Please Help My albino Mollies!!!!!!!

[DirgeDevil]

All my mollies in the tank are sick. This isn't affecting any other fish though. I don't know what to do about it!The dorsal and anal fins are pressed up against them, and their tail fin is scrunched up, making it difficult for them to swim. He has to wiggle just to stay up! ;_; I'm really concerned. I want to know:
1)what is it?
2)treatment/meds for it?
3)should he be seperated/can it spread to my other fish?
4)Anything I can do to my tank to prevent it from comming back?

One more thing, Sadly, my tank is overcrowded by 5 or so fish, But my mom won't let me have any more tanks until we move (2 mnts) is overcrowding causing this?!? I was planning to get a 40 gal corner tank to move all my mollies to, but there's no room for it until we move! Are there any temproary things I can do?

 

[Toirtis]

All my mollies in the tank are sick. This isn't affecting any other fish though. I don't know what to do about it!The dorsal and anal fins are pressed up against them, and their tail fin is scrunched up, making it difficult for them to swim. He has to wiggle just to stay up! ;_; I'm really concerned. I want to know:
1)what is it?

Hard to be sure, as what you have described are classic symptoms of extreme stress, but I am guessing its a water quality issue.

One more thing, Sadly, my tank is overcrowded by 5 or so fish, But my mom won't let me have any more tanks until we move (2 mnts) is overcrowding causing this?!?

Very possibly....have you tested you water parameters for ammonia, nitrites, nitrates?

I was planning to get a 40 gal corner tank to move all my mollies to, but there's no room for it until we move! Are there any temproary things I can do?

If its a water-quality issue, it may be partly because of insufficient filtration, so an upgrade might help, as will more frequent water changes and less food. Tell us more about your tank, please.

 

[DirgeDevil]

It's a 16 gal tall, with about 10 fancy guppies, and 6 albino mollies, it's got a top fin 20 mechanical/carbon filter and a water heater. I also noticed that a few had ich, so I rasied the temp, removed the carbon and added some meds. but right now i'm testing the quality, I'll post it when i can.

--edit--
The meds changed the water color a bit, so i'll test later (when it's clear again) to get better results. :/

 

[Toirtis]

1. Topfin filters don't hold much media, or decent media...I would suggest switching to an AquaClear 50 (with two sponges and a biomedia bag)....run both filters together for about 10-14 days.

2. Raising the temp will lower the dissolved oxygen in the water....make sure you add some additional aeration.

3. Ich is not helping things, but I am betting your tank is suffering from too little filtration and too much bioload. Adding the AC filter and doing 30% water changes every 5 days should go a long way to helping. Do you vacuum your gravel when you do your water changes?

 

[DirgeDevil]

1)I have one of those bio bag thingies, which i put in the crappy filter I have.

2) i put some airstone decor in there for extra aeration

3) I don't have a gravel vac, but i know i need one, I do clean the gravel manually, but not with every water change.

ps- thanks for the tips, kudos to you.

 

[Toirtis]

No problem....and really consider springing for the AquaClear....they are inexpensive, and the 46 cubic inches of media space and 200gph flow makes them about the best buy in a HOB, and it will probably make a significant difference in those months you have left before the move.

 

[DirgeDevil]

thank you for your help, I'll try to get one ASAP

 

[DirgeDevil]

All but 1 boy and girl passed. all overnight..*sigh* thanks for all your help Toirtis.

 

[Toirtis]

Sad to hear and my condolences, but at least with that pair left, you are bound to have a couple dozen more in no time.

 

[DirgeDevil]

oh I hope so, they seem to be in perfect health, but the boy is still a juvie and 1/2 of the girl. oh well. lol