I just put a Coral Beauty in my tank wednesday night and he's dying already. I'm not sure why, but I'm very upset. He was my second fish... he didn't even have a name yet. I acclimated him for 3 hours using drop method and he did just fine until just a few hours ago when I found him in the corner laying on the bottom. He appears to be really gasping for air. Before that, he was swimming around and seemed perfectly okay. I called the LFS for information and to ask if they have a warranty on their fish and they responded with "No, but we can test your water for you." If you ask me, that's terrible customer service. We forked out $40 for a fish that lasted 2 days. But I'm digressing...
Anyway, I tested my waters and this is what I got.
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
PH: around 8.2 or 8.4... hard to tell these colors....
SG: 1.021
Phosphate: .25 ppm(has a very slight green tinge)
Nitrates: 40 ppm
Due to the high nitrates, I only feed once a day, and is a very small amount. Only just enough for them to consume. I haven't done anything to the tank. Yesterday afternoon I added some powder to raise my ph from 8.0 to 8.2, but other than that, nothing has been done. No water change, no other additives, nothing. He just suddenly dropped over in just a few hours. between the hours of noon and 5, he just.... keeled over. He's not floating, or trying to swim at all. just laying there seemingly "breathing heavy".
Should I go ahead and remove him from the tank so my ammonia does go up from a decaying fish? He's not dead, but the poor thing is suffering. I don't know what to do. What caused him to keel over?
Anyway, I tested my waters and this is what I got.
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
PH: around 8.2 or 8.4... hard to tell these colors....
SG: 1.021
Phosphate: .25 ppm(has a very slight green tinge)
Nitrates: 40 ppm
Due to the high nitrates, I only feed once a day, and is a very small amount. Only just enough for them to consume. I haven't done anything to the tank. Yesterday afternoon I added some powder to raise my ph from 8.0 to 8.2, but other than that, nothing has been done. No water change, no other additives, nothing. He just suddenly dropped over in just a few hours. between the hours of noon and 5, he just.... keeled over. He's not floating, or trying to swim at all. just laying there seemingly "breathing heavy".
Should I go ahead and remove him from the tank so my ammonia does go up from a decaying fish? He's not dead, but the poor thing is suffering. I don't know what to do. What caused him to keel over?