Balloon Belly Molly

[Blondieee101]

Hello everyone, I’m new here and was wondering if any of you have seen this before. I have a tropical 55 gallon freshwater tank. Levels are perfect according to my water testing kit, but I’ve noticed that my balloon belly has a hole in its stomach. My Dalmatian Molly keep picking on it either trying to mate or attack it (I can’t tell). Have you guys seen this before?

TIA

 

[Salty&Onion]

Is the tank cycled? What are your water parameters?
@Colin_T will definentely help out here

 

[Blondieee101]

Is the tank cycled? What are your water parameters?
@Colin_T will definentely help out here

Should I retest water? Established this tank about a week ago, moved from 20 gal to the 55gal.

 

[JuiceBox52]

What do you mean established? Cycling? That usually takes at least a month

 

[Salty&Onion]

Should I retest water? Established this tank about a week ago, moved from 20 gal to the 55gal.

Did you use the media from your 20 gal? A week is not enough to get a tank cycled which will make problems with your water quality.
What are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels?

 

[Blondieee101]

What do you mean established? Cycling? That usually takes at least a month

I moved about 25% of my 20 gal water to my 55 gallon. I’m new to this still, sorry.

 

[JuiceBox52]

No problem

Moving the water will not do anything. The bacteria lives on the surfaces. Dont worry about it.

Now you will be doing a fish in cycle. Test the water every day and do a 50-75% water change if the ammonia is anything above 0


I'm not sure what the issue with the mollie is but ballon mollies are fraught with health issues due to being selectively bred to be fat. All of their organs are squished together

 

[Blondieee101]

No problem

Moving the water will not do anything. The bacteria lives on the surfaces. Dont worry about it.

Now you will be doing a fish in cycle. Test the water every day and do a 50-75% water change if the ammonia is anything above 0


I'm not sure what the issue with the mollie is but ballon mollies are fraught with health issues due to being selectively bred to be fat. All of their organs are squished together

Retesting water as I type right now

 

[Blondieee101]

No problem

Moving the water will not do anything. The bacteria lives on the surfaces. Dont worry about it.

Now you will be doing a fish in cycle. Test the water every day and do a 50-75% water change if the ammonia is anything above 0


I'm not sure what the issue with the mollie is but ballon mollies are fraught with health issues due to being selectively bred to be fat. All of their organs are squished together

According to my Freshwater Master Kit my ammonia is at 0ppm. Hope that helps.

 

[JuiceBox52]

According to my Freshwater Master Kit my ammonia is at 0ppm. Hope that helps.

That's good for now just test it daily to keep it there

 

[Blondieee101]

That's good for now just test it daily to keep it there

Tested PH, that’s at a 7.0 and everything else, ammonia and nitrates are at a 0.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Tested PH, that’s at a 7.0 and everything else, ammonia and nitrates are at a 0.

Nitrates are 0ppm due to the tank still cycling and the cycle is starting now. Don't worry about this
pH is too low for mollies, they need it 7.5 or more and up to 8.0 and water hardness of 250ppm and above. They are very hard water fish and in softer water they will often shimmy (the shimmies, the word is funny lol) which is when the fish rocks from side to side.

 

[Blondieee101]

Nitrates are 0ppm due to the tank still cycling and the cycle is starting now. Don't worry about this
pH is too low for mollies, they need it 7.5 or more and up to 8.0 and water hardness of 250ppm and above. They are very hard water fish and in softer water they will often shimmy (the shimmies, the word is funny lol) which is when the fish rocks from side to side.

So I should get a solution to make the ph go up, correct? Any other advice?

 

[Salty&Onion]

So I should get a solution to make the ph go up, correct? Any other advice?

Crushed coral will work and it will last for months.

 

[Essjay]

So I should get a solution to make the ph go up, correct? Any other advice?

No. it isn't the pH that needs to be higher, it's the hardness, or GH. Adding chemicals to increase pH is never a good idea.

Salty's suggestion about crushed coral will increase GH and pH. Though dolomite is better as that contains magnesium as well as calcium (those are the two 'hardness' minerals)