New Saltwater Tank & Fish

Question
We just got a new saltwater tank and the fish were put in this morning.  They are just laying on their sides, on the bottom of the tank. Someone said they are just stressed.  Is this normal? Is there anything we should do?

Answer
Hi Autumn. If all your water parameters check out okay and you acclimated your fish properly, then your fish are most likely just stressed out. Depending on the kind of fish you put in there the reaction to stress may be different. Some fish act as you are seeing in your tank and some react by simply hiding. Keep a close watch on your water quality over the next few weeks by doing daily tests for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate in order to keep track of the cycling process. Don't be too concerned if your fish don't eat for the first two or three days. Sometimes it takes a few days for the fish to get used to their new environment.