Darkening 3stripe Damsel

[micstarz]

I have had my 3 stripe Humbug Damsel for about a week now. Until yesterday it was doing fine but today I noticed that the white dot on it's forehead and the white bar behind the black bar after that had darkened. The other white bars are still white. Other than that, it is behaving normally.

Should I be concerned?

 

[sweeTang21]

how long has your tank been setup and what method did you use to cycle??

test the water to make sure there is no ammonia or high nitrite and then check your temp. Some fish will darken due to colder conditions then required.

 

[BIGgourami]

i've noticed alot of 3-4 striped with 2 1/2 or mottled striped lately... i do think it has to to witht he temp.. or at least another water parameter.. check those out first..


if it's old it may be natural.. most damsels lose SOME color as they age

 

[micstarz]

i've noticed alot of 3-4 striped with 2 1/2 or mottled striped lately... i do think it has to to witht he temp.. or at least another water parameter.. check those out first..


if it's old it may be natural.. most damsels lose SOME color as they age

how long has your tank been setup and what method did you use to cycle??

test the water to make sure there is no ammonia or high nitrite and then check your temp. Some fish will darken due to colder conditions then required.

Thanks. It's probably the temperature because I took it down (slowly) from 30 to 27 because i read it was too high.

The tank is a week old.

 

[sweeTang21]

78F is ideal in most home aquaria unless your keeping specail species which require cold water temps.

 

[micstarz]

What's that in celsius?

 

[BIGgourami]

25.5

there's a converter for all things on the site.. it's up in the menu bar

 

[tylerperkins]

the tanks only a week old as in it has not even went through a cycle yet or it cycled a week ago?

 

[micstarz]

first

 

[sweeTang21]

Cycle being number one to all systems i think the temp should be raised as well.

As i posted in my first thread, because i remember talking about your tank not long ago, i would test the water and get some results. These results, in my personal opinion, will tell you the reason your damsel is darker then normal. If i had to guess your ammonia is elevated and is causing stress, which all fish will act differently to, but will none the less be effected. I would also recommend a water change for the tank. If its possible i would also remove the fish and keep him somewhere the water can be kept clean, while your tank finishes the cycle, and then once that happens, add the fish back to the system. This is your best bet at getting your tank past stage 1, with 100% success.