Sick Fish

This is not white spot. The fish is covered in excess mucous, which is caused by poor water quality or external protozoan infections.

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Your water is way too soft for them.
Mollies need a pH above 7.0 and a GH above 250ppm.
Swordtails need a pH above 7.0 and a GH above 200ppm.

If you add some Rift Lake water conditioner (mineral salts) to the tank and raise the GH to about 150ppm, it would help the livebearers (swords and mollies) and wouldn't be too high for the other fish. However, the best option would be a second tank and put the livebearers in one and raise the GH to 250ppm.

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Until then, add 2 heaped tablespoons of rock salt (aquarium salt) for every 20 litres (5 gallons) of tank water.

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, 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, 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.

If 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.
Hi many thanks for your message. The water quality is fine so it must be external protozoan infection which i will read more about. We have some interpet aqualibrium first aid salt addative will this be ok? Will the snails and cat fish be ok with it? If this isn't suitable we will have to go and get something else. Many thanks Yvonne
 
The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

I don't know what is in the salt you have but you just want sodium chloride without anything else in it.

External protozoan infections that cause excess mucous include Costia, Chilodonella and Trichodina. Google them for more info.
 
Interpet just says it contains "a unique physiological salt formula" which isn't very helpful. Since they also say it is a mild pH buffer, it must have more in it than just common salt (sodium chloride).
API aquarium salt is just common salt, so that one is OK.

Ignore everything they say about using it on a routine basis as salt is not good for soft water fish.
 
I don't know what is in the salt you have but you just want sodium chloride without anything else in it.

External protozoan infections that cause excess mucous include Costia, Chilodonella and Trichodina. Google them for more info.
Will do many thanks for your help today
 

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