Molly lethargic and losing weight

[Stefan3289]

Hello all,

So I have a 29g tank and I’ve noticed the last few weeks one of my mollies has been getting lethargic and looks quite a bit skinner compared to the other lyretail mollies I have. It’s looked skinny since I got it but seems to be getting worse. She was eating fine but today when I came from school she is laying on the substrate with he fins by her side. Any advice? Could it be internal parasites?

Water parameters are:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 0
Nitrite: 0
Ph: 7.4/7.6
Gh: 160

The tank is also planted.

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

How long has the tank been running?

 

[GaryE]

I know you meant to say "losing" and got autocorrected to 'kissing', but something like kissing could be involved. Did she recently drop fry? Sometimes they go into a sad spiral afterwards.

 

[Stefan3289]

I know you meant to say "losing" and got autocorrected to 'kissing', but something like kissing could be involved. Did she recently drop fry? Sometimes they go into a sad spiral afterwards.

She didnt Drop any fry, the other mollies don’t pay much attention to her, but she did pass away shortly after I made that post so sadly I saw her too late

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

She didnt Drop any fry, the other mollies don’t pay much attention to her, but she did pass away shortly after I made that post so sadly I saw her too late

I'm sorry you lost her.
Since the lethargy and getting skinny can be a sign of worms, it's worth looking for any signs of worms in your other fish. Especially since livebearers so often come from fish farms and stores pre-loaded with worms. Look for any fish doing stringy, white poop, any bloated, skinny or lethargic fish, and keep an eye on their anal area, as gross as that sounds, because camallanus worms can poke out of the butt and look like a ruined reddish paintbrush. But it's not all the time, so spotting when they have camallanus worms can be hard.

There's a useful thread pinned in the emergencies section of the forum about worms, both signs and symptoms, how to treat, and crucially, which meds to use that actually work, since many meds you might buy in the fishstore claiming to be wormers, aren't very effective. But the ingredients mentioned in that thread actually work to clear worms, if you follow the directions and make sure to medicate all the tanks.

I only discovered my livebearers had worms after I'd lost quite a few fish, so put it this way - I'm getting a load of guppies and a pair of mollies tomorrow from a casual hobbyist/fish came from a big chain store that must not be named - so given how commonly these fish are carrying worms, I'll be medicating these fish while in quarantine for both round and flatworms, because I don't want the chance of worms spreading to my other fish. I don't like to throw meds at fish too much, but with some fish, precautions are wise.

 

[Stefan3289]

I'm sorry you lost her.
Since the lethargy and getting skinny can be a sign of worms, it's worth looking for any signs of worms in your other fish. Especially since livebearers so often come from fish farms and stores pre-loaded with worms. Look for any fish doing stringy, white poop, any bloated, skinny or lethargic fish, and keep an eye on their anal area, as gross as that sounds, because camallanus worms can poke out of the butt and look like a ruined reddish paintbrush. But it's not all the time, so spotting when they have camallanus worms can be hard.

There's a useful thread pinned in the emergencies section of the forum about worms, both signs and symptoms, how to treat, and crucially, which meds to use that actually work, since many meds you might buy in the fishstore claiming to be wormers, aren't very effective. But the ingredients mentioned in that thread actually work to clear worms, if you follow the directions and make sure to medicate all the tanks.

I only discovered my livebearers had worms after I'd lost quite a few fish, so put it this way - I'm getting a load of guppies and a pair of mollies tomorrow from a casual hobbyist/fish came from a big chain store that must not be named - so given how commonly these fish are carrying worms, I'll be medicating these fish while in quarantine for both round and flatworms, because I don't want the chance of worms spreading to my other fish. I don't like to throw meds at fish too much, but with some fish, precautions are wise.

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them. From what I’ve noticed I haven’t seen any of the other fish act like her, so I think it’ll be ok but I’ll keep an eye out. For the medication, I have both mollies and cories and the tank is planted. I know catfish can be sensitive to medication, would that still be ok to use or how would I go about? Worried to kill off the plants or the Cories

 

[10 Tanks]

Hello stephan. Interesting that the water has no trace of nitrate. It should show up in your water test. Even the tank that gets multiple large water changes weekly will have a trace of nitrate. Anyway, even if you don't have many fish in a tank, you still need to change most of the water weekly to maintain a steady water chemistry. If it has been several days since you changed the tank water, the tank may be due for one. This time, change a little more water than normal. Your fish should perk up with a flush of new, treated water.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Stefan3289]

Hello stephan. Interesting that the water has no trace of nitrate. It should show up in your water test. Even the tank that gets multiple large water changes weekly will have a trace of nitrate. Anyway, even if you don't have many fish in a tank, you still need to change most of the water weekly to maintain a steady water chemistry. If it has been several days since you changed the tank water, the tank may be due for one. This time, change a little more water than normal. Your fish should perk up with a flush of new, treated water.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

I do weekly water changes for that 29G I do 50/60% weekly. z for the nitrates there may be a very small amount but at least in my API test kit the color is very close to the 0 so might be 0.1 for example but I cannot at least do not see it above 0. My other fish are doing great it was just the one I’m not sure what happened the rest are always perky swimming around or my Cories are very active

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them. From what I’ve noticed I haven’t seen any of the other fish act like her, so I think it’ll be ok but I’ll keep an eye out. For the medication, I have both mollies and cories and the tank is planted. I know catfish can be sensitive to medication, would that still be ok to use or how would I go about? Worried to kill off the plants or the Cories

Don't medicate unless you actually see a reason too. I'm going to worm these new ones I'm getting because I know they didn't come from the best source, and there's a high chance these will have some. Much easier (and cheaper) to medicate the new fish in a 20g quarantine than to have to medicate all of my other tanks. But that's a personal choice, and if it were different fish from a trusted hobbyist, it would be a different matter, you know?

My cories and plants were fine with worming treatments, but medication vary in different countries, and some people do report cories reacting strongly to certain meds. Mine didn't seem to be bothered by it, and since they were sharing a tank with the livebearers who had worms, they also needed to be wormed anyway - since the whole tank and stocking has to be treated if worms are present. But if you introduce the medicine slowly and watch the fish, see how the cories react. If they start to freak out, then large water changes to dilute out the medication and find a new plan/different medication. If in doubt, water change it out!

 

[10 Tanks]

Don't medicate unless you actually see a reason too. I'm going to worm these new ones I'm getting because I know they didn't come from the best source, and there's a high chance these will have some. Much easier (and cheaper) to medicate the new fish in a 20g quarantine than to have to medicate all of my other tanks. But that's a personal choice, and if it were different fish from a trusted hobbyist, it would be a different matter, you know?

My cories and plants were fine with worming treatments, but medication vary in different countries, and some people do report cories reacting strongly to certain meds. Mine didn't seem to be bothered by it, and since they were sharing a tank with the livebearers who had worms, they also needed to be wormed anyway - since the whole tank and stocking has to be treated if worms are present. But if you introduce the medicine slowly and watch the fish, see how the cories react. If they start to freak out, then large water changes to dilute out the medication and find a new plan/different medication. If in doubt, water change it out!

Hello. Sorry, I'm off this subject, but I love that name. How did you come by it? What's the history behind it?

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hello. Sorry, I'm off this subject, but I love that name. How did you come by it? What's the history behind it?

10 Tanks (Now 11)

My username? Thank you! I shamelessly stole use it in homage to one of my favourite authors, Sir Terry Pratchett. She's a memorable recurring character in a few of his later novels.

Don't be fooled by the name, the lady is not to be trifled with!

Description from the Wiki:
"Because of what has happened to her father and brother, she is a cynical, angry, chain smoker, whose whereabouts can be determined by asking the tobacconists, or simply finding a huge cloud of cigarette smoke and heading toward the middle of it. In spite of all this, Moist von Lipwig falls in love with her; an affection which she gradually returns over the course of the novel. Moist's nickname for her is "Spike"; a name she suits more than that suggested by the combination of her forenames, Adora and Belle (adorable) or her surname Dearheart. She gives Moist fair warning about making fun of either, which, given his own name, he has no intention of doing. The nickname given by her late brother John Dearheart was "Killer" which apparently he meant affectionately."

Trailer from the TV adaptation of the first book she appeared in

Sir Terry had a knack for writing complex and resonant female characters. Particularly the witches in his earliest books, Nanny Ogg and Mistress Weatherwax, and St. Angua of the City Watch. I highly recommend picking up any of the Discworld books to anyone who hasn't experienced one yet! GNU, Sir Terry.

 

[10 Tanks]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it.

10 Tanks (Now 11)

 

[Stefan3289]

Hey @AdoraBelle Dearheart,

So I have been monitoring my fish since you gave me advice about the worms, and I noticed another one of my lyretail mollies has gotten skinner since last time I remember and just now I watched during feeding time and she has stringy, white poop. She is still active and eating, but I assume she has worms just like my prior lyretail that died a few days ago. I also had one of my emerald Cories pass yesterday so I’m guessing that the Cories in the tank as well likely might have it. Could you help me find the right medication or link the threat in the forum where it was discussed? (I’m not exactly sure how to search past forums)

 

[Stefan3289]

Hey @AdoraBelle Dearheart,

So I have been monitoring my fish since you gave me advice about the worms, and I noticed another one of my lyretail mollies has gotten skinner since last time I remember and just now I watched during feeding time and she has stringy, white poop. She is still active and eating, but I assume she has worms just like my prior lyretail that died a few days ago. I also had one of my emerald Cories pass yesterday so I’m guessing that the Cories in the tank as well likely might have it. Could you help me find the right medication or link the threat in the forum where it was discussed? (I’m not exactly sure how to search past forums)

I have managed to find the forum and looks like they have intestinal worms from what I read. Is there a specific brand that I should use that has praziquantel? Also, should I just use fenbendazole to treat both intestinal worms and internal protozoans?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Hey @AdoraBelle Dearheart,

So I have been monitoring my fish since you gave me advice about the worms, and I noticed another one of my lyretail mollies has gotten skinner since last time I remember and just now I watched during feeding time and she has stringy, white poop. She is still active and eating, but I assume she has worms just like my prior lyretail that died a few days ago. I also had one of my emerald Cories pass yesterday so I’m guessing that the Cories in the tank as well likely might have it. Could you help me find the right medication or link the threat in the forum where it was discussed? (I’m not exactly sure how to search past forums)

Hi, sorry that I'm only just seeing this, and sorry about your cory, and that it seems the other fish do have worms. But they are treatable!
Here's the thread about worms:

What to do if your fish has Stringy White Poop.

Fish do a stringy white poop for several reasons. 1) Internal Bacterial Infections causes the fish to stop eating, swell up like a balloon, breath heavily at the surface or near a filter outlet, do stringy white poop, and die within 24-48 hours of showing these symptoms. This cannot normally be...

www.fishforums.net

I have managed to find the forum and looks like they have intestinal worms from what I read. Is there a specific brand that I should use that has praziquantel? Also, should I just use fenbendazole to treat both intestinal worms and internal protozoans?

I'm afraid I don't know US brands since I'm the UK and there are different meds available in different countries. But look for what the active ingredients are in the wormers available to you there. From the thread:

"You can use Praziquantel to treat tapeworm and gill flukes. And use Levamisole to treat thread/ round worms. If you can't find these medications, look for Flubendazole, which treats both lots of worms."

Based on the symptoms you described, it's impossible to tell without lab tests whether your fish have roundworms or flatworms, and may well have both types, so I would try to get a medication that's Flubendazole based, to treat both at once ideally, since that's easier. But if you can't find one, as I couldn't when I went through this, I had to buy two UK brand worming meds, one with levamisole and the other praziquantel, and do two different rounds of treatment.


Bear in mind that all of the fish in the tank will need to be wormed by this point, so it's not worth isolating any fish to treat them, and if you have multiple tanks, you should worm them all at the same time, since worm eggs are so transferrable. Sharing buckets for water changes, syphons, nets, moving fish or plants between tanks - all of these things can transfer worm eggs, so treat them all at once rather than risk passing them back and forth between tanks.