Emaciated molly

[Tank Mate]

When we bought our first tank a few months ago we inherited a number of fish, including a pair of silver mollies.

I'm not sure of their age but I'd put them on the younger side as our male has grown and coloured up since we got them.

However, the female has remained small and looks emaciated. She isn't as active as the male but still swims slowly around the tank (55 litres).

Has anyone got any ideas of why she is so underweight and small? I've started feeding her separately to help her put on weight. I've also tested the water parameters and they're all normal (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 40 nitrate).

 

[nirbhao]

She might have parasites, but it would be more likely that everyone in the tank had them.

She could have a physical defect that prevents her from eating or even just competing for food.

There are times I wish we could take fish to the vet.

 

[Tank Mate]

I had my thoughts about parasites but as you mentioned, I'd presume everyone else in the tank would be affected. She's currently in a community tank with 1 other molly, 1 guppy, 4 five banded barbs, 5 cardinal tetras, and a (extremely placid) male betta. All of them are swimming around happily and look fine, although two tetras are still quite small.

I've never noticed her fail to compete for food but it did hit me recently just how thin she is compared to the male.

Do you think it's worth continuing to feed separately/overfeed? I'll also give her peas and rub her pellets in garlic just in case.

I've also considered that it could be down to stress as I've only got the two mollies and she does get a lot of attention from the male.

 

[Tank Mate]

For comparison, I've attached some pictures of what both the mollies looked like when I got them.

 

[BettaPonic]

I have this happen to Guppies all the time. They eat, but are waisting away. They don't live long for me. Like you they are the only sick fish in a healthy tank.

 

[Tank Mate]

Just given her some more food this afternoon and then noticed this soon afterwards. Could this be internal parasites?

 

[Tank Mate]

 

[V227]

That looks like some type of an intestinal infection to me. Hard to tell if it is bacterial or a parasite.
Since no other fish in the tank appear to be infected, might be a good idea to remove the sick one to avoid an outbreak. She looks like a goner to me.
I believe the garlic treatment you tried was a good strategy. I routinely feed my fish with commercial foods that contain garlic to avoid internal problems.
It's better than treating the tank with chemical medications that often causes more harm than good.
Good luck.

 

[Tank Mate]

Thanks for the suggestions.

As an update, she's still alive but hasn't got any better. I tried feeding her small pieces of pea and garlic but she ignored them.

Will continue to rub her food in garlic daily to see where this takes us. In a week or so I may resort to medication.

 

[Tank Mate]

New update: I've been rubbing her food in garlic and feeding her separately for the past few days.

On Sunday I also introduced another female molly into the tank in case the issue was stress related. This left me with two females and a male which is a more ideal ratio.

Today I noticed that she has done a small but very normal looking poo!

She's still thin but being a bit more active. Will continue to monitor and update. I've also ordered New Life Spectrum Thera A to help prevent parasites in future.

 

[idol1]

The fish has wasteing disease. Usualy its fish TB. I just took one of my mollies out this morning with the same disease. Its not considered contagious. But still recommend isolation. She does not need the company of the other fish. I am experimenting with my fish with the same disease as I type. No known cure. With this disease there is a total electrolyte imbalance. Just a note on mollie diseases if you see a mollie staying in one place shimmying that is also a electrolyte imbalance putting the mollie in true brackish water takes care of thus problem but it has to be marine salt. The mollie will convert to the salt and actualy drink the water replenishing the electrolites. If the mollie is shimmying but darting all over the tank then its a parasite usualy flukes. I put my mollie in 100 percent sea water. I will post if it has any affect. TB is fatal so I think I already know the out come. But I'm trying this any way cant hurt at this point. Fresh water fish don't drink water marine fish do mollies converted to salt drink water.