6 fish looking slightly pale

[TESS]

6 of my fish look a bit pale (red platys), they seem to be yellow looking on their under side and more pale round the under side of their gills. Is it because i have over fed them today?, because someone (Idiot!) told me that i shouldnt be just feeding them once a day and that i should feed them twice a day or as much as they can eat in 5 mins. I normaly feed them a flake per fish once daily, but today i followed the idiots advice and i think i may have over fed them, would this cause them to go pale?. And also it is only the 6 females that have this and the 2 males are ok, they have been trying to mate the females all day and 1 males has lost a tiny bit of his top fin (looks like his been in a fight), could this be another reason why 6 females have gone a bit pale?. Other than that all fish are well, none are sitting at the bottom and all are very active. One female does go to the top more often but she has a tiny bit of white spot that is being treated (shes been doing it since i brought her).
Yesterday i done a 50% water change and water reading were
ammonia 0
ph 7.5
nitrite 0.10
nitrate 40

 

[sylvia]

More likely it's the nitrIte causing them distress - not the feeding. Though the feeding extra does increase the amount of ammonia produced and so also increases the nitrIte. The fact that these fish are being used to cycle WILL take its toll on them so make sure you don't stress them any more than necessary until after the cycle is fully completed. Another water change may be of benefit to the fish - though maybe not to the cycle. Fish are the priority though.

 

[TESS]

ok, thankyou sylvia .
They are due for a water change today, i will also test the water today aswell.
They look a bit more colourfull today and are all swimming normaly.

 

[WILDER]

Yes same as sylvia has said it's your nitrites thats causing them stress, if you have no scaless fish add some salt it will help abit.

 

[TESS]

Update:
I tested the water this afternoon and the results :
ammonia- 0.25ppm
ph - 7.5
nitrite - 0.50ppm
nitrate - 40 ppm
10% water change results:
ammonia - 0.25
ph - 7.5
nitrite - 0.50
nitrate - 40
This evening i done a 25% water change, results:
ammonia - 0ppm
nitrite - 0.50 ppm

Is my tank now cycling?, if so i though the ammonia was suppose to spike first but it has not moved past 0.25 since i started, the nitrite has just gone up slowly.
I spoke to a fish dealer and he said that day 11-17 is the time when all the cycling begins i.e ammonia & nitrite, day 11 starts tomorrow for my tank?
I added some aquarium salt on 28th december, would it be ok to add some more now to help my fish?
I have no finger nails left, i have told my fish to be strong and hold tight.

 

[TESS]

I forgot to say that i read in another post that you should not suck the gravel when the tank is cycling.............well ive done it twice now , i done think i got all the muck out though as my fish wanted to go on a water lume ride down the hose .
Also i forgot to mention that alge is now forming on my tank, i have a scraper should i now scrape it and leave in on the bottom of the tank for bacteria to grow?, it is also on my fake rock.
I have now chewed of my finger

 

[sylvia]

The salt is removed with water changes so calculate how much you may have taken out and replace it.

Do another water change to lower nitrItes.

Yes, your tank is cycling - the ammonia is at 0 due to water changes. I don't think you'll have a steady 0 ammonia reading if you leave the tank without water changes but don't worry, the spiking nitrItes means you are on your way .

 

[sylvia]

Just saw your other post

Don't worry about the gravel vacuum. It can disrupt the bacteria but it isn't too serious.

Just leave the algae for now - is it brown? This is completely normal for a new tank and should soon go. If it is green, you probably have too much direct sunlight or generaly light getting at your tank - adding fast-growing plants would help but leave all that to after the cycle. It also uses up nitrAtes and the like so is good to have while you are cycling Do reduce your feeding a little though. You can scrape it off the front glass if there is any there but leave the rest till later.

 

[TESS]

Ive calculated the water changes and i think i can safely put more salt in, ive changed more than the tank its self since the last lot of salt .
I will do another water change tomorrow (about 25% again) as the fish have been pit to bed now.
Im glad the cycing has started in away as i just want it to be over for my fishes sake, i will never do another cycle with fish ever again, i dont know about my fish being stressed but i am stressed for them
The alge is green, i have daylight lighting in my tank for the plants, i leave it on for about 10 hours a day, no sunlight gets to my tank (its england,its winter enough said ).Some of my plants are going slightly brown though, the ones that look like reeds are ok. My fish are eating the hell out the other two plants that are going slightly brown.
I will follow your advice sylvia, thankyou so much you have been very helpfull to me since i started, im glad your here