what are your water stats (pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
how old is the tank?
how big is the tank?
what type of filtration?
any cycling performed?
any other outward symptoms on the fish?
All "Logical Questions"
Without knowing any of the Above Stats, and since you've said you are NEW to tropical Fish, I'd say it sounds like NEW TANK Syndrome to me.
This is where you start a new Tank, And add to MANY Fish and they poison themseleves with their Own Waste.
You usually add two or three Hardy Fish, ie. Mollies, or Platies even in a tank the Size of 55 gallons or Larger, If we are talkin about 5 or 10 gallon tanks then you only add 1 or at the most 2 to Start it Out.
This allows Good Bacteria to start growing, they attach themseleves to the Walls of the tank, Gravel, Decorations, etc.
And then they begin their Jobs of breaking down the Waste Produced by the fish.
As the Cycle of the tank progresses you'll have a Spike in the Ammo as Well as the Nitrate Levels but this is Normal nothing Needs too be done as long as the Fish aren't showing any signs of Stress, And if they are as yours is do a 25 - 30% Water Change to drop the levels back some. too help make the water less TOXIC for the fish.
When the Cycle is done these levels will Drop back to ZERO. If all goes as it should.
Then you can add more fish 2 or 3 at a time until your tank is Stocked.
You Never want to OVERSTOCK a tank.
To help the Cycle along a little QUICKER you can always add a little Bio Zyme to the mix, It's avaliable at your LPS.
Bio Zyme is a all natural Enzyme that is the same as grows in the water after you start your tank, It adds the Good Bacteria to your water.
As a matter of fact I always add a pinch or two after every tank cleaning, to help replace some of the bacteria that I might have sucked out while Hoovering my fishs gravel.
In your case I would add two or three pinches of Bio Zyme to the tanks Water at least every other day till the Cycle is Complete, But first do your 25 - 30% Water Change.
Then I believe your fish will do just fine.
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) Oh Yea and I almost forgot.
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WELCOME to the FORUMS
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