7 dead mollies

[Phantom Thief]

I was off about 3 months! (off the internet, not the aquarium)

Anyway, while i was gone, i lost seven mollies to unknown reasons. Here's the stats:

1 Angelfish
6 Bronze cories
7 Cardinal Tetras (theyre doing fine with the angel)
4 Dwarf Gouramis
4 Guppies

No other fish showed any adverse effects, including the dwarf gouramis, which are supposed to be the most sensitive. I cant give you details on ammonia, nirite and nitrate, but as its been 4 months or so, im sure its cycled. The fish died one by one. As they bullied the angel, and not vice versa, its not bullying. Anyway, I got 10 glowlight tetras as replacement. I havent loss any other fish, except a few cories, and that was old age. Any idea why the mollies died?

P.T.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Black mollies (don't know if that's what your were) are sensitive and f they get sick it's usually a good indication that there's something up with the tank.

As it's only mollies I am not sure but I would always advise to check your parameters. If your tank is cycled, just check the NitrAte.

 

[tstenback]

I have found the same thing. The mollies seem to be the first fish to show symptoms. They seem to be very intolerant to changes in water conditions and temperature. like Cheese Specialist said try checking your parameters to see if anything is going on. Good Luck

 

[markus]

i had 2 mollys b4 and i had them for about 2 week and they both turned white and died

 

[mrV]

You don't either tell how hard is your water and what is pH in your tank.

 

[Perky]

My nan had two Mollies and she didn't look after her tank and they where fine. She would do a water change once a month
Eventually she gave in to me and let me have the tank

 

[Phantom Thief]

Hmm...

Sorry, cant give you water parameters. But i probably know the cause now. pH and Hardness. My pH is acidic, so accordingly, soft.

P.T.

ps: Is the pH THAT distressing?

 

[mrV]

If you have pH lower than 7 and waer is soft, then it's very good to your others fishes (except guppies). Don't buy mollies more.

 

[rcl]

something you may want to keep in mind is that mollies are brackish fish. this means that they like (and really require) salt in their water to be 'at their best'. If mollys get sick earlier than other fish, then this just means that they were already stressed. Also since their native environment is saltier water, I'm guessing that the other people replying are correct in saying that mollys would like harder water.

I have 5 mollys and one of them had white lesions appear on its body, around that time i added salt at the concentration of 1 tblspoon / 5 gallons to my tank, for the purpose of treating an ich outbreak. Now all the mollies are free of these white lesions, although one has a small touch of ich. I have not decided if I will keep salt in the water permanently or not, but if I do it would probably be at perhaps 1 tbl / 20 gallons or some similar concentration. Not sure if even this is good on a permanent basis for other fish, but the mollies sure would appreciate it.

Robert

 

[tmlhaus]

Phantom Thief, I don't mean to change the subject, but does your angel really do fine with the cardinal tetras? I just bought some neons and I'd love an angel fish but I'm afraid as they get bigger and the neons stay so small they would become breakfast for the angels.

 

[mrV]

something you may want to keep in mind is that mollies are brackish fish. this means that they like (and really require) salt in their water to be 'at their best'. If mollys get sick earlier than other fish, then this just means that they were already stressed. Also since their native environment is saltier water...

Some of them need salt addition, some not... But they both need still basic/hard/warm water to "feel better". In nature they live in freshwater but in brackish water too. They may even get accustomed to salt water. So saying they absolutely need brackish water is a bit wrong.