What the hell happened?

[Notsofab]

I'm not sure if this is an emergency or not, but one things for sure - I need some help.

We bought 3 Balloon Mollys approximately 9 days ago. They were the first 3 fish in our new tank. There was some doubt about whether or not our filter was cycled properly before we added the fish, but this is posted elsewhere. Although we have had some slightly high water readings at times - we haven't had anything thats off the chart and I must have tested everyday for the last nine days.

Anyhow, I came home tonight to find that my White Molly had passed away. Whilst saddened that I lost my first fish, I was more upset with her physical condition and am now worried about my two remaining tank mates.

When we bought the fish last Saturday, upon getting her home I noticed that her right fin looked kind of bent, almost as it if had an 'elbow' joint - if that makes sense. I didnt think much of it and just thought that was the way she was. She also seemed to have a red glow just behind her gill on her right side too. Being a stupid newbie, I just thought that maybe this was her gravid? spot.

So I found her tonight near the bottom of the tank kind of wedged between a plastic plant and the side of the tank. When I fished her out, her fin on the right side was almost totally gone. She had a very prominant red stripe from top to bottom down where her gill edge would be. She also looked a bit yellow and torn where her fin would have been. I have tried to attach a very poor quality photo.

I really need to try and find out what happened to her? I am primarily concerned about disease and risk to the other two fish. I know my water reading weren't great, but surely they couldn't have caused this? I have never seen the other two fish nip, in fact it was this white one that seemed the most aggressive. I can't believe that they were responsible for the missing fin? Could she have gotten herself caught up and badly damaged her fin trying to get free?

Please, any help will be greatly appreciated. I feel really sick, as just before leaving work today I added '3 Balloon Molly's' to my signature. Little did I know.

 

[WILDER]

Can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, any signs of flicking and rubbing in the tank, shaking or twitching the red strip was it a patch, and red on the gill did it look shiny in appearance.

 

[black angel]

Sorry you lost your molly.
What are the stats now for your tank, we will need ammonia,nitrite,nitrate and ph?
To start any treatment if needed then your tank water must be in the best condition.

 

[Notsofab]

Can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, any signs of flicking and rubbing in the tank, shaking or twitching the red strip was it a patch, and red on the gill did it look shiny in appearance.

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Ammonia = a trace but less than 0.1 on my chart, NitrIte=0.2, NitrAte=40, pH7.5
Not really noticed any symptoms - like I say new fish and new to fish too.
The red was internal - definately under the skin not on the gill.

I have attached a picture of her before and you can just see a hint of the red 'spot' on her side.

All the fish seemed fine this morning - she has gone from normal to the state in the photo in less than 8 hours.

Her body looked torn though on the outside. Although the red patch was inside her body, the patch where the fin should have been was stumpy and kind of yellow puss looking.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry, R.I.P. You need to do a water change as water quality isn't good, sound like she had septicemia.

 

[Notsofab]

Sorry, R.I.P. You need to do a water change as water quality isn't good, sound like she had septicemia.

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Would that account for the missing fin though and the physical damage to her outsides?

 

[WILDER]

She had a secondary infection of finrot yes, sorry.

 

[WILDER]

Not the writer of this informaion below.

Septicemia



Symptoms:

Fish may have reddening at fin bases, blood streaks throughout the fins and body, small hemorrhages around the eyes. Dull listless behavior and lack of appetite may also be present.



Cause:

Systemic bacterial infection caused by various bacteria, including Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Vibrio. The illness is often brought on by poor water quality or as a result of parasitic infestations or other infections. These bacteria enter the blood stream and circulate through the tissues causing inflammation and damage. Inflamed blood vessels in the skin and at fin bases stand out. Blood vessel and heart tissue damage cause hemorrhaging and consequently leakage of body fluids into the abdomen, which may lead to Dropsy.



Treatment:

Water conditions must be improved for all fish in the tank, regardless of how many fish are infected. Check your water’s Treat with Kanacyn or Tetracycline as well as with a medicated food if the fish will eat. If parasites are suspected, all the fish in the tank should be treated with antiparasitic medication. Using salt to help restore osmotic balance might be helpful.

 

[Notsofab]

She had a secondary infection of finrot yes, sorry.

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So would all this be down to me? I mean, would this happen so quickly in nine days, or is it likely that she was already sick when I got her and I just didn't know what to look for?

Would this affect the other fish? Do I need to do anything apart from a water change?

 

[WILDER]

Bad water quality is a fish killer i'm afraid.

 

[Notsofab]

Bad water quality is a fish killer i'm afraid.

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Boy do I feel bad now. I think I best go do another water change.

Thanks for answering.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry.

 

[sylvia]

Just wanted to make something clear - your water tests don't need to be 'off the charts' to be deadly. Ammonia and nitrIte are only safe when they are not detectable and nitrAte should be kept, idealy, below 20 (though 40 or below is also acceptable). Fish exposed to any level of ammonia, though also to nitrIte, quickly become distressed. They literally are swimming in poison and soon develop things like septicemia - like your molly did - which can actualy normaly be fixed by doing some water changes (always with de-chlorinated water). The missing fins need not have been due to finrot or a disease. Many fish will nibble on dead tankmates. It has nothing to do with aggression. Seeing as you are new to this, I also would warn you (though you may already know) that the good bacteria responsible for making the cycling process possible live in your gravel and, more importantly, in your filter media. Ignore any manufacturers instructions to replace this media as you'd then effectively be removing the good bacteria and causing a re-cycle (more high ammonia/nitrIte readings). Instead, IF your filter becomes clogged, do a water change and use the old tank water you've removed to rinse out the media. Then replace the same media into your tank's filter. I thought I'd mention this as a lot of people just about manage to cycle and then find themselves in a sticky situation again due to removing the mature media from their filter. One last thing - are all your mollies balloons like in the pic? The reason I ask is because mollies get rather big but balloons tend to stay relatively small - your tank is only about 15 gallons so you can't realy keep all that many mollies in there (it's the minnimum tank size).

 

[Notsofab]

One last thing - are all your mollies balloons like in the pic? The reason I ask is because mollies get rather big but balloons tend to stay relatively small - your tank is only about 15 gallons so you can't realy keep all that many mollies in there (it's the minnimum tank size).

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Yes they are both Balloon Molly's. I did research them before buying though their is some conflicting info on how big they gets. Some websites say Balloon's will grow to 4.75" others say 2.5"

Also I'm not trying to cop out and I fully accept that my water quality didn't help my fish, but the red patch was present on the Molly when I bought her home from the LFS. I have tried to inspect my remaining tanks mates, but one is totally jet balck so you can't see anything and the gold one looks fine.

I will do another 25% water change tonight also.

 

[black angel]

I thought too that the fish may have entered your tank carrying a disease. All you can do is keep a close eye on the others and do daily partial water changes.

Also ammonia isnt toxic in your ph and temperature until it gets to 1%. Though of course you still want to keep ammonia and nitrite at 0.