed one of the other damsels is laying on the bottom of the tank almost "struggling" to go higher. It hasn't been eating or if i go near it with a net it just sits there. I have also noticed that it has a green color on its scales when its normal black and white stripped. Any ideas why this is happening or what i can do?

P.S.
The ammonia and nitrite levels are at zero. And the nitrate level is between 20-30 I would say around 25.

 

[melosu58]

Are you cycling the tank? Have you cycled the tank?

 

[afcc.77]

The tank hasn't cycled yet but the person where we bought them said to add small fish like the damsels to cycle the tank. Is it normal for the fish to die or get sick when it is just getting started?

 

[joy13]

It shouldn't be common for fish to die. What is common is for LFS to make money by selling fish to people whose tank isn't cycled properly. When a tank isn't cycled what happens is ammonia burns the tissue of the gills and will make the fish sick or even die.