Molly Has Broken Fin.

[Jamieleigh.]

One of my mollys appears to have a broken fin, it is red and a part of its side appears to be red too. It is getting around fine with the one fin, but the broken fin is not moving at all. Will it be okay? Is there anything I can do for it? Thanks!

 

[Jamieleigh.]

Can anyone help? It is now finding it hard to swim, it is floating upside down now too, I have put it into a fry trap that I had and went and bought some stress coat for it. It has started to move its broken fin but is still going in circles and upside down. I bought some more fish for my tank, 3 more neons, a guppy and 2 more mollys. One of the neons I bought is struggling to swim, it swims straight up then falls back down, I think its swim bladder isn't working or something.

 

[DJH584]

Okay can we start with the basics?

Ammonia level?
Nitrite level?
Nitrate level?
PH level?

Has your filter cycled or is it a fish in cycle?

Any idea what caused the damage to the molly? Did it get caught up in something somewhere or did it get attacked by another fish?

Without going through your profile and previous posts, what is the capacity of your tank and your current stock of fish?

David

 

[mhancock]

I know that Mollies like brackish water so some aquarium salt may help, not sure if it will help the neon but if you follow the directions on the pack you should be OK.

As one of the neons is also struggling there may be a problem with the water, is the tank fully cycled and is the ammonia zero? Even if it was OK, you may have a mini cycle due to the new fish. Alternatively there may be something wrong with the water. Either way the solution is lots of big regular water changes.

I hope the helps, other people on here are much more experienced than I so may have other thoughts too?

 

[Jamieleigh.]

I noticed that the neon was not right when it was in the bag. As for the molly I'm not sure what happened it, it could have happened when I was cleaning out the tank. I am sorry and please forgive me but I have no idea what the ammonia ect levels are, I was given the tank a few weeks ago and have no experience keeping tropicals.

Its a 60ltr tank with 1 guppy, 2 platys, 4 mollys(inc injured) and 5 neons(inc sick 1)

 

[DJH584]

Alright Jamie.

Can I ask where you got the tank and fish from? Did they come as one item? How long had the previous owner have it?

What you do need is a decent liquid testing kit such as API etc - normally available more cheaply through a certain auction site than anywhere else.

Do a good 90% water change using dechlorinated temperature matched water. You do have a thermometer in the tank?
Do you have something like Tetra Aquasafe, Seachem Prime etc. to treat the water?

Please do tell us the capacity and physical size of the tank along with what fish you have in it.

David

 

[Jamieleigh.]

I was given the tank and some fish, I bought some fish from the same shop and they dies but the others already in the tank are fine, I have already friends who have also bought fish from that shop and they have also died. I have been putting stress coat into the water, it is 60ltr , 40cm cubed.

 

[DJH584]

Okey doke - you were given the tank and the fish.

PLEASE bear in mind that I am NOT here asking questions in order to criticise you - I am endeavouring, with my own limited knowledge, to try and help you.

How long had the previous owner had the tank and the fish?

David

 

[Jamieleigh.]

It was up and running a few months before I got it, I have a thermometer on the tank its at about 24 or 25 degrees Celsius.

 

[DJH584]

Fine. On the assumption that the filter is cycled, what fish do you have in there?

David

 

[Jamieleigh.]

Before I bought more today I had 2 platys, 2 mollys (inc injured) 2 neons and 4 baby angels(being moved into another tank soon). Today I bought 2 more mollys, a male guppy and 3 more neons.

 

[DJH584]

Apologies got called away from the PC for quite a while.

Personally I would be inclined to separate the injured Molly into another tank and return the fish you bought today to the LFS.
There is the possibility that the angels may be responsible for the injury to the molly but it needs separating to stand any chance of recovery.
You also need a test kit - even if you only get the ammonia one that will be a start.

And a 90% water change wouldn't go amiss.

David

 

[Jamieleigh.]

The angels are in a fry trap, I think it could have got injured while I was changing the water yesterday. I did about a 50% water change yesterday and added stress coat to the water today, it brightened it up for a while and it started using its injured fin again but it soon got even worse and it is now floating upside down about 90% of the time. It and the neon have been separated from the others, I have left them for the night but I don't see them improving much. I hate seeing them suffer especially when there's not much I can do for them.

 

[Jamieleigh.]

I woke up this morning to two dead fish, thank you David for your help, I really appreciate it! I will purchase a water test kit asap!