Molly “resting” on gravel

[eduh]

Guys,

Yesterday I started stocking my 15g tank.

I brought home 6 female Mollys. I did all the acclimating advised.

They ate normal yesterday and today.

But of the Mollys is just staying close to the gravel for a while already. She is moving her fins normally.

Any advice? Is it normal? It’s my first tank




Before I buy them we did the water test home with JBL water test kit and in the shop.

Parameters today are:
(JBl water test kit)

- PH 7
mg/l (ppm)
- NH4 - 0.05
- no2 - 0.05
- no3 - 1

Thank you

 

[SaraB]

Did you cycle your tank first? I think you added too many fish at once, it'll be hard on the beneficial bacteria that you have.
Your readings should be
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5-20ppm

 

[eduh]

Did you cycle your tank first? I think you added too many fish at once, it'll be hard on the beneficial bacteria that you have.
Your readings should be
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5-20ppm

Hi,

Yes, cycled for 15 days. Too short? It was the recommendation from the shop

The readings I got today is using a colour chart as the pictures below.

NH4- less than 0.05
No2 - less than 0.01
No3 - 1

There isn’t the reading 0 on my test kit.




But Nitrate I guess is too low.

Temperature 25°C (77F)
KH - 6

It is my first tank. I was suggested 8 mollys, but I decided to get only 6 thinking that was a good choice :/.

Any suggestion? Because 5 mollys are swimming and eating well.

Just one is having this behaviour

 

[SaraB]

The length of the cycle depends on how you cycled your tank. How did you cycle your tank?
When you are adding fish for the first time you only add a couple (depending on the size of your tank). You should have started with 2-3 fish max.
Mollies tend to be on the more delicate side of the livebearer spectrum. They can also get to 4" and breed like crazy if you have both genders. Speaking of which do you have both genders or just the 1?

 

[eduh]

The length of the cycle depends on how you cycled your tank. How did you cycle your tank?
When you are adding fish for the first time you only add a couple (depending on the size of your tank). You should have started with 2-3 fish max.
Mollies tend to be on the more delicate side of the livebearer spectrum. They can also get to 4" and breed like crazy if you have both genders. Speaking of which do you have both genders or just the 1?

I cycled fish-less. Added tap water, water conditioner TETRA AQUASAFE, gravel and 2 Anubias.
Turn on internal filter (sponge) and the thermometer at 77f. The day after I added TETRA SAFESTART water preparation.

After 2 weeks I brought the water to the shop. They tested and I got the 6 Female mollys.
Also I bought the test kit to start my own checkups.

Just 6 Female. No risky of breeding.

Thank you

 

[SaraB]

Cycles need both an ammonia source and beneficial bacteria. You can buy both in bottles or make your own. Fishless cycles usually use fish food as an ammonia source. You can learn about cycling a tank in the article section on this site. Since you now have fish I reccomend looking at the fish in section.

Females can be pregnant from being kept in the same tank as males in the store. They can also give birth multiple times after becoming pregnant. About once a month with like 1-40 fry per birthing.

 

[eduh]

Thank you Sarah.

I have had many articles about fish-less cycle, I added the food at the begin too. Forgot to mention that.

Anyway, now they are there. So I will keep as a fish in cycle and hopefully nothing happen to them.

 

[SaraB]

Good luck! Keep us updated in case she has any other symptoms. Keep an eye out for white patches or spots, refusing to eat for more than a few days, red gills etc.

 

[elizae]

Prime by Seachem is good. It detoxifies ammonia and nitrite up to 1 ppm for about 48 hours, and dechlorinates water. I have used it many times when I need to do an emergency fish-in cycle or when I accidentally caused a mini cycle in the tank.

Laying at the bottom indicates some sort of stress on the fish. If you can, try to add more oxygen into the water (air stone), or make sure there is lots of surface agitation. Red in their gills/fins because it indicates high levels of ammonia and/or nitrite.

Some fish stores may have media that has already been cycled. You might be able to ask for some media, or ask for a baggie of old gravel from them. It will have some bacteria in it, and help ease the stress of the cycle some.

I wish you luck and let us know how they do.

 

[eduh]

Morning,

Yesterday I did a 50% water change and this morning fishes were swimming as before.

I can’t see any visible sign of stress as you indicated.

One fishing is sometime surfing on the glass but only with her mouth. Not using body. She seems playing against herself (if it’s not normal let me know please)

Ammonia is less than 0.05 - like yesterday.
Nitrite is between 0.1 and 0.2 - extra attention - increased a bit.
Nitrate is 1. - too low

I will buy the prime and perform another 50% water change today.

I’ve read that it will be like this for one or two weeks until cycle is over.

 

[elizae]

Most likely yes. It sounds like they’re doing okay. I’m glad she perked up!

You’ll know roughly when it’s complete when your nitrates are 5 or above.

Fish glass surf for many reasons. Unless it looks very panicky, I would not personally worry.