Looking for advice

[Rhysers]

Hi. My name is Rhys. I found your site googling red gill so you can guess I think I have a problem. I have 6 or 7 Micky mouse mollies (hard to tell they started breeding) and a small catfish. All of the mollies have developed red gills and the last remaining adult just lies curled on the gravel unless its time to eat. It is a very bright red Ill try to get a picture. Everything had been running smooth for about 3 months. I did just have to replace my filter, cheap motor died. I just got my water tested:Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrate: 160-200 ppm
Nitrite: .5-1 ppm
Hardness / Chlorine - good
Alkalinity: 180 ppm
PH 8.4

 

[Chronos313]

I would do a 50 percent water change immediately as you have ammonia and nitrate in your tank. Which test kit are you using? Also what conditioner do you use when you add water to your tank? I recommend seachem prime. It's concentrated and it lasts a long time even a small bottle. Was your tank cycled in the beginning? I would continue to do water changes every 2 days and test before and after. I would roughly say after a 50% water change do 25% every second day.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

:Welcome: to AA! We hope ya enjoy

 

[shellieca]

Hi. My name is Rhys. I found your site googling red gill so you can guess I think I have a problem. I have 6 or 7 Micky mouse mollies (hard to tell they started breeding) and a small catfish. All of the mollies have developed red gills and the last remaining adult just lies curled on the gravel unless its time to eat. It is a very bright red Ill try to get a picture. Everything had been running smooth for about 3 months. I did just have to replace my filter, cheap motor died. I just got my water tested:Ammonia: .5 ppm
Nitrate: 160-200 ppm
Nitrite: .5-1 ppm
Hardness / Chlorine - good
Alkalinity: 180 ppm
PH 8.4

You need to do multiple 50%+ water changes to get your water in check. Your nitrates should be <20, ammonia & nitrites 0. When you changed the filter did you put any of the old filters media into The new filter? From your water parameters I'd say no & you are now doing a fish in cycle with the new filter. Do the water change, wait 30 minutes to an hour & retest, if your tests are not where they need to be do another 50% water change & do the same thing tomorrow. It may take a few days to get your water in check. Then keep testing daily & doing water changes as needed until the tank completes its cycle.