What's Wrong With My Molly?

[SkiizziiM]

My Silver Molly Has Been Acting Strangely For The Past 2 Days. It Started When I Got Back From School On Friday. She Was Lying Down On The Gravel Not Really Moving, And She Looked Darker Than Usual. Her Top Fins Were Sort Of Clamped Together Close To Her Body. Her Gills Seemed To Be Moving/Working Normally, And She Would Move Every So Often. On Saturday, She Was Still Like That When I Woke Up, And Would Kind Of Scratch Herself Against The Gravel, Like She Was Itchy. I Still Don't Know Whats Wrong With Her. Her Colour Is Getting Lighter Than On Friday. Evey Time Another Fish Goes Near Her, She Swims Away To Behind One Of My Plants. It's Always The Same Plant. I Haven't Changed Anything In The Tank, And Still Feed Them Every Other Day. When I Put The Food In, She Swims Up, Eats, And Then Swims Back Down.
Please Help Me, I Want To Know Whats Wrong With Her, And What I Can Do To Help.
I've Asked My Dad To Help me Pay For A Smaller Tank, For Quarantine And To Look After Ill Fish. We Haven't Got One Yet, As We Are Still Looking For One.
Will It Be Worth Paying For It?
Thank You Again, Any Reply Would Be Helpful

SkiizziiM

xx
P.S - I Also Posted This In The "Tropical Fish Emergencies" Section

 

[babyblade]

My Silver Molly Has Been Acting Strangely For The Past 2 Days. It Started When I Got Back From School On Friday. She Was Lying Down On The Gravel Not Really Moving, And She Looked Darker Than Usual. Her Top Fins Were Sort Of Clamped Together Close To Her Body. Her Gills Seemed To Be Moving/Working Normally, And She Would Move Every So Often. On Saturday, She Was Still Like That When I Woke Up, And Would Kind Of Scratch Herself Against The Gravel, Like She Was Itchy. I Still Don't Know Whats Wrong With Her. Her Colour Is Getting Lighter Than On Friday. Evey Time Another Fish Goes Near Her, She Swims Away To Behind One Of My Plants. It's Always The Same Plant. I Haven't Changed Anything In The Tank, And Still Feed Them Every Other Day. When I Put The Food In, She Swims Up, Eats, And Then Swims Back Down.
Please Help Me, I Want To Know Whats Wrong With Her, And What I Can Do To Help.
I've Asked My Dad To Help me Pay For A Smaller Tank, For Quarantine And To Look After Ill Fish. We Haven't Got One Yet, As We Are Still Looking For One.
Will It Be Worth Paying For It?
Thank You Again, Any Reply Would Be Helpful

SkiizziiM

xx
P.S - I Also Posted This In The "Tropical Fish Emergencies" Section

sorry but iam new to the hobby but i have the same problem but my male silver mollie has been floating next to my filter also since friday.
if you get any help could you please forward it to me or post for general veiw
many thanks

 

[logansmommy41306]

if its rubbing on the substrate it may have parisites. You can go to your LFS and get some parisite meds.

 

[theotheragentm]

Rubbing normally means ich. I prefer not to use medications. Turning up the heat to 87F for two weeks will take care of ich. Turn up the heater a couple degrees an hour as not to shock the fish with a drastic temperature change. If you start seeing signs of fungus, then medication is the best course of action.

 

[looby loo]

Check ur stats it cud be a water problem. High nitrate, high nitrite can cause that behaviour. Good Luck

 

[SkiizziiM]

I did a waste level test at the shop (amonia and nitrate??) and the levels were really low! she is still acting like this though i did turn the temp up a bit, but she's still acting this way!! when the quarantine tank arrives, ill put her in there and turn the temp right up!! not too high tho...
xx

 

[theotheragentm]

You should be looking at three things in the water. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0. If they are not 0, you have problems. Do a 50% water change immediately and continue doing so until the levels come down. The last one is nitrates. I like to keep mine under 20 PPM, but most fish will do fine as long as you are under 40 PPM. Mollies tend to be more susceptible to illness at lower levels of nitrates, so it's better to be safe than sorry.

Just as importantly, you need to figure out why your levels are high if they are indeed high. What size is the tank? What is in it? Overstocking leads to high bioloads and that will raise the levels of these in your tank. Please let us know full stats on your tanks so we can identify things that may help correct any problems in the tank.