i may have jumped the gun

Question
Nicole-
I just recently got into the aquarium hobby world.  we started with a 14 gallon tank that our angelfish quickly outgrew and just recently moved into a 55 gallon.  the small tank has been fully cycled and the big tank is going a little slower than i thought it would.  the nitrites are just starting to get higher and i'm alternating 25 and 50% water changes everyday.  the problem comes from the fact that we ordered and received quite a few fish off the internet and the big tank isn't ready for them yet.  but, they are in the little tank all together.  i've got 18 young tetras, 7 for the 55 gallon and 11 for the 14 gal.  I've got a blue gourami and 2 gold ram cichlids.  i'm planning on moving the cichlids into the 55 gallon, along with the gourami. now getting to my question:
the cichlids are both staying in one place at the top of the tank and gasping.  one is worse than the other and his gills are red. everyone else in the tank seems fine.  is this an overcrowding issue?  is it more important to give them space or to put them into healthy water?   the 55 gallon ammonia is about 0.5ppm and the nitrite is around 0.7ppm.  the 14 gallon nitrates are at 20ppm.  i'm worried about these little rams! they are very young -- they're a little under an inch long.  thank you so much for your time.
-kelsey

Answer
Hi Kelsey,

Sorry not to get back to you sooner...

Yes, rams are delicate, and need established tanks to settle into. They are sensitive to high nitrates, but especially to nitrites. Ammonia of course, is highly toxic, so you're going to have to do all you can to stabilize your new tank.

You have used filter media in the 55 gallon tank, right? Just taking the media from the 14 gallon established tank and using it in the filter for the 55 gallon tank should establish it rapidly. Some gravel from an established tank, added to the filter in a stocking or pantyhose, helps too.

You probably got a deal getting these fish all shipped together in one box, but adding an armload of fish in one fell swoop is unpredictable at best. You are doing about the best thing you can do - daily water changes - and I applaud you for that! Keep it up. The gold rams are suffering from nitrogenous waste exposure or toxicity of some sort, this is indicated by the red gills and hard breathing. Shipping stress probably made matters worse. Try adding more aeration and doing daily water changes on the 14 gallon also. 50-75% wouldn't be too much. Water changes won't "undo" the cycling of established tanks, as some folks believe.

Keep an eye on everyone as they mature, you may run into a few issues. Gouramis do best in pairs, in my experience. Also, why do you have more tetras in the 14 gallon than the 55 gallon? I would reverse this. Angelfish can be delicate. They're cichlids too, just like the rams, and also do best in established tanks. Environmental diseases such as finrot and popeye are more common in angelfish than other tropical fish. The water quality needs of cichlids are more demanding than say, barbs or danios, which are more forgiving. The stability of your pH, which will be largely determined by how alkaline your water is, will play a big role in the health of your fish. There are ways to buffer your tank if you find your water is low in alkalinity - blending crushed coral sand/gravel in your substrate, for example.

In short, use established filter media in your 55 gallon tank, continue doing daily water changes, and keep an eye out to make sure everyone gets along. Most of all, keep reading. You say you're new at this...you're doing well! But everyone is enriched by doing a little more reading. Reading up makes us better fishkeepers. Ideally, research all specimens ahead of purchase. There are lots of fantastic resources available on the internet, such as:
http://freshaquarium.about.com
http://www.wetwebmedia.com
http://badmanstropicalfish.com

Also, this site focuses on cichlids especially:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com

I hope that helps. Have a nice weekend, and good luck!
Nicole