not again!

[sticky102]

i don't know what's wrong when i came home tonight my mollie was in it's little pot thing and it wasn't moving and i'm like oh nooo!!! so i tapped on the glass(i know they don't like it but it will wake him up)so when i did he kinda wiggled a bit then didn't move so the first thing that came to mind was infection then all these bad thoughts came in my mind like oh no!!! so i tapped him with the end of the thing that you clean the tank with and he went nuts and started swimming really wildly around the tank and i can tell he's not normal then he just stopped swimming and just layed there and he would go on his side and kinda float there. so we changed the water cause the nitrate was kinda getting high he would swim real fast and it was like he was not knowing were he was going then he just stopped again i thought maybe he was stressed or something.

so were in the process of cycling so that can cause stress and other stuff and the nitrite is high so that is bad to i don't know does anyone know what's wrong and what i can do??

[sticky102]

i found out today that he probably has swim bladder he had it before and got better fine... but i have one quistion What am i doing wrong is it the cycling that is making him have such a hard time or what? he is not moving right now so i guess he's resting...i want to get a bigger tank but i don't have the room at the time.

PS should i put him in a baby net kinda thing like that you hang on the side of the tank? i did last time

i'm kinda woried with it cycling and all it has been 4 weeks right now and i'm using cycle how long does it take usualy in a ten gallon tank i've seen that it usualy take about 6 weeks is that true?

[BirdLuver288]

6 weeks in a small aquarium isnt uncommon

But mollies are hardy, but not cycle hardy, sure, they CAN survive but sometimes it can leave its mark on them..just keep the lights out, I would add some melafix, or maybe half dose some furacyn...

Try not to startle him, you must know that after anyhting has an adrenilin rush, that you are very tired after, same basic thing..

but hang in there :)

[Bettachris]

it doesn't seem like swim bladder problems. really swimm bladder problems makes the fish float, not stay at the bottom. it sounds like it is sick, which is a problem as if this fish dies, it is important to change the water fast so it doesn't knock off your cycle. really i have never had a cycling problem, and my tanks are usually dont cycling within a week.

The trick for next time is get gravel from an existing tank, so it has bacteria in it already. I have nevered used cycle b4, but i hear it is a good one. increase the oxyigen going to the tank, that should help as well.

[sticky102]

yeah last time he was floating up and down around the midle and at the top so yeah i think that was swim bladder but yeah i'll look into the things that you said. oh yeah i have some furan-2 it helps with bacterial infections and some other deseises or are the ones that you mentioned better?

should i keep the temp up or is it ok around 75?

[BirdLuver288]

changing the temp willcause stress and the possible outbreak of Ick

[sticky102]

ok so keap it the same alright and should i hold back on the food?

[BirdLuver288]

if she will eat, then feed, but if not, try every other day

[cstrohmeyer]

I sounds like your fish may have ammonia or nitrite poisoning. A dip with methylene blue would help with this. It may also just be old age as mollies do not live long. Either way this can be a difficult disease (if it is a disease) to treat. House calls for sick fish was my specialy with my aquarium maintenance business, and I have to admit to this being a tough call. As for medication, Melafix probably will not help with this condition, Kanamycin Sulfate is your best chance (may be combined with Furacyn), along with the methylene blue dip.
For more information about medications, please follow this URL:
http://aquarium-medictions.blogspot.com/


Carl
Aquarium Design and Maintenance since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[sticky102]

ok i decided to place him/her in a breeder net like thing so it dosn't keep hiting its head on the rocks and just so that it can rest. ithink i might add some furan-2 for bacterial infections and other stuff but i am still debating wether to add some melafix or not not at the same time though i know one of you said that wasn't good but idk cause i bought it and all the pet stores are closed.

so i'll try and feed it, lower the light, put it in a "hospital" net, moniter the temp, test the water more, water changes?,add some furan-2 maybe,i might try feeding it a pea and see what it does cause i heard that you can feed them that when there sick, remove the carbon(can i just remove the whole filter cartridge they don't sell ones without carbon but keep the filter on so that the bio wheel can do its work),look into the blue dip stuff that you said look for furacyn and all the other stuff you said,and hope for the best!
PS i haven't had my molly long


please reply!

[cstrohmeyer]

Make sure to check your water parameters too!
*Ammonia (0)
*ph (7.5- 8.2)
*KH (80 ppm or more- very important for brackish fish like mollies)
*nitrites (0)

Be carefull about adding a mix of medication, even if that is all you have.
Example: You wouldnt take aspirin for an ulcer just becouse you cannot obtain Pepsid.
Also as for Melafix, I use and sell this product (although I much prefer Aquarium Pharmaceuticals newer product, Pimafix), I just do not think it is the right treatment for this.

Good luck!

Carl
Aquarium Design and Maintenance since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[BirdLuver288]

the molly could ahve come to you sick, thats why its important to quarintine if the new fish is going into a tank with other fish..

also, forgot to ask, what sized tank and what are the tankmates, is it possible another tankmate is terrorizing it? are you overstocked? *lost my head a bit today, lost my favorite betta..RIP Lucky:( *

[sticky102]

i'm sorry to say that when i woke up today my fish was not moving(you know what i mean....:( ) i'm real upset. it is real hard because i'm saying what if this or wonder if i did that if i could i would have done anything for him.

rest in peace theodore.

[BirdLuver288]

aww, i'm sorry for your loss :(

[cstrohmeyer]

I think you did the best you can, I know it hard to loose a pet. My daughter (who is 13) just lost her betta (it jumped out of its bowl, after the original craked) is very beside herself, and wishes she could have been there when the betta jumped.

Carl
Aquarium Design and Maintenance since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/