Near Death Molly

[Scoobcake]

I have a 29 gallon tank running a tetra whisper 40 and a marineland 350. Temp is always about 78 degrees. Fish in the tank are 1 swordtail, 1 bn pleco, 1 dalmation molly, 5 danio (not sure what kind greenish with orange stripe), 5 glass catfish, 2 kuhli loach, and 1 mystery snail.

The last week or so my molly has seemed slower and would hang out at the surface alot. None of the other fish in the tank exhibit this kind of behavior. Today I came home from work and she had herself wedged in the plants floating near the surface. I thought at fish she was dead but when i moved the plants she swam to the bottom and laid and swam around for a bit and is now laying on the bottom about dead it seems. She looks completely normal otherwise. checked water and it was 0 ammo, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate.

Not really sure what to make of this. I thought maybe it was an oxygenation thing but I have a bubble wand in there and dont fill my tank all the way to the rim so theres more surface motion.

Maybe there is some kind of disease in there. I have a kuhli loach that has been odd for a few weeks now as well. seems fat and more transparent or whiteish than normal. Also my mystery snail rarely ever comes out. people tell me thats normal but Im going on a few weeks and the snail hasnt moved. every once in awhile it will poke a tentacle out for a couple mins and I put algae pellets under it which I think it eats. I know its not dead because it still peeks out every now and then and it usually sealed up tight. Not hanging out of its shell. Any advice for me? thanks

 

[blackmolly]

how old is she? it sounds like some sort of disease, but i have no clue what it could be. it could also be old age.

 

[Scoobcake]

Tank is only around 3 or 4 months old and thats when I bought the fish. Just did a water change because I figured it couldnt hurt. She responded a little while that was going on so i was hopeful but shes back to the same thing shortly after finishing the water change. I left the water level a couple iches low to maybe help her breathe easier. Everytime I prod he rout of the plants she goes away but shortly reverts back to the same positon. wedging herself up in the plants with her back ever so slighty above the surface of the water. The last few days prior when she was by the surface it was if she was trying to gulp the air. opening her mouth near repeatedly at the surface and as I watched her it looked like she was trying to catch the bubbles that were forming there. Not sure though.

 

[dudeofrude]

I had a molly that did that for about 3months before it eventually died never did find out why?

 

[blackmolly]

what's the ph? also, where did you get it?

 

[Scoobcake]

but your other fish were fine dude? let me check PH. its normally pretty high out of tap and same thing at my LFS. they say they dont mess with PH at all.

 

[blackmolly]

if its high it should be fine. low ph can cause these types of things in mollies... but that's generally in below 6 conditions...

 

[Scoobcake]

Oh and I got it at my LFS. Same place I bought all my other fish.

 

[dudeofrude]

but your other fish were fine dude? let me check PH. its normally pretty high out of tap and same thing at my LFS. they say they dont mess with PH at all.

Yeah all other fish were fine, even the other mollys

 

[Scoobcake]

PH result was 8.2 right about what it always is.

 

[dudeofrude]

I asked around about this when it happened to me and in the end just came to the conclusion that it was down to bad stock. These fish get weaker and weaker from constant breeding. The more common the species the more over bred its been. Sane goes for neon tetras, almost impossible to get good hardy stock of them these days

 

[blackmolly]

a little high, but mollies generally adjust better up then they do down. i really don't know what to tell you... hopefully she'll pull herself out of this, but it doesn't sound like there's anything you can do. maybe try a water change?

 

[Scoobcake]

Well she didnt make it. When I fished her out I didnt notice anything abnormal on her. I did find it odd that her mouth and eyes were wide open when I found her. Maybe that's normal Im not sure. I'll just have to keep an eye on my other fish and see if I notice anything else.