Friends tank not doing well.

[Lynz781]

The following is about my friends dads fishtank.
They have a tank consisting of a plec, dwarf gourami and numerous mollies.

Problem (1) The only white molly they have in there appears to be not using its tail as much as the others, it sometimes looks curved. The tail moves but not as much as it should i reckon. Does anyone know what causes this?

Problem (2) The only black molly they have in there appears to have a white patch on its head. Not sure if its fungus?

 

[endilliteracy]

The black molly only has one white spot or are there others located on it's body? What is his water like? Ammonia? Nitrates? Nitrites? PH?

My molly's tail got sucked up into the filter once and I had to pull her out. Her tail fin was almost all gone and her tail was very bent. She didn't swim that well for a few days, but then she recovered fully. Her tail was straight again and she had her tail fin grow back within a week without meds! Could she have gotten stuck in a filter at all?

 

[Lynz781]

I don't know what the water parameters are I don't think they test it regulary. The tank is too small the plec can hardly move this afternoon I saw it dart up to the top and breathe in air. I think anyway. The tank is covered in poo from the mollies. I've seen it cleaner. As for a filter I can't explain what type it is, a weird one in the corner of the tank. Um......

 

[endilliteracy]

The water is probably really bad if it is covered in waste. Waste is basically ammonia and that can suffocate fish and kill them very quickly. I suggest he do a large water change every other day ATLEAST.

About the plec...what kind is it? Just a common plec? I suggest he re-home the plec or give it back to the LPS. Common plecs can grow over 12 inches. Poor fishies... How small of a tank is it? He is probably overstocked and there is way too much fish waste for the filter to handle. Tell him he should really try to take back or re-home some of his fish until he can get rid of the ammonia and other harmful things in the water.

Is the filter clogged at all? Maybe that is why it has a hard time cleaning up some of the waste? But it is more likely that he is way overstocked.

 

[Lynz781]

I reckon its a common, I can hardly see it. Its always in the same place whenever i go and see the tank. I've already sort of mentioned the plec was too big for the tank. But I'm scared I'll offend. I reckon the tank might be only a foot long How do I tell them without sounding really bad? My friend was saying she had a bala (she thought it was a gourami) shark in there! No wonder it died. And they used to keep angels in it too They obviously don't know enough about fish and yet they have had this tank for years. The mollies look happy right enough but the tank ideally should only have one.

 

[endilliteracy]

I assume it is maybe a 10 gallon??? Which would be fine for maybe 3 mollies at the most. But if it is only a foot long it is probably smaller than a 10 gallon. I suggest you just have a talk with them and tell them that most of their fish will die because of the water. Or if you have a tank maybe you could offer to take some of them off their hands? It probably is a common plec.

Or maybe you could just break into their house and steal their tank and return the fish to the LFS.

That is really sad though. People shouldn't have fish if they can't take care of them properly. It isn't your fault though and I guess there isn't much you can do about it except maybe just talk to them about it.

 

[Lynz781]

I have offered to take some of the mollies. Apparently LFS won't accept them because they are a cross between a white and black molly. I was asking my friend how her dad would get rid of them and she said kill them or flush them down the loo! (don't know if he would actually do that) So I was like nooooooooooo! But now there is a patch of white on the black molly I'm not so keen to take them (It doesnt look like white spot). They havn't actually got round to doing anything with them yet.

It's the plec i feel for he is longer than half the size of the tank. She did say they were going to get a bigger tank but I feel if they can't be arsed with this one then why bother?

I want to tell her "your dad needs to clean the tank!". But I don't want to pee anyone off.

 

[endilliteracy]

My molly is black and white...they are called dalmation mollys and I don't see what is wrong with them and why the LFS won't take them in. Do you think you could bag them up and maybe ship them to me? I would be glad to take a few in. But shipping would kind of be hard I guess if it isn't really YOUR tank you know? Hmm...I don't know what to do. I would take the plec as well but my tank is only a 30 gal and with the size of the plec it would probably need atleast a 45-55 gal. I feel really bad for those fish. If you could possibly get a hold of them and maybe ship them to me, I would gladly pay for shipping and take them in for you. Just PM me if you can ship them.

 

[bigfish]

Offer to take some mollies off his hands, fungus is very easy to treat but wouldn't happen like this if they knew what they were doing.

That plec is way to big for a 1ft tank!!!!

Deffo needs a clean, obviously he don't want them any more and just waiting for them to died in their own waste!!!!!!!!!! which is really dame cruel to be honest.

Take action before its too late to do anything!!!!

 

[sylvia]

These are lives we're talking about - don't worry about peeing people off...

I suggest you point out the white mark and say the fish are sick - all of them Get them to co-operate in order to get the tank clean for the sake of the 'sick' fish and mention the size the plec will get to while you help them clean - exaggerate a bit - make the plec look like it's going to get to be twice the size of their tank. Scare them or get their sympathy by talking about stunting and how the organs are going to get squished as they run out of room to grow (you know - the 'baby in a box' or 'great dane in a crate' thing). You don't need to make it sound like you're talking about 'their' fish - make it sound like you are generalising or talking about a fish you used to own. At the very least, get them to do a water change and test the water. If you can persuade them to remove the plec, the other fish will have a much better chance - try to find it a new home, take it back or take it yourself if you have the space. Oh and maybe direct them to a few good sites on the web - people don't get offended when they feel 'they' are finding out things for themselves - rather than you're telling them .

 

[bigfish]

Very well put sylvia......at least she is trying to help them. thats a good start Lynz

 

[endilliteracy]

Tell them that the plec will grow to 3 feet and break the tank and then attack them.

No, but seriously Sylvia is right. You should point out how sick these fish are. Even if you make something up like...You need to get rid of that fish with that white patch because it can make you ill or something to that effect? Or just flat out tell them that the fish are sick and need another home. Or atleast have them clean the tank.

Poor fishies.

 

[Lynz781]

My molly is black and white...they are called dalmation mollys

The end result of a cross between black and white mollies in their case, is a brown molly with black specs. They look ok but are probably not as desirable as the LFS would want. The females have a creamy brown colour. How did dalmation mollies come to be? Are they actually a cross between black and white mollies? Will these brown mollies eventually look like dalmations? I just found that interesting, anyway....

I just couldn't believe it when i saw them swimming around in all that poo! Thanks for all your advice I'll try my best to talk to my friend she should be ok about it because I don't think she will like the thought of the fishes suffering. I wish there was such a thing as a fish inspector.

 

[endilliteracy]

Hehe me too. A fish inspector would be nice. Well my molly is mostly black and white but she has some tiny brown speckles on her as well so I am not sure how she became a dalmation molly. She sure is cute though! Well tell us what happens in the future.

 

[Lynz781]

Well spoke to friend today and I pointed out the tank needs cleaning. She said it would depend on when her dad gets round to it because he won't let her or her sister (thats who the fish belong to) do it. I also pointed out the dodgy tail one the white molly (which looks worse today its just hobbling about) and she agreed it looked ill. I also pointed out the fuzz on the black mollies head and she said she will speak to her dad about it tonight but she also said he really doesn't have time and is not really arsed about the fish anyway. I said take them to a LFS if you don't want them. So I'll wait and see what happens. They have a really pretty gourami in there too I don't want it to die. Some people really get on my t*ts!!!!!!!!!!!!!