live rock

Question

my tank   QUESTION: Hello, I have a 14 gallon tank that has been running for three months with 6 line wrasse, pajama cardinal fish, yellowtail damsel, and firefish. When i turn of the light in my tank my yellowtail damsel and my pajama cardinals color fades it happens every day is that normal. also i have a freshwater tank and the fish i that tank seem to always be swimming even at night but in my salt water tank at night all of my hide and go to sleep until morning( except cardinal). then every morning after i turn the light on i have to wait a half an hour for my fish to wake up,is that normal, thanks

PS i now that wrasses sleep

ANSWER: Hi Ben,

Check your water parameters.  Make sure they are all at 0,  0 Nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and ammonia, mainly.  Check Salinity.  1.024, not 1.022, as marked on most readouts.

If they're not, then there aren't enough water changes being done.  That can weaken a fish's immune system, and so can cold.  Check the temperature and be sure it's on 76F.

Your tank's cute.  But, the lights may be surprising the fish.  Regardless, in my home I turn on 5 tanks worth of light every morning and none of my fish change colors.  That tells me that they are frightened when you do and/or have something brewing healthwise.

Just keep an eye on the water quality and do your water changes at a rate of 10% every two weeks.  I do mine weekly, but I have live coral.  Without live corals, you can go to bi-weekly changes.

I hope this is helpful.  You can write in anytime.

Happy fish-keeping.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello, In my tank there is one peace of live rock that slowly dissolving ,that is visible on the rock and new holes appeared. when ever i add water to the tank all the debris flies up. can that debris that flies up cause any serious problems. thanks

PS: i know that the debris is not waste

Answer
Hi,

My goodness, get rid of the rock asap.  Dissolving should occur over a very long period of time...years, and not in a noticeable way.  There is something wrong with that rock.  Please take my advice.  Trash it.  I'd like to see a photo.  It may not even be a reef rock.  Live means live with good things, but it doesn't mean it came from the ocean.  It means the rock was submersed with other rocks, and became live with their bacteria and life.  

This means you can stick any kind of rock into a reef and make it live, but only a select type can be used in a saltwater aquarium.  This may be a serious issue.  Please consider taking it out.

Debris is always a negative.  Please feel free to send me any images you like. I'd like to take a look.