Anmonia is bad for fish and will cause damage to their gill. It seem like
your tank did not fully cycle yet.
You state your amonia is at .25 and nitrite at 0. How about Nitrate? Your
cycle will drop and rise as time pass. You do not need fish to cycle your
tank. You can use cocktail shrimp or any meaty food from your local
supermarket or if you really cheap, you can use your urine which will have
plenty of amonia to start the boost.

It is the same as you close your car garage while your car engine running
[especial non LEV]. You will be grasping for air or have heavy breathing.

Scroll down to "Cycling your tank"
http://www.melevsreef.com/overview.htm

CapFusion,...


"newbie2apache" wrote in message
m...
I have a 54 gl corner tank which is a month old now. I have 1 blue
damsel and 1 three striped damsel, as well as 2 clown fish. I
introduced the damsels about a week in to simply get some amonia into
the tank and introduced the two clown fish in the past week.

The fish have always been gilling/breathing rapidly. All my levels
seem acceptable
PH - 8.5/8.6
Amonia - .25
Nitrite - 0
Salinity - 1.025
temp - 79
filter - Fluval 3050

I am running out of ideas, as to why the fish are gilling rapidly, and
as of this evening, one of the clown fish appears its going to die.
None of the fish have open wounds, colliflower pathes, or other
deformities. The clown is lying on the bottom of the tank, and
getting blown around by the powerhead output. From what I have read,
the distilled oxygen could be low, but I have no idea how to get
additional oxygen in the water, other than allow the powerheads O2
input to be totally exposed.

Any ideas as to why my fish appear to be breathing heavy or how I
might correct any issues with the sal****er?