Gold Dust Molly ill?

Bruckm

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Mar 31, 2004
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#1
Ok, my one remaining GD molly is trying to pass away on me. Are they particularly weak? He's been pouting for over a week (after I had added another male-much bigger). I removed the new male and he hasn't improved. There's nothing visible on his body. He is moping and now he is reclusive. We didn't see him for 24 hours so when I did my water change yesterday I found him under an ornament. He came out and went belly-up a couple of times and when I put the ornament back in he immediately swam back to it and burrowed underneath. All I can see now is his tail. When I shined a light on it this morning he moved it.

LFS guy said turn temp to 80 and add 1 tbsp salt for each 10G.

Is there anything else?
 

FroggyFox

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May 16, 2003
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#2
doesnt sound too good...if you dont have plants in there, you might leave the lights off all the time except feeding times as it helps them feel more secure.

Is he eating?
 

FroggyFox

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#6
I think that is a problem with a lot of livebearer strains. They're so poorly bred that the ones who make it to the pet store are weak and have genetic 'shortcomings'.
 

Bruckm

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#7
You know, this may sound stupid, but I'd like fish as they look in the wild. I'm sure the basic wild Molly is a beautiful creature. Not that I know what that would look like.
 

FroggyFox

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#8
That doesn't sound stupid at all! I think that is the reason that so many 'wild caught' specimens are worth so much to aquarists. Not just $$ amt, but also because of their emotional worth. Only thing that people have to realize is when they have wild caught fish...the care might greatly differ from the petstore variety fish of the same type.