Molly fish laying at the bottom of the tank

[MatthewW]

Hi everyone. I have a molly fish with bunch of other mollies and other types in a 20 gallon tank but he's the only one suffering at the bottom of the tank . I unfortunately Don't have a testing kit but willing to get one soon amd I've changed 20% of the water the last two days and he's still not feeling well. I will really appreciate anyones advice towards this problem i have already lost one of my fish the other day ?

 

[Fishfinder1973]

20% won’t be enough.Try 50% per day water changes until you get a test kit

 

[Colin_T]

Any pictures of fish?

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration to maximise the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Add some salt, (see directions below).

--------------------
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.

When 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.

 

[MatthewW]

20% won’t be enough.Try 50% per day water changes until you get a test kit

Unfortunately he passed way yesterday however, my other mollies are having the same problem i will inform you with any changes in behavior

 

[MatthewW]

Any pictures of fish?

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for a week. The water changes and gravel cleaning will reduce the number of disease organisms in the water and provide a cleaner environment for the fish to recover in.
Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it is added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. However, if the filter is less than 6 weeks old, do not clean it. Wash the filter materials/ media in a bucket of tank water and re-use them. Tip the bucket of dirty water on the garden/ lawn. Cleaning the filter means less gunk and cleaner water with fewer pathogens.

Increase surface turbulence/ aeration to maximise the dissolved oxygen in the water.

Add some salt, (see directions below).

--------------------
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.

When 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.

First of all i truly appreciate your reply but i want to point a couple notes out ask a few questions due to my conern. First of all how should i clean the gravel i heard there are specific vacuums which i don't have . If not possible to get it are there any alternatives to cleaning the gravel and if it's a big deal to not clean it. Also, i heard large levels of water change could change the water parameters which is likely to stress the fish.

Another point is that the only fish laying at the bottom are the mollies other fish seem to be fine. Concerning the salt i have two gouramis three angelfish and one snail just making sure one or 2 tablespoons of salt per 20 litre is fine for them . Just making sure i don't want to risk them as well. oh and is it possible to use kitchen salt instead of aquarium salt if not accessible.
Quick point...the mollies usually lay down at the bottom however when i turn of the filters they come back up thinking i would give them food and swim around normally untill they get back down

 

[Fishfinder1973]

Unfortunately he passed way yesterday however, my other mollies are having the same problem i will inform you with any changes in behavior

If the fish are lethargic or nose down it could be an ammonia spike,but you won’t know til you get a test kit.
Get straight into water changes,first one 75% like Colin mentioned and 50% daily.
Hopefully you can stop the domino effect with I’ll fish.

 

[Slaphppy7]

More than likely, your tank isn't cycled
Get an API Master Freshwater test kit, some Seachem Prime, and read this: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i.433769/

 

[MatthewW]

More than likely, your tank isn't cycled
Get an API Master Freshwater test kit, some Seachem Prime, and read this: https://www.fishforums.net/threads/rescuing-a-fish-in-cycle-gone-wild-part-i.433769/

Hi there slaphppy7 i think i already passed the cycling process my tank has been on for three monthes by now

 

[Fishfinder1973]

A 75% water change is for an emergency,not a weekly affair and you need to follow it up with 50% water changes daily until you get a master test kit.
Some fish are hardier than others,but all fish eventually succumb to ammonia.
Since you don’t have a test kit you are stabbing in the dark,so first things first and that’s a 75% water change?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Hi there slaphppy7 i think i already passed the cycling process my tank has been on for three monthes by now

Until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrItes, and some nitrAtes, you aren't cycled, regardless of how long the tank has been set up.
We won't know until you get that liquid test kit

 

[MatthewW]

Hi there slaphppy7 i think i already passed the cycling process my tank has been on for three monthes by now

Until you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrItes, and some nitrAtes, you aren't cycled, regardless of how long the tank has been set up.
We won't know until you get that liquid test kit

Ok so in other words the nitrogen cycle is continuous and repeats itself but now I'm curious how can i pass the upcoming days in a cycle where the ammonia and nitrite are still not zero

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ok so in other words the nitrogen cycle is continuous and repeats itself but now I'm curious how can i pass the upcoming days in a cycle where the ammonia and nitrite are still not zero

Do large water changes daily, treat the new water with Prime per the directions.
If you use buckets for WC's, treat the bucket amount...if you use a siphon/hose, treat for the entire tank amount.

WC's done correctly never hurt, and until we get your liquid test kit, it's the best course of action.

 

[MatthewW]

Do large water changes daily, treat the new water with Prime per the directions.
If you use buckets for WC's, treat the bucket amount...if you use a siphon/hose, treat for the entire tank amount.

WC's done correctly never hurt, and until we get your liquid test kit, it's the best course of action.

I'm not sure if prime is sold in local stores near me but i will have a look . For the meantime i will boil the water instead and let it cool to tank temperature. Can you confirm if it is a good alternative if not what can i do instead?

 

[MatthewW]

A 75% water change is for an emergency,not a weekly affair and you need to follow it up with 50% water changes daily until you get a master test kit.
Some fish are hardier than others,but all fish eventually succumb to ammonia.
Since you don’t have a test kit you are stabbing in the dark,so first things first and that’s a 75% water

Ok i will go do 50% wc now!

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'm not sure if prime is sold in local stores near me but i will have a look . For the meantime i will boil the water instead and let it cool to tank temperature. Can you confirm if it is a good alternative if not what can i do instead?

Is your tap water treated with chlorine or chloramine?