clown fish and ammonia/nitrite

[Johnb123]

accidentally and prematurely placed my clownfish into another tank that wasn't fully cycled yet that has 1 ammonia, .5 nitrites, and 20 nitrates. its been in there for 3 days should i move it back and stress it out or leave it in the uncycled tank with 1 ammonia, .5 nitrite, and 20 nitrates?

the new tank is a 20 gallon with 20 pounds of rock that's been cycling for 3 weeks using water from my established tank

 

[snorvich]

accidentally and prematurely placed my clownfish into another tank that wasn't fully cycled yet that has 1 ammonia, .5 nitrites, and 20 nitrates. its been in there for 3 days should i move it back and stress it out or leave it in the uncycled tank with 1 ammonia, .5 nitrite, and 20 nitrates?

the new tank is a 20 gallon with 20 pounds of rock that's been cycling for 3 weeks using water from my established tank

The ammonia will burn their gills.

 

[Johnb123]

chromis gills already have ammonia doesn't it? that's why people use them to cycle tanks? does this apply to all fishes or just the chromis?

 

[Kidd Reef]

chromis gills already have ammonia doesn't it? that's why people use them to cycle tanks? does this apply to all fishes or just the chromis?

Chromis are used to cycle tanks because that used to be an old outdated method hobbyists use before we fully understood how cycling a tank worked.
they are just a species tough enough to survive the damage while its cycling, usually.

Take the fish out or Treat with ammo lock to make the ammonia harmless at least.

 

[Johnb123]

but do all fish gills have ammonia or is that just chromis?

 

[ThRoewer]

Fish get rid of ammonia via their gills before it can build up in their bloodstream but that doesn't mean they can handle high concentrations of it in the water.

 

[mattcoug]

As long as you don't have copper in that tank, put prime/equivalent in right now or you will kill your fish. 1.0 ppm ammonia is in the killing range.