my tank is a 20 gallon fish only fish tank NO LIVE ROCK. my 3,3 stripe damsels fighting. the bigger one keeps fighting wit the medium 1,n the medium with the lil smalll 1.But the bigger never chase the small 1, once i put the big away in a small tank the lil 1 staring breding faster. so they i saw the medium keeping in da small so i put in another small tank. now my lil damsel still keeps breathing fast.whats wrong with him? is it cuz my tank is cycling or ??my tank has been cycling for a week now my ammonia is 4.0ppm my nitrite is 0.25ppm.???also is ok to bring the two damsels back to the store even though my tank isnt cycled? and if do instead of repleacing for another fish right away could,i make them wait intill my tank is cycled?? anyone knows?? in my tank i have no decoraatinons yet, could dat be the problem for them fighting?
2007-09-26 15:34:24 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
In just a 20 gallon, damsels may very well have territory disputes. I think you'd be safe just using one, and trading it in as well when the tank is cycled (it will harass any other fish you try to add later).
You need to do some fast water changes to bring down the ammonia - it shouldn't be allowed to rise that high - that's why your damsel seems to have trouble breathing. Ideally, you want to keep this below 0.5 ppm, so you have about 8 times the level that fish will be stressed. If the exposure lasts, you'll kill the damsels. Your nitrite is fine for now, but as the ammonia is converted, the nitrite level will rise as well. This is also toxic and should be kept under 0.5 ppm.
Hiding places may help your fish now, just so they aren't constantly within sight of one another, but as they mature, they'll try to establish their own territories, and a 20 gallon is very little space for one territory.
2007-09-26 15:45:01 · answer #1 · answered by copperhead 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
3 fish will upload greater ammonia than a million, yet do no longer enable your ammonia spike too intense. the bacteria it is colonizing will basically consume a lot ammonia according to day, so do carry out water variations to maintain ammonia stages at no greater suitable than a million ppm., until it drops off, then shop an eye fixed on nitrite besides. use of stay bacteria, which includes cycle,rigidity zyme and start up sensible will help velocity the approach and shop ammonia and nitrite from spiking so intense.
2016-10-09 21:46:24 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You definitely need to invest in some live rock (as much as you can afford) because it REALLY HELPS with filtering. Remember, when you are creating a saltwater habitat, you are trying to mimic nature. You need to put in what is naturally found in their habitat, rock, sand, seaweed, etc... This is all a part of knowing what you're doing before you start, otherwise you will end up disappointed. Talk to the pet store guy, I'm sure he'll tell you to get live rock.
2007-09-26 15:50:49 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
im goin with copperhead here. damselfish are very territorial in small tanks. and i would definately do some partial water changes to bring down the ammonia and nitrite. you will be cycled when they are at 0 and nitrates barely read. do water changes when your nitrates get high.
get some live rock. it will help with the cycling and filtration a huge deal.
2007-09-26 16:04:24 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋