Help! Fish lying at bottom breathing heavy

[JoeNM84]

Problem is in the title. I have a 37 Gallon FOWLR tank. Just 2 damsels in there. Been in for 3 weeks and perfectly fine until today. Right now they are on the bottom breathing heavy and sometimes laying on their sides(one more than the other). I believe this has to be a water problem since it is both fish. I have done a 10% water change so far.
Tank has an over the back filter and a protein skimmer. Yesterday we put on a Koralia impeller pump for more circulation... which might be too much but haven't decided. Anyways fish were fine after getting used to the new flow of the tank and eating last night. I unplugged the pump overnight just because I wanted to keep an eye on them while it was running in case it was too much. I guess while installing the pump the timer for the light got messed up and the lights stayed on all night. Not sure if that would be why.
Water tests come out good. No ammonia, no nitrites or nitrates. With the pump, filter, and skimmer I would think there is plenty of oxygen. Pump is pointed up making the surface ripple a lot.
I am planning on doing another 10% change soon since I just turned the pump back on to see if it would help. I kept it off after seeing they weren't acting right.

Any help or suggestions would be awesome.

Salinity is at like 1.023 Temperature at 77 degrees. Couple of pieces of live rock and live sand.

 

[Mrscribbled]

The only thing I could suspect would be some chemical or toxin on the korilia. Was it washed in something if used or not rinsed well if new. There is no way you could have too much water flow in the tank to cause this.

 

[JoeNM84]

I asked my brother and he said he rinsed it, I was at work when it came and he put it in. I've done another 15% water change. The pump is brand new.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Sorry dude. Lights would not be an issue either. Can you get some extra carbon goingand or poly filters? Fish look disease free otherwise?

 

[JoeNM84]

The black one is looking kind of rough but the purple/yellow tail one looks physically fine... other than he is leaning up against a rock at the bottom to stay upright. Black one can't even do that anymore. We changed the filter pad/carbon, too. I could put some additional in there, would that help remove any toxins that may have got in?

 

[keithhays]

What is the PH?

 

[keithhays]

Also what are you measuring salinity with?

 

[JoeNM84]

I measured PH but I don't trust my test kit now since the color doesn't look like any of the possible ones it shows me. But I believe this may be the culprit if it is somewhat indicating anything since if anything I'd say it showed it low. I measure with the Instant Ocean Hydrometer for the salt content.

 

[keithhays]

I measured PH but I don't trust my test kit now since the color doesn't look like any of the possible ones it shows me. But I believe this may be the culprit if it is somewhat indicating anything since if anything I'd say it showed it low. I measure with the Instant Ocean Hydrometer for the salt content.

The PH test kit last longer than most other kits. Is the PH off the scale high or low?
What does the hydrometer register for just water at room temperature with no bubbles on it?

 

[Mrscribbled]

The black one is looking kind of rough but the purple/yellow tail one looks physically fine... other than he is leaning up against a rock at the bottom to stay upright. Black one can't even do that anymore. We changed the filter pad/carbon, too. I could put some additional in there, would that help remove any toxins that may have got in?

The carbon in the cartridge is not enough. More the better and yes will remove toxins and would change out every twelve hours if you suspect this is the problem.

 

[JoeNM84]

It was around 1.022/1.023. Which is actually a little lower than what I was going for, I know it isn't 100% accurate but I've read that a lot of people use that hydrometer. I used a test kit that has Nitrates, Nitrites, Hardness & PH on it. The PH looked kind of pinkish but it should have been orange to purple in color I think. It went up to 9.0 but it was definitely not a dark purple. I tested before I got the fish and it read close to the 8.0 and 8.5 colors. So I guessed it was in between. I might try another test strip just to see if it shows better.

I also added extra carbon to the filter in hopes it absorbs any toxins that might have been put in with the pump. This is just a complete bummer since everything has been fine and perfect up until today.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Salinity I doubt is the culprit but if your ph is acidic this could be it but with your water changes it should be ok unless your alkalinity is way high or way low due to too much calcium or too much added buffer.

 

[keithhays]

sorry didn't see that you had show that PH was off the scale low. Let me know what the Hydrometer says.

 

[keithhays]

It was around 1.022/1.023. Which is actually a little lower than what I was going for, I know it isn't 100% accurate but I've read that a lot of people use that hydrometer. I used a test kit that has Nitrates, Nitrites, Hardness & PH on it. The PH looked kind of pinkish but it should have been orange to purple in color I think. It went up to 9.0 but it was definitely not a dark purple. I tested before I got the fish and it read close to the 8.0 and 8.5 colors. So I guessed it was in between. I might try another test strip just to see if it shows better.

I also added extra carbon to the filter in hopes it absorbs any toxins that might have been put in with the pump. This is just a complete bummer since everything has been fine and perfect up until today.

Sorry, I mean what does your hydrometer say with just fresh water?

 

[JoeNM84]

I redid the PH test. I'd guess that it is showing between 7.5 and 8.0 on it. Which would be low. I have a half unit of Chemi-Pure(think it was Elite) in the filter. Not sure if that would be hurting it since I thought it would be helping. But it is only a half unit which it says is for up to 20 gallons... Mine is 37 gallon, but it was on sale so I grabbed it and figured it would help a little at least.

The Hydrometer shows Freshwater at under 1.000, so the lever thing is all the way down.

 

[keithhays]

You seem have the right salinity though I would generally shoot a little higher.
With the salinity correct though the PH should be regeistering above 8.0 usually 8.3 for most salt mixes. The chem pure has GFO in it which could be lowering it, but it is likely that something else is in the tank. Fish normally live at 7.5 not die. If you don't see anything on the fish themselves, I would mix fresh saltwater somewhere else and try to save the fish.

btw, I have seen very large tanks killed using old dechorinator.

 

[JoeNM84]

I used Prime in my water, too(less than a year old). It just seems really weird that everything was fine for 3 weeks with these fish. I'll need more salt mix to do a massive change it seems. Ugh, I swear the holidays are a time for everything to go wrong for me.

edit: Black one has died.

 

[keithhays]

just curious, when you say its been 3 weeks, do you mean the whole tank is 3 weeks old or the fish have been in the tank for 3 weeks?

 

[JoeNM84]

Fish were in there 3 weeks. I'm sure ultimately this is my fault, this is my first saltwater tank after having freshwater for a long time. But the tests I've done have shown everything fine, water clear. I think I just blame Petco for selling crappy fish, I've avoided them for a long time having seen dead/sickly fish and ich in their tanks before, but not many saltwater fish stores around.

 

[JoeNM84]

(Yes that is me in some denial blaming Petco ) Has to be something in the water if both fish have this happen at the same time.