Fish Deaths

[Soulburn]

I have:
25 Gallon planted aquarium
aquaclear 200 filter
temperature 75
water parameters:
ph 6.0
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5-10
fishmates:
1 tetra
1 4 spotted gourami


I have purchased mollies from a pet store that also had low ph and they
still would not survive. So I got a quarentine tank set up it is a 10
gallon with lots of filtration and the same temperature. no plants however.
I had a male sailfin molly in it for well over 3 weeks now and got 2 females for him. So I moved him to the 25 Gallon aquarium and put the females in the 10 gallon for quarentine. Within hours our molly is laying upside down in the bottom of the 25 gallon tank. the 10 Gallon tank has a slightly higher ph @ 6.6. Anyone have any idea why I can't keep mollies alive in this tank?

TIA
Keith

[FawnN]

You do know that Mollies are brackish water fish. They can acclimate to FW, but eventually you will run into problems, such as diseases and shimmying.

If you want livebearers, why not get some guppies, platy's or swordtails? They are all colorful and very active.

[Soulburn]

I know that Mollies live better with salt water. Most stores that you purchase them from around here don't keep them in salt water anyways. I know that they can and will live in freshwater just fine. They are fine in my quarentine tank, but I move them to my 25 gallon tank and they die. no signs of disease or anything. I can't figure out what stresses them so much. I really like the sailfin mollies they are way nicer than any platty or swordtail.

Keith

[FawnN]

When you put them in, what are they doing? Breathing hard at the top? Hiding at the bottom?

I know you don't want to hear this, but I trully feel that they need some salt. The salt will also aid in gill function and help them breath better.

How are you acclimating them when you buy them from the LFS? Are you floating the baggie in the tank and slowly adding your tank water over an hours time?

[Soulburn]

I float the bag in my quarentine tank gradually add water over a period of time usually 30-60 minutes. they live fine in the quarentine tank for their 2-3 weeks. This tank is also without salt, without plants, just a clay pot for some cover. Then when I try to do the same to the 25 Gallon tank they seem to die. I don't know what they were doing because I assumed they were doing GREAT after I put him in and then I come back later in the evening and he's laying on the ground upside down dying. I seriously think this salt thing is not the problem because they are fine in the quarentine tank without salt as well as from my LFS without salt. Could it be that my ph in the 25 gallon is 6.0 and the ph is 6.6 in my quarentine tank? The Gourami is living fine in the 25 gallon and so is my tetra. When we put the molly in the tank the fish seemed to get along fine.

[Maillis]

6.6 to 6.0 is a very large leap for most fish and this could be killing your fish. Before moving your fish from the QT to the main tank have you tried doing water changes in the QT with water from the main tank to acclimate the fish more slowly to the lower pH?

[Soulburn]

I have not tried that. how often and what % do you reccomend I try. I have to wait 2 weeks before putting the next mollies in the tank.

Thanks,
Keith

[Frisckey1]

Not only is that a large leap, that is a particularly low PH for mollies. They may just not be for you.

What type of mollies are you trying to keep? I find that in particular, sailfins are pretty strict in their need of higher PHs and salt. I've had much better luck with balloons in FW than any other type mollies.

[Menagerie]

[center:8f30c1d5f4] Welcome to AA, Soulburn and Frisckey1!! s [/center:8f30c1d5f4]

Ask the LFS what pH their tanks are. Also, what is the pH of your tap water (fill a glass of tap water and let it sit out overnight before testing)?