Severe problem with Lyretail Molly

[William]

I just noticed this today..

Hes been kinda droopy in the tail end, and I just noticed literalyl 5 seconds ago that his tail, from about mid-body back to the tips of his lyretail are cloudish grey and seems to be useless. He appears to not be able to use his tail at all and is using only his pectoral fins to get about.

Hes still a vorracious eater and such, and still seems quite active.. but It really worries me..

Does anyone know what it could be? or what I could do to fix it?

This is in a tank with perfect conditions by the way. 7.0 ph, 0ammonia, 0nitrites

 

[Allivymar]

Boy you are having the hardest time there William. I almost wonder if there is some sort of infection cruising round your tanks.

I'm not too worried about him "not using his tail". Most fish propel themselves more with their pectorals rather their tails unless they need to move quickly. But the cloudy grey part is worrying. Does it sorta look like a fungus? I'm wondering if its columnaris. Usually loss of color is related to ammonia, but obviously thats not the case here. Can you give us any more info about what you're seeing?

 

[William]

I know, I've been having the hardest time lately. Its almost disheartend me over fishtanks.. :-(

But I don't know whats going on, or why different fish in different tanks are getting sick..


But, um.. back to the Lyretail.

Its like his skin/scale, is just getting clouded over with a white-ish/grayish color. And he can't use it at all. I know fish don't NEED to use it, but what I ment is that he plain and simple cannot use it. His tail is just hanging limp.

I tried to take a picture, but its only really noticable at certain angles, which is why I hadn't noticed it until now.

I think this may have been what was irritating his skin, maybe? maybe my battle with ich was really this..

 

[Allivymar]

Or, the wounds caused by ich, combined with the stress of being ill, introduced a new pathogen to your poor guy. I hate to suggest medicating without knowing what one is medicating for, but I'd suggest getting him into a QT (if you haven't already) and starting a regimen of antibiotics. Make sure there is NO ammonia in there; you'll have to really stay on top of water parameters.

 

[jsdbdca]

"Perhaps the most common, easily identified fish malady is ich. It appears symptomatically as small white specks about the size of table salt on the fins and bodies of fishes. Also indicative of ich infections are lethargy, clamped fins, hiding in corners, "scratching", rapid and labored breathing, and off-gray body coloration in the case of hyper-infections."

From an artical that i recently read, maybe?

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwich.htm

 

[William]

Or, the wounds caused by ich, combined with the stress of being ill, introduced a new pathogen to your poor guy. I hate to suggest medicating without knowing what one is medicating for, but I'd suggest getting him into a QT (if you haven't already) and starting a regimen of antibiotics. Make sure there is NO ammonia in there; you'll have to really stay on top of water parameters.

I don't have a QT Tank, and on top of that other fish in the same tank are begining to scratch against rocks and such.
Ugh.. This is how it started with the molly, altho I never did see any cysts on the molly, and now his tail is screwy.

I really need to find a better fish place then petsmart and petland :?

 

[William]

He died..

 

[Allivymar]

Aw I'm sorry William

 

[William]

Thanks Alli, I can't seem to keep Mollies alive for the life of me..


Was only able to give it the first treatment of Tetracycline, I think I caought it to late.. :-(


Going to continue the treatment tho, cause another fish was showing signs of what the molly started out with.


Tetracycline issafe for tetra's and peacock eels right?

 

[Allivymar]

Should be - antibiotics are not dangerous to fish so far as I know; its the poisonous meds (like most of the ich meds) that can be an issue.

 

[William]

Okay. just wanted to be sure. Thanks