molly staying at top or bottom of tank help

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

country_girl

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
10
Hello I am new to this and new to fish, I have a molly Dalmatian fish that I have had for a few months now I have moved her into a bigger tank 4 weeks ago and put 3 new fish in with her 3 weeks ago they are doing fine acting normal but 2 days ago I have noticed my first fish seems lethargic she was just staying at the top of the tank I thought she was dead for a second she seems to try to eat but not as much as she normally does and I have noticed after the morning feeding she will go to the bottom of the tank and just sit there. I dont think shes eating much as the food will float by her and she goes to get it but goes after the bubbles? Her top fin is kinda floppy too bit standing up like normal. I put cycle in every monday havent done a water change or filter change since its only been 3 weeks ive been told once a month? Tank sits at 76-80F
any ideas?
 

Attachments

  • 20140725_065918.jpg
    20140725_065918.jpg
    191.4 KB · Views: 164
  • 20140725_071547.jpg
    20140725_071547.jpg
    253.3 KB · Views: 98
Your Molly

Hello country...

What is your water change routine and are you putting aquarium salt in the water?

Molly tanks should have half or more of the water removed and replaced every week. They also like a little aquarium salt in their water. A couple of teaspoons for every 5 gallons of replacement water is good. Floating plants are especially important to livebearing fish. The fish feel secure. I mostly use Hornwort. Anacharis and Pennywort are good to. All help keep the tank water clean between water changes.

Keep the tank water clean and you'll have no tank problems.

B
 
You need to be testing the water for ammonia and nitrites. I assume this tank was not cycled before adding fish? You need to do frequent partial water changes to kept ammonia and nitrite down.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
I cycled the tank before adding her and left it alone adding some food in it for a week then put her in she used to be in my 5 gal but she had babies so I had to put her into a new one I also added some bacteria thing to get rid of nitrate or something that u do at new set ups and water changes she was fine in the smaller tank that she was in for a few months, someone at work said maybe a bacterial infection like gill flukes or clamped fin? I did see a red line along her gills this morning which I forgot to mention

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Aquarium Advice mobile app
 
Molly fish can be a complicated first fish. I've had many balloon mollies and mollies which are tough. They're not very hardy and will die easily /:
 
I cycled the tank before adding her and left it alone adding some food in it for a week then put her in she used to be in my 5 gal but she had babies so I had to put her into a new one I also added some bacteria thing to get rid of nitrate or something that u do at new set ups and water changes she was fine in the smaller tank that she was in for a few months, someone at work said maybe a bacterial infection like gill flukes or clamped fin? I did see a red line along her gills this morning which I forgot to mention

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Aquarium Advice mobile app


It takes a lot longer than a week to do a fishless cycle.

Your fish probably have ammonia/nitrite poisoning. Your tank is in the middle of a fish-in cycle and needs frequent water changes.

There is a lot of information on this forum and the web about the nitrite cycle and beneficial bacteria.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice
 
Back
Top Bottom