Sick swordtail? Ick or fungus or something else?

[Kelly Preussner]

I have a 36 gal bow front tank that is almost a year old. My water is good, no ammonia, no nitrite & low nitrate. Ph always around 8.0. Temp 79
I got 2 swords almost a year ago just after starting my tank so they are the oldest fish in the tank. 1 died for no reason about a month ago. 3 days ago we moved across town & I was happy all my fish survived & all seemed to be doing great until this morning. I have enclosed pics of my sword. She looks like she is coated in ick or some fungus. She also looks like her fins are all ragged. They were not like this yesterday. No other fish in the tank looks sick. No white spots on any other fish. Thoughts?

 

[utahfish]

Lol you mean swordtail. I was like who the heck is trying to keep swordfish
Mollies Platys swordtails belong in groups of 1 male to 3 females. If too many males males will fight with eachother and harass females.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

Lol you mean swordtail. I was like who the heck is trying to keep swordfish
Mollies Platys swordtails belong in groups of 1 male to 3 females. If too many males males will fight with eachother and harass females.

Oh gosh, yes!! Auto correct! I had only the 2 female swords. I do have a 1:3 ratio on all my fish & they have been peaceful together for the past 6 months. She looks sick to me. Maybe the stress of the move??

 

[utahfish]

Oh gosh, yes!! Auto correct! I had only the 2 female swords. I do have a 1:3 ratio on all my fish & they have been peaceful together for the past 6 months. She looks sick to me. Maybe the stress of the move??

maybe but mollies and swords and platys will all cross breed as well so if the ratio is off with all of them together than she could be getting harassed.

 

[utahfish]

Im no fish disease expert so im not sure what the fish has but doing a water change is never a bad idea

 

[Essjay]

maybe but mollies and swords and platys will all cross breed as well

Actually mollies can't cross breed with platies and swordtails. Platies and swordtails are in the genus Xiphophorus (so they can cross breed) while mollies are Poecilia. Guppies are also Poecilia so theoretically, mollies and guppies can interbreed.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

I don’t think this is a harassment issue. She looks sick to me. I am thinking she might be older & the stress of the move. I don’t have an emergency tank but I took her out & put her in a bucket with a betta heater. I don’t have an extra filter but can possibly treat her with ick meds in the bucket?? Since we just moved there was about a 65% water change just performed.

 

[JuiceBox52]

Dont treat for ich unless you see white spots. She has excess mucous coating her scales and gills. Do a 75% water change every day until the problem is resolved.
Did the other fish show the same symptoms before dying?

 

[utahfish]

Actually mollies can't cross breed with platies and swordtails. Platies and swordtails are in the genus Xiphophorus (so they can cross breed) while mollies are Poecilia. Guppies are also Poecilia so theoretically, mollies and guppies can interbreed.

Wow good to know a guppy molly sounds interesting. Are they called Gollys or muppies

 

[JuiceBox52]

Wow good to know a guppy molly sounds interesting. Are they called Gollys or muppies

Usually muppies that I have seen

 

[Kelly Preussner]

Dont treat for ich unless you see white spots. She has excess mucous coating her scales and gills. Do a 75% water change every day until the problem is resolved.
Did the other fish show the same symptoms before dying?

I do see white spots on tail but also see mucous coating so was not sure how to treat. The other sword did not show any symptoms, was just dead one morning.

 

[JuiceBox52]

I do see white spots on tail but also see mucous coating so was not sure how to treat. The other sword did not show any symptoms, was just dead one morning.

Raise the temp for 2 weeks and that will kill any ich. Keep doing water changes to help with the mucous. Change the water with fresh dechlorinated water as close to the tank temp as possible