Sick Molly

[Mchara]

I have a female black Molly. She was in another tank before with a male Molly that was all the time harassing her, and she started to get stressed. Her lips were swollen.

We have since moved her to another tank, and the first days she was hiding and very lethargic. But the swelling went down. But she has started to develop some white marks on her?

I have treated her for ich. But there has been no changes.

I don't think it's ich, can anyone please help and advise!

 

[BlueJungle]

No, it’s definitely not Ich. Do you know what the water parameters are at all, for both tanks?

 

[Mchara]

0 ammonia
5/10 ppm Nitrate
0 Nitrite
7. 4.ph
Both tanks have the same except the ph is slightly more acidic in the previous

 

[Essjay]

Do you know how hard your water is?Does your water provider's website list hardness? If it doesn't, can you take a sample of your tap water to a fish store and ask them to test GH.

The reason I ask is that mollies need hard water. If the previous tank had a pH lower than 7.4, it may well mean you have soft water. While soft water itself won't cause the sickness, it does weaken mollies so they get sick easier, and it's harder to cure.

 

[Mchara]

The water is hard water. The reason the ph was at a lower level was because I have also tetras, which they prefer.

Do you think it has anything to do with pregnancy stress? She already gave birth two times, of that I know off. And the male was constantly on top of her, and I noticed that she was getting annoyed with this.

Do you believe it is some sort of parastise? Or fungus?

 

[Colin_T]

Can you post some pictures that are in focus?

It looks like excess mucous.
Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate. Then add some salt (2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres). Keep salt in there for 2 weeks and see how she goes.

 

[Mchara]

It's a little difficult to take photos, as she is moving around a lot. Which I guess is a good sign.

What would be the reason for excess mucous? Because of the tank swap?

 

[Mchara]

Also my tank has live plants. I believe salt will cause problems to them? But I'm not sure

 

[ThatFishGirl6231]

Treat her with Melafix

 

[Mchara]

I have treated her with this, and it didn't show any improvement

 

[Dajuyu]

Also my tank has live plants. I believe salt will cause problems to them? But I'm not sure

For medications u need a quanrantine tank without plants and other live fishes.
The meds or salt need to cure only for the sick .
Is your Molly still feeds normally ?

 

[Mchara]

She is alone in the tank, fish wise.
She seems fine, she still eats and her mood is normal.

Just my concern is her skin

 

[Colin_T]

Excess mucous is caused by stress or physical damage to the fish. Stress can be from poor water quality or chemicals in the water. Physical damage can be done by other fish.

Waterlife Protozin and Melafix won't do anything for excess mucous. The fish naturally produce mucous to help cover injuries.

The best treatment is good water, a clean tank and some salt.

The salt mentioned above (2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres) is fine for fish, plants, shrimp, snails and filter bacteria.

 

[Mchara]

Okay thankyou so much! I will try it and hopefully it will clear up

 

[Mchara]

Tried to take better photos. Not that easy.
But I think you can see the white stuff it's like on the edge of her scales, so I guess that's her excreting the mucous