Whats with my Molly?

[Slacker]

I have a male molly who is of a fairly good size (about 3.5 inches from head to tail, big bugger) with a large goreous tail and dorsal. But...

Hes been lethargic lately, except when it comes to eating time. He swims 75% of the time as if his tail is weighing him down, that or as if he cant move the far back of his tail and that his "arm" fins (for lack of correct terminology) are the only thing he is able to use to swim.

What do you guys think is the problem?

 

[Slacker]

...Anyone?

 

[Jawz]

im suspecting some kind of illness...possibly swim bladder but i dont see all the signs for it. Like is he swimming at a 45 degree angle, liek what tail is weighin him down?

 

[Slacker]

He sometimes swims with his tail down, head up, sometimes at a slight angle. It seems to vary a lot.

 

[Jawz]

does his stomach seem bloated?

 

[Slacker]

Not particularly. My female dalmation molly is starting to show signs as well.

 

[mimi13chan]

hmmm

gahh mollies once one gets ill its like aplague on da others and they all die -_- hmm *looks in book* he may have.. he may be starting to get constipated, or bloat but it dosen't sound like he has a bladder disease

 

[Slacker]

I put him in a seperate hospital tank with melafix and salt. I salted my 20 gallon 3 light tablespoons salt, and am trating all tanks with melafix just in case.

 

[Slacker]

Ah yes, and my dalmation has symptoms now as well but is showing them much less and has a slight arch (pointing up) in her back i never noticed before. And my blacfin tetra is shimmy'ing and running into the plants now as well.

 

[Slacker]

Molly is laying on gravel of hospital tank. By morning im afraid he'll be R.I.P.

Bummer.

 

[Slacker]

he's still alive, but still laying at the bottom of the tank, not moving...just breathing.

 

[Slacker]

Moved dalmation molly showing limp symptoms like the male to the hospital as well.

 

[dana307]

Thank god you have a hospital tank. Sorry to hear about the illness. Let us know how it goes. :-(

 

[Slacker]

Hes still laying on the bottom of a tank (i set it upo with water from his home tank and cycled gravel from another). The female dalmation is listless but exhausted it seems. My blackfin tetra seems better.

 

[limestrodamous]

Slacker,

Have you checked the ammonia levels in your tank? I've expericenced the same problem with my goldfishes and the problem was caused by high levels of ammonia in the tank. If the ammonia levels are high bring the levels down and you should notice a difference in a few days. The fish will start to be more active and in a few days the fins will strart to rise. Hopefully my suggestions have helped you and good luck.

 

[dana307]

no idea but sorry you got something going on. Keep us posted and hopefully someone will have some ideas so we can learn from your situation.

 

[spikekillifish]

Time to do some testing ASAP! If your ammonia levels are too high you can dose the tank with Amquel.

 

[tlfphoto]

Mollies really like SALT! I use SeaChem livebearer salt.

 

[spikekillifish]

They sure do. I think she already new that about them. I see some really nice wild sailfins down here and they are in almost pure saltwater.

 

[valdok]

just thought i would throw my opinion out too, since every bit helps. it definitely sounds like some sort of infection. to me it sounds like bloat, too. but it's not all the symptoms, so i'm a little curious as it what it could be. whatever it is, you're doing the right thing by isolating the infected/effected fish into a hospital tank. makes me think i should make one, just to be safe.