Ich infection

Would there be any way we could distinguish what type of bacterial infection if applicable?

We don't have an amonia tester and usually check with lfs every 2-4 weeks

I've attached some pictures, one of the cherry barbs looks to have fin rot maybe? And some pictures of the red tail shark

I can still see some light silver colour spots on the other red eye tetra, this looks differently to the ich spots we seen on other fish

The fish usually commonly called "red eye tetra" is the species Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae but that is not the fish in these photos. The pictured fish looks like a cyprinid (one of the rasbora species I would think). I do not think they have ich.

The cherry barb has some red blotch on its lower right side. Diagnosing fish disease is very difficult, and I won't guess. But rather than dumping "medications" in (which in themselves do stress fish regardless of whether or not they may work) I would do some major water changes, vacuuming the substrate at each. Provided parameters (being GH, pH and temperature) of tank water and tap water are the same, you can change 70-80% of the tank volume at each W/C. Clean water goes a long way to resolving issues.

On the fish together in this tank as mentioned by @Essjay earlier, the Red Tail Shark, the bettas, and the mollies should be rehomed if at all possible. The water is soft and mollies will have difficulty functioning in soft water. The RTS and bettas are not compatible.

You should get an ammonia test ASAP, this is one of the first water tests needed at the sign of any problems. The API Master Combo liquid test kit has ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the tests you should have, and well worth the money.

Many of us went through much the same starting out, so don't be discouraged. You have, like so many, received poor advice from stores, sadly not at all uncommon.

I'll do this water change, hopefully resolves it.

The red tail shark does seem to just do its own thing and catfish sniff around the full tank although if it is going to be a problem when older i can give this away.

Does anyone know what the spots on the african red eye tetra is? The fish is a arnoldichthys spilopterus.
And also the white edges of red tail shark and if the cherry barb has fin rot or if its been nipped?

I'll pick up the api master kit it was on my.list of things to buy, also can we harden water to medium to keep the mollies, we have platys too? I quite like them and their one of my favourite fish

Attached is my local tap water levels

Ramase said:

also can we harden water to medium to keep the mollies, we have platys too?

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There is no happy medium I'm afraid. If you make the water hard enough for mollies, it will be too hard for the soft water fish. Mollies need at least 250 ppm GH to be healthy.

The only realistic alternative to rehoming them is to set up another tank and add Rift Lake cichlid salts to make the water harder, then once it's cycled, move the hard water fish in there.


You posted the water quality report as I was typing. Unfortunately that doesn't list hardness, it's in a separate section.

Essjay said:

There is no happy medium I'm afraid. If you make the water hard enough for mollies, it will be too hard for the soft water fish. Mollies need at least 250 ppm GH to be healthy.

The only realistic alternative to rehoming them is to set up another tank and add Rift Lake cichlid salts to make the water harder, then once it's cycled, move the hard water fish in there.


You posted the water quality report as I was typing. Unfortunately that doesn't list hardness, it's in a separate section.

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Is it the same for the platys too? Or just the mollies and is there a specific paramater i need to look for for the water hardness?

Ramase said:

The fish is a arnoldichthys spilopterus.

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I agree. The photos were not very clear, I could not see the adipose fin, but this is resolved now.

Ramase said:

And also the white edges of red tail shark and if the cherry barb has fin rot or if its been nipped?

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The RTS is normal, not an issue. The cherry barb I'm not sure which, but given the RTS nipping at night is a real possibility. Even if it is fin rot, this can occur from stress and just being in the tank with "aggressive territorial" fish can cause it. As can inappropriate water parameters or ammonia/nitrite/nitrate issues [just mentioning the many "causes," not suggesting this or that].

Ramase said:

Is it the same for the platys too? Or just the mollies and is there a specific paramater i need to look for for the water hardness?

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All livebearers will be healthier in moderately hard or harder water, depending upon species and GH/pH numbers, this is a generality. Mollies really must have the GH close to the 250 ppm or higher level as @Essjay noted, platies can manage around 180 ppm (or higher not a problem).

Soft water fish generally will be healthier in much softer water. We don't have the GH number, but it may be fine for them now. Making it harder for the livebearers can cause serious issues for soft water fish, again depending upon species and the actual GH and pH. The GH directly impacts the internal functioning of the fish's physiology.

Byron said:

I agree. The photos were not very clear, I could not see the adipose fin, but this is resolved now.



The RTS is normal, not an issue. The cherry barb I'm not sure which, but given the RTS nipping at night is a real possibility. Even if it is fin rot, this can occur from stress and just being in the tank with "aggressive territorial" fish can cause it. As can inappropriate water parameters or ammonia/nitrite/nitrate issues [just mentioning the many "causes," not suggesting this or that].



All livebearers will be healthier in moderately hard or harder water, depending upon species and GH/pH numbers, this is a generality. Mollies really must have the GH close to the 250 ppm or higher level as @Essjay noted, platies can manage around 180 ppm (or higher not a problem).

Soft water fish generally will be healthier in much softer water. We don't have the GH number, but it may be fine for them now. Making it harder for the livebearers can cause serious issues for soft water fish, again depending upon species and the actual GH and pH. The GH directly impacts the internal functioning of the fish's physiology.

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I'll order the api master test kit tonight, i checked our local water, it is soft from the water provider.

I'll do a 70% water change and hopefully this helps clear any issues.

I think the tetras definitely have something though as those silver spots were not there previously

Does anyone know what this is on the fish?

Ramase said:

Does anyone know what this is on the fish?

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Those are much better pictures. That is not ich. I believe it is the scales themselves, I have over my 30 years of fish seen fish with the odd similar shiny reflective scale(s).

Just to update i done a 60/70% water change and picked up some esha 2000 for general bacteria and other infections and completed the 3 day dosage and now wait for fish to improve.

No more fish have passed but i can see my fish are still suffering a little, mollies sitting at bottom of tank idle at times at other times swimming around and other times breathing at the top of my tank.

I'm contemplating adding some salt back in to help, temperature has been reduced and can see a little improvement in the bettas as they come out more but other fish still at times twitching and going to the top for oxygen.

We still don't have the hardness of your water, just the water quality report which doesn't include it. If you have soft water, that's why the mollies are behaving a bit off as they need hard water. Can you tell us the name of the water company please.


Salt should only be added temporarily to treat mild infections. Unless they are showing symptoms of this, it should not be added.

Essjay said:

We still don't have the hardness of your water, just the water quality report which doesn't include it. If you have soft water, that's why the mollies are behaving a bit off as they need hard water. Can you tell us the name of the water company please.


Salt should only be added temporarily to treat mild infections. Unless they are showing symptoms of this, it should not be added.

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Sorry i thought i added this, it is soft water i checked this and it said on their report.
My cherry barbs sometimes stall and twitch as does 1 of my blue emperor tetras.

My mollies weren't as bad before as what they are now they seemed ok but i am looking to rehome the fish after i see their general wellbeing returned

Temp up to 80 or 82, no salt or meds and lots of water changes will resolve most issues.