My Mollies In Trouble

[sara19]

Noticed my molly has her back end floating towards the surface. Im thinking it could well be her swim bladder and i thought it was if i gave her peas it might help, i havent done this yet because i thought 'better ask the best people on earth' first *smiles*
DONT HATE ME:
I have yet to recieve my new water testing kit it should be here anyday but im a little worried about my little rusty (thats her name)
id really appreciate some help people, and thank you all for for the help youve given me in the past.
Best regards!
Sara

 

[glolite]

Is the molly in a cycled tank or are you doing the fish in cycling method.

How often are you doing water changes. As soon as you get the testing kit, test for ammonia and nitrItes, these are the most important.

Lastly, do you put marine salt in the tank water?

 

[sara19]

Is the molly in a cycled tank or are you doing the fish in cycling method.

How often are you doing water changes. As soon as you get the testing kit, test for ammonia and nitrItes, these are the most important.

Lastly, do you put marine salt in the tank water?

Yeah the tanks cycled none of the other fish seem to have a problem, i fed her a pea lastnight, this morning shes still pecking at it but still floating strange, no marine salt or anything in the water. and yeah i agree it should already be here by now (the test that is) *huffs* darn ebay haha.
Thanks for the reply!
And im doing water changes once a week its alot of gallons i suppose im taking out 3 and removing 3 out of a 5ft tank, i probably should do more in that case.

 

[glolite]

Have a look at the pinned section in the livebearers forum called "mollies need salt"

Although mollies are sold as freshwater tropicals IME they never do well without salt and get all sorts of problems in freshwater. I'm just about to set up a brackish tank and have another go at keeping/breeding them. Mine always died after a few months in freshwater.

 

[sara19]

Thats really scary to know, obviously i have no choice but to put them in a different tak if there going to survive but its only 1 of the 3 thats doing it, one ive had a week, the ones thats ill 3months and my black molly has been with us for 6months lol, weird *taps chin* whats the minimum size tank for 3 adult mollies?

 

[glolite]

For 3 adult mollys alone I would say 20g because they breed and have loads of fry. You could try a pinch of aquatonic salt in the filter. It's cheap and a tiny pinch won't hurt any tropical fish, even catfish because all natural water, even lakes contain weeny amounts of salt from rainwater which has minute amounts of salt in it.

By putting it in the filter it gradually leaks into the water, letting the fish get used to it slowly.
Not quite a brackish tank but a compromise and it helps keep the fish healthy.

By the way, you could still be right about the swimbladder so Keep feeding shelled, cooked peas from time to time.

 

[sara19]

thanks alot for all the help, really do appreciate it, i think it would be the best thing to do as long as it doesnt hurt the other fish, just a pinch i guess wont hurt any of em haha.
Thanks again.

 

[sara19]

Day 2 - I fed her a pea and nothings happened, i wont be able to get to the lfs until friday? will she be alright? she seems to not be floating AS much and she was still alive when i got back last nihgt and this morning.

 

[sara19]

Thought id let you know ... shes okay-ish now, still in the hospital tank just for the safe side!

 

[glolite]

Good to know she's a bit better. Keep up the good work.

 

[fry_forever!]

Weird, cause my mollies do perfectly fine with almost no salt.....

 

[glolite]

Yes they can thrive in freshwater but it depends on the pH. Mollies prefer harder water of around pH 7.5 so if that's your water that's why they thrive. Salt makes the water slightly harder and reduces nitrite content in water, Mollies are intolerant of nitrites. There is also the theory that salt protects them against diseases like fungus, finrot and shimmies. Have a read of the pinned section in the livebearers forum entitled "mollies need salt".

Some believe they do some don't Mine perished in freshwater but strangely our water pH is nearer 8! So I'm about to have another go with a brackish tank, when it eventually cycles