suicidal fish?

[scalesojustice]

Since giving birth to about 15 fry (that i know of) my yellow molly has been getting worse and worse. she is dramatically thinner and her eyes are bulging a bit. she has also developed and hunch back. i feel so bad for her but i've been hoping that she pulls through.

however, this past week she has been beaching herself on top of the fry breeder. i'll look in the tank and not see her and then she'll just be laying on top of the breeder. i put her back in the water and she struggles for a bit before returning back to her pathetic self.

i don't know what to do. should i euthanize her? does she want to die? i feel so bad, that last batch of fry really took it out of her.

TIA

 

[pobdave]

Sounds like last chance saloon-could be worth isolating her and placing her in a small tank with brackish water.

May perk her up.

 

[scalesojustice]

unfortunately, i don't have another tank set up. but maybe i will give it a whirl. what kind of salt? aquarium or marine?

 

[pobdave]

Either as long as it does not contain anti-caking agent,Aquarium salt will be fine,even if you placed her in a small tub with brackish water for a few hours.

Sounds like she is exhausted,the salt will at least ease her stress.

 

[pobdave]

Try-in the tank she is already in-placing an object in there she can safely rest on whilst remaining submerged and adding a pre-diluted salt solution to the tank.-Even try placing her in a net across the tank just on the surface.I have saved a few fish that way by keeping them supported where they would overwise have laid on their side on the bottom.

 

[WaterPond]

ok, you need to acclimate into brackis, you cannot go straight from FW to BW. I would recommend adding 1tsp per gal of aquarium salt. That is if you dont have any fish that dont like salt.

 

[pobdave]

From the sound of it there is not the time to aclimatise.Salt baths are fine for short term treatment.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Moved to the Unhealthy Fish Forum.

Brackish tanks do not use Aquarium Salt, they use Marine Salt. What else is in the tank with her?

 

[scalesojustice]

the other inhabitants are two other mollies, three mystery snails and 15 fry.

i gave her an aquarium salt bath yesterday in a seperate bucket, she seems to be a bit more lively, but still looking pretty bad. i'll give her another today, see if it improves her. i don't want to dose the tank due to the fry and snails. and i don't have another tank to put her in.