mollie laying on side

[shadow]

my black mollie is just laying on his side, not even interested in food
he seems to be breathing heavily. none of my other fish are acting this way. my nitrite and ammonia are 0 and my nitrates are a little high, but doing water changes to lower them. i have 3 other mollies, betta, pleco and a platy in the tank. i don't know what else to do, please help!

 

[Ahmad]

Well is your water brackish?

Sorry about your molly...

 

[shadow]

no, the tank is not brackish. when i got him he was from a freshwater tank and i have had him for about a month now

 

[Ahmad]

Oh ok then....

Well ok how big is the tank?
and how high are the nitrAtes?

 

[shadow]

it is a 10 gal tank and the nitrates are about 40-80

 

[Ahmad]

could the betta be attacking it?
If it near 80....thats very high and could be the reason...dont you think?

 

[shadow]

i know that through the night the betta did nip at his fins, but i separated the two and the mollie has been hiding in the plants and cave that i have. how do you suggest i lower the nitrates since i've been doing water changes?

i also did ad some amquel as it helped lower my nitrites when i had a problem with them a few weeks ago.

 

[Ahmad]

Ok well your doing the right thing water changes is the only way to reduce nitrates....

The betta that has been nipping at him may have helped the situation get worse since that does stress out fish. And the rise of nitrites in the tank and then the rise of nitrates in the tank must have been too much for the little guy to handle.

Maybe you should remove him and put him in diffrent tank and put in salt? I would think that will help alot. Maybe some melafix.

I know I am not much help....But I am Trying!

 

[shadow]

i definatly appreciate the advice, i think i will try to put him in another tank, but i have a betta in that one too (only he's not aggressive at all...won't even go after his reflection ) hopefully it will help

it's wierd cause he was always the one chasing everyone else around the tank. also i do add some salt to the tank but not alot cause i also have a pleco in the tank

so i put him in the other tank where the nitrates are not as high...wish me luck hehe

 

[Ahmad]

I wish you the Best!

Yes Put him in a new tank with no other fish if you can.( Sometimes if other fish see one fish about to die or is very weak they will attack the sick fish and try to eat it )

Add salt (Not table salt!!!! Aquarium salt) You know that right? I just want to make sure.

Update me please!!!

Best Of Luck

 

[shadow]

yes..heehe i do know to add aquarium salt....
all i have in the tank is a mickey platy and a baby pleco to clean up messy fishes
i will keep you posted as to what is happening. right now he's laying down...nighttime so lights are out. just taking one day at a time. thanks for your help. i was so upset i didn;t think to switch him into the other tank

 

[Ahmad]

Glad I can be of some help!

Keep me posted.

 

[shadow]

well, i'm happy to say that my mollie has survived the night. he is actually swimming around a bit which is better than what he was doing!

 

[Phantom Thief]

Good to hear that. Have you checked the nitrates from your tap? if the nitrates from your tap are already high, water changes wont help much. Try getting some plants, they will absorb the nitrates, and make the tank look good too.

P.T.

 

[shadow]

i had check all the parimeters when i was having a nitrite problem (which is gone!) and everything came back good. i willhave to try some live plants since i only have 2 plastic ones