Not sure?! Molly fish

[Jmw0922]

What's going on with my molly? She's been low in the tank, hiding all day and then doing this. Water is testing fine.

 

[Colin_T]

a video would probably offer more info and a description of the fish's symptoms.

 

[Jmw0922]

a video would probably offer more info and a description of the fish's symptoms.

It won't let me attach a video unfortunately. Shes been sitting pretty low in the tank. Hiding from the other fish. She started doing this thing where she's like curling her tail to one side or the other? She swims fine and all she's just being weird. Looks as if she's giving birth but I don't think this one is pregnant but who knows. Here is a picture of her curling her tail.

 

[itiwhetu]

Your water is testing fine, exactly what are the parameters of your water? Please.

 

[Colin_T]

You can upload videos to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.

 

[Jmw0922]

Seems as if this should have been my first sign to my tank having ick... thinking we brought home a neon that infected everyone else in the community.

 

[Valkyrie_Lips]

Seems as if this should have been my first sign to my tank having ick... thinking we brought home a neon that infected everyone else in the community.

Ich only attacks imuno-compromised fish, so there was something in the main tank that weakened your current stock enough to allow the parasite to latch on. Healthy fish can fight off ich on their own. Common reasons for ich include poor water quality or stressed out fish both of which can lower their immune systems.

 

[Jmw0922]

Ich only attacks imuno-compromised fish, so there was something in the main tank that weakened your current stock enough to allow the parasite to latch on. Healthy fish can fight off ich on their own. Common reasons for ich include poor water quality or stressed out fish both of which can lower their immune systems.

Appreciate that but we did just get them not too long ago. They're all doing well however we are having to treat our tank due to ammonia levels as we woke up the day after i posted to the tetra we believe brought this on had passed. I believe the ammonia spike is what caused the others to contract.

 

[Byron]

Others have asked for water data, and we must have it to assess this. First, parameters which refers to GH, pH and temperature (KH we can ignore for the present). And water conditions which are different, being ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Mollies are highly sensitive and susceptible to all of these, so we need the numbers.

 

[Jmw0922]

Others have asked for water data, and we must have it to assess this. First, parameters which refers to GH, pH and temperature (KH we can ignore for the present). And water conditions which are different, being ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Mollies are highly sensitive and susceptible to all of these, so we need the numbers.

Parameters
Temp is at 79
Ph is at 7.5
Gh is at 75 mg/l
Nitrate and nitrite are high at the moment.. nitrite at 1mg/l and nitrate at 25mg/l
This is according to a test strip. I'm awaiting my delivery for the api test kit.
Anyone want to steer me in the right direction for treatment? We have mollies, a few neon tetras, a swordtail, and 2 snails. We just got a larger tank (50 gallon) that we are going to be setting up and starting a fishless cycle on to transfer them but trying to get through ick first. Clearly my cycle seems to be crashing.

 

[Jmw0922]

You can see the ick on my tetras pretty well.

 

[Byron]

OK, these numbers are instructive. You have two issues here, first the inappropriate water parameters, second what seems to be cycling or recycling.

First issue and most important is the cycling...ammonia and nitrite must be zero. Do a major water change every day until they are, major meaning 70% of the tank volume. Use the conditioner but nothing else.

Going forward, the parameters indicate soft water (75 mg/l is the same as 75ppm, which equates to 4 dH, which is very soft water. No livebearers can live in this for long, it lacks the essential calcium and magnesium they need to function properly. The neon tetras are ideal in this water, but not swordtails and certainly not mollies.

The fish are under severe stress (the ammonia/nitrite issue). Increase the tank temperature to 86F/30C for two weeks. Do the water changes with this warmer water.

 

[Jmw0922]

What do I do to solve the soft water issue? Honestly the strips I have I don't believe much because the tetra strips I had were reading differently on almost everything. I've tested my tap water and it is at line 180mg/l

 

[Byron]

What do I do to solve the soft water issue? Honestly the strips I have I don't believe much because the tetra strips I had were reading differently on almost everything. I've tested my tap water and it is at line 180mg/l

First, pin down the numbers. Check with your water authority, on their website it might list the GH, pH and KH (also called Alkalinity, worth knowing as this affects pH fluctuation). Once you know with more certainty the parameters, you will be better able to decide which way you want to go. It is always far easier and safer to go with the water you have and select fish suited to it, rather than going down the not-always easy and often seriously troublesome road of adjusting the parameters. Water changes for example are much easier if you do not have to "prepare" the water in another large container before you can even use it. Water changes have to use water very close to the same parameters as the tank water or it can impact fish.

Considering all the hundreds of soft water fish, and the relatively fewer hard water...up to you. But mixing water using mineral salts is time consuming and more expensive.

 

[Jmw0922]

First, pin down the numbers. Check with your water authority, on their website it might list the GH, pH and KH (also called Alkalinity, worth knowing as this affects pH fluctuation). Once you know with more certainty the parameters, you will be better able to decide which way you want to go. It is always far easier and safer to go with the water you have and select fish suited to it, rather than going down the not-always easy and often seriously troublesome road of adjusting the parameters. Water changes for example are much easier if you do not have to "prepare" the water in another large container before you can even use it. Water changes have to use water very close to the same parameters as the tank water or it can impact fish.

Considering all the hundreds of soft water fish, and the relatively fewer hard water...up to you. But mixing water using mineral salts is time consuming and more expensive.

We definitely have hard water. Our water is about 140 ppm according to the water company. Once I get the api test kit and conduct tests with that I can come back with better numbers.

Now my next question is how do I go about cleaning a tank that someone previously used outside of my house since soap and chemicals are a no go? I have a 50 gallon I am setting up for them and would like to be sure to get this cycle right in this new tank. Thinking fish less cycle and keeping these guys in this tank as it will end up our hospital tank.