MOLLIES, SCALE DAMAGE!?

[Divinityinlove]

Hi, the photo is a bit blurry of the scale issue so I've added another photo of a healthy black molly so you can see the difference. The molly's right side scales are silver instead of black. The one nxt to the red betta female.

Please assume all my parameters are all ok, my water is clean. I tested but saves me typing it all out.

I just want to know if anyone has seen this issue before and knows how to help it?

Thank you!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

One can never assume anything...it would be most helpful if you could please post your water testing results so that we can help you appropriately.

It's very difficult to see anything from your photos....but I will mention that bettas are solitary fish that should be kept in their own tank, just because you have a female does not mean that she's any less aggressive

 

[Colin_T]

It could be a bacterial or fungal infection. Maybe add some salt.

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SALT

You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt, or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate (4 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres) will affect some plants and some snails. The lower dose rate (1-2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres) will not affect fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.