Discoloration & heavy breathing on Yellow Watchman. Should I be worried?

[bokchoybug]

Our Yellow Watchman Goby, Dexter, is showing some slight discoloration (light reddish, pinkish) under his gills and that same color appears just a little at the end of his tail.

He's also breathing heavily.

Toxic Ammonia .01
Nitrite .5
Nitrate 10
80 F
1.026
PH 7.7
Oxygen 8
Phosphate .1


I suspect the nitrites are affecting him. Put in some prime and stability and will do a water change tomorrow (since water has to aerate). UNLESS, it's ok to do a water change asap without waiting for aearation, as long as all the salt is dissolved. Is that ok? We use IO Reef Crystals?

Anything else I can do?

Also, is he kinda translucent? Meaning, when he eats something, can you kinda see it in his body? Just wondering because the last meal he ate was frozen formula one which is bright red.

 

[Jerry W]

There should be no detectable ammonia or nitrites. Is this a new tank?
The pH is also quite low. Get it up in the 8.2-8.4 range. I would do a water change to dilute to toxins.

 

[bokchoybug]

No, it's a tank that's been up for 4 months or so. I suspect the ammonia cycle got a start when I cleaned some of the sand the other night and released quite of bit of dust, detritus, etc.

 

[bokchoybug]

No, it's a tank that's been up for 4 months or so. I suspect the ammonia cycle got a start when I cleaned some of the sand the other night and released quite of bit of dust, detritus, etc.