Skunk clownfish problem

[Ryan delano]

I have 2 skunk clowns I just set the tank up Sunday and put them in to cycle the tank along with beneficial bacteria only one is laying on the sand floor and breathing heavily while the other one is doing just fine my ammonia is at .25 and nitrites still at 0 I added more bacteria today

 

[Euphyllia97]

What size tank are we talking about? Why introducing 2 fish in an uncycled tank? (Why even use a fish to cycle but that’s another discussion)

Can you provide us with a video of how the fosh are acting?

I would go for a big waterchange (at least 50%) and then daily waterchanges of 30% at this point until the situation stabilizes. Add an oxygen stone to the tank and keep the lights off/dim for the time being. You might want to consider to add seachem prime to provide relief from ammonia poisoning to help the struggling fish. If a LFS is nearby, try to get some cycled media or rocks to deal with the ammonia fluctuations

Measure and post your most important parameters to rule out any other problems:

Salinity
Temperature
Ammonia after the water change

Might be too late for one of the clowns. You will have to treat this tank as a newly set up uncycled quarantine tank. You can search the forums for tips. (Always Have well-mixed and heated saltwater ready for an emergency waterchange, buy those ammonia badges that you can quickly spot ammonia presence, waterchanges, add cycled biomedia)

 

[Ryan delano]

I was doing the fritz turbo start method the one I read about and researched and how I started my last tank on sorry for not clarifying temp is 78 and salt 2025

 

[Euphyllia97]

Method works, but comes with certain risk like causing damage or death to the fish. (Not all fish that are sold are 100% strong and healthy). Put the focus on containing them in an ammonia free and oxygen high environment right now.

To cycle the tank without risk, best proven method is to just drop in a source for ammonia, sit back and relax. (Maybe if you have to start another tank, think about this method :) )

If temp is 78 and salinity is 1.025. Those params are fine, I would personally lower temp to 76. This slows down metabolism fo possible pathogens and helps the water to contain more 02. Do this gradually as stability is also key to the survival of your clowns now.