Hi Julie-
First of all, welcome to the forum.
I'd also like to wish you luck in treating your molly. I hope he'll make a full and speedy recovery.
I just wanted to note that the above posters were in no way attacking you or trying to make you feel bad. They are simply trying to help you and your fish, and have only intentions of giving you good and sound advice.
I know you feel that your stocking is fine, but it really would be best to adjust it. Just because you
can do something doesn't mean that you
should.
For example, your dwarf gourami is in a tank that is much too small. It'd be like putting you in a closet for your entire life and expecting you to be happy. It would be strongly advisable to either rehome him or get him a bigger tank. He won't be happy in his current tank, and I know you love your fish and want them to be happy, so please try to adjust something for his sake.
In addition, your tank is overstocked. If you don't believe me, look on aquadvisor.com and see what it tell you. This means that the nitrogen cycle (if this is unfamiliar to you please research it, I know when I was new I had no clue about it) can't work properly. If beneficial bacteria can't keep pace with all the waste your fish produce (through respiration, uneaten food, and pooping), then the ammonia builds up to toxic levels that weakens their immune system, stresses them out, and shortens their lives. This is undoubtedly what caused your molly's swim bladder. Unless you change your stocking, you'll continue to have sick fish that don't live very long. An even more frightening fact is because you don't have a testing kit, ammonia and nitrite could be through the roof and you wouldn't know it. Please make getting a testing kit your first priority.
If you want to keep these fish, please upgrade your tank. Otherwise, you should take them back to the LFS or give them away. And just because the LFS said that your stocking was fine or they had similarly stocked tanks doesn't mean they're right. No LFS is perfect or infallible, they mess up and make mistakes with stocking and advice often. Remember that they're trying to make a profit and some of them really don't care if they give you incorrect advice as long as it makes them money. The key is to be knowledgeable enough to listen to their advice, realize it's incorrect, thank them for their time, and then follow what you know is correct. I have to do this all the time, but it's worth it because I have healthy fish in a correctly sized and stocked tank.
Know that I'm telling you all this to help you, not make you feel bad. I'm telling you this because I care about you and your fish, and I want you to have happy, healthy fish that are thriving. There's no need to get defensive or feel bad. Everyone makes mistakes, but it takes a strong person to admit that they made a mistake and correct it.
Best wishes,
DreaminginBlue
