911! What’s going on?

[Just Add Water]

My mollie had a clamped fin for a day or so because my Nitrite level went up to 1. Then down to .5 with 30% water change. Then 0 with addition of API Quick Start. He seemed fully recovered. Yesterday I noticed him laying down under a plant, but came out when fed. Tonight he is swimming in circles and seems to need to get to the top or oxygen. Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia have all stayed at 0 for a little over a week now. Help!

Also note, I have Oto’s in the tank that would not want salt. I know Molies need hard water. My test strips only test GH to 180. So not sure the true hardness of my water. My town water dept reports our water at 17 gpg

 

[Just Add Water]

I just did a 30% water change. I can do more in the morning. I have to let my outdoor tap water come up to temp overnight. I have the Mollie in a net so he can stay at the top of the water and get oxygen. He can rest and not have to constantly swim.
Terrible photo, tank lights are off for the night. But you get the idea.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I'm sorry, but by the time a fish is moving like that, it's usually not going to make it I'm afraid. It means either something is wrong with the swim bladder, or the brain, and I'm leaning towards the brain after watching the video.

Whether this is related to the ammonia/nitrite spike, it's impossible to tell. How long have you had the different fish?

Keeping him isolated from the others is definitely best -fish will turn and bully a weak fish, since in the wild a weak struggling fish attracts predators.

Oh, if the water from the tap is too cold, add some boiling water to bring it to the tank temp, use a thermometer to check it's the same temp, and use a declorinator.

There's another problem with the stocking though, I'm afraid. Mollies don't just need hard water, they need water that's 250GH or above. Otos, on the other hand, need very soft water. If they are in hard water, they may appear fine, but they cannot excrete the minerals from the hard water, so they develop blockages internally, usually around the kidneys, so it blocks their organs and leads to organ failure and an early death. Check your water GH, and choose your stocking to suit the water you have. The fish will thank you for it and you'll have more long term success!
If your water is hard, but not hard enough for mollies, then other livebearers can work. Guppies/platies/Endlers etc need hard water, but don't need it to be as hard as mollies do.

ETA: Most fish stores will be able to accurately test your water GH from a sample using a liquid test. Take a sample of your source water (tap, if that's what you're using for the tank) not the tank water, since you need to know the GH of the water you're adding to the tank. Make sure to note both the number and the measurement they're using.

 

[Just Add Water]

Thank you @AdoraBelle Dearheart for your kind reply. I’m so frustrated that my LFS sold me the Oto’s for my Mollie tank. I need to go up there and work with them on restocking.
To answer your question about the other fish, he is a Red Eye Tetra. He’s an “orphan” that came with a tank I bought a few weeks ago. The LFS said they would take him.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Thank you @AdoraBelle Dearheart for your kind reply. I’m so frustrated that my LFS sold me the Oto’s for my Mollie tank. I need to go up there and work with them on restocking.
To answer your question about the other fish, he is a Red Eye Tetra. He’s an “orphan” that came with a tank I bought a few weeks ago. The LFS said they would take him.

No worries, that's what we're here for!

But please, please, don't trust fish stores and their employees for fish keeping or stocking advice! A lot of them don't know what they're talking about, will sell you the wrong fish and the wrong products. They already did that to you with the otos! Fine to get them to test your water, since they have the kit and it'll save you buying a GH kit yourself, but otherwise, always do your own research! Try to resist impulse buying as well... although we've all done it...


Better to make a stocking advice thread here. Start a new thread for stocking advice, let people know the tank dimensions/equipment/current stocking etc, and any fish you have in mind that you'd like, and you can get input from some really experienced keepers, and even some experts post here.


The most reliable website to check all the requirements for most of the species we have in the hobby, check any fish you have/want to get on Seriously Fish. Written by experts, so no misinformation, and you can cross check requirements like temp, GH, tank size and compatibility on there. It's a really useful website to have bookmarked!

 

[Byron]

GH at 17 grains per gallon is equivalent to 291 ppm or 16 dH. This if correct is OK for the GH. For livebearers, but not many soft water species.

Mollies are highly sensitive to nitrogen whether ammonia, nitrite or nitrate. Given the fish's situation in the video, I would euthanize it. I cannot see it recovering.