Need Help - Sick Pregnant molly with tail issues - pictures icluded

[AquaBry]

I have a creamsicle molly that is pregnant and I moved her (and a couple other mollies that are pregnant) out of my main tank (26gal) to my nursery tank so that they would stop getting so harassed by my other fish and so that I could increase their intake of frozen brine shrimp. My creamsicle molly has developed a strange whitish blob on her tail, to me it doesn't look like ick. It appears more like a whitish blob than like salt grains and one of the mommy mollies I moved over is a little nippy so i thought maybe it has something to do with that but I really don't know what this is. Any diagnostic/treatment help would be appreciated. Thanks

Here are the specs based on the "sticky".
1~Female creamsicle molly-pregnant with first brood with strange white puffy spot on tail.
2~API test kit values - pH = 7.2, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = .50, Nitrate = 5.0 temp =79.1F
3~ 5.5 gal nursery tank linked to a 2.5 gal tank with filter housing (pic below) tank has been up for 1 week but filter tank has been running for 1 month with media from the main tank, decorations and gravel transferred from main tank.
4~main filter - Tetra brand whisper in tank filter 90 gal per hr, water bridge combines 4 pipes open with mesh bags covering intake and 1 pipe with sponge filter for intake and a powerhead pump for return/arreation pumping 75 gph between tanks and an airstone
5~3 pregnant mollies and 2 ghost shrimp
6~30% PWC daily have not changed yet today.
7~I have had the fish for over a month but transitioned to nursery tank 3 days ago. Started tanks with 75% water from main tank and 25% tap treated with Stresszyme Plus
8~everything in the tanks is pretty new kept all items in the main tank prior for a minimum of 1 week.
9~Feed mainly flake supplemented with frozen brine cube occasionally. Since moving to nursery tank have increased brine cube amount and am feeding flake only once per day. Fish always consume all food in less than 3 minutes.

Here is what she looks like.


Here is what the tank looks like (multiple pics pasted together)

[Zagz]

At this point I would start with a bit of aquarium salt and keep an eye on the parameters. The water from the old tank doesn't contain any real beneficial bacteria so you will still no doubt have to go through a cycle. This will require doing necessary water changes. I wouldn't worry too much at this point. Mollies do generally do better with some salt in the tank.

[AquaBry]

Thanks Zagz, i appreciate it. So not worried about the spot then?

[Zagz]

No don't worry yet. It may be from stress of being pregnant and the move. No point trying to guess if it is a fungus, bacterial or nothing. You could treat with meds but without knowing if it is anything to worry about you can stress the molly much further. Clean water and aquarium salt can work just as well for many ailments.

[AquaBry]

Thanks for the clarification, i will pick up some aquarium salt from my LFS tomorrow and keep you posted.

[AquaBry]

Thanks to Zagz helpful info, I added the salt (to both QT and main tank) and all my Mollies seem much happier. The next day, The balloon molly (also preg and also in the Qt tank) started showing signs of popeye and I then noticed she had the same spots all over her body so I have started treating with Maracyn. We are on the third treatment and I can already see some reduction of the popeye on the balloon molly. Will keep you posted. Unfortunately the current QT is actually my nursery tank, so when my (now 4) pregnant mollies start having babies I guess they are gonna have to stay in the H.O.T. breeders until treatment is over. I am guessing that i will have to sterilize the nursery after treatment is over, replace media and re-cycle the tanks. Am I right or is it safe for the babies to be in the nursery after it has been treated with Maracyn if I perform a 100% water change and media wash? What do you guys think?

[Zagz]

The spots that are all over, do they look like grains of salt? If so it is most likely ich. The babies should be ok with maracyn. I am not positive that maracyn is the best treatment. If it is ich, do a large water change and turn the heat up to 87-88 slowly and add extra aeration.

[AquaBry]

Originally Posted by Zagz

The spots that are all over, do they look like grains of salt? If so it is most likely ich. The babies should be ok with maracyn. I am not positive that maracyn is the best treatment. If it is ich, do a large water change and turn the heat up to 87-88 slowly and add extra aeration.

Zagz, thank you again for your continued insight. I started the Maracyn mainly because of the popeye and I am glad to report that her eye is almost back to normal. The white spots looked more like puffy clumps than salt grains and appeared semi transparent, i suspect columnaris. To be clear they were more widespread and not exactly all over, I may have exaggerated the level of coverage on my previous post-sorry. But on the positive side, both of the girls are looking much better, and the popeye is nearly resolved but I will keep treating for the full period.

[Zagz]

Good news then. Keep treating with the maracyn, and keep us updated.

[AquaBry]

Last night was the final Maracyn treatment and the girls are much better. I am gonna feed them and then do a 50% PWC and continue to monitor but I am feeling quite optimistic.

Here are some pics.



you can still see the tail damage but no more fluffy white stuff

[AquaBry]

Just when I was ready to pat myself on the back I realized my black dalmatian molly was hiding under the heater in the main tank. And so I coaxed her out with some food and sure enough both of my dalmatian Mollies are showing a little bit of popeye and the black definitely has some white puffy growths so into the QT they go. I vacuumed the QT gravel did a 75% PWC (since no PWC during treatment) balanced the Aqua salt back up and now 5 more days of Maracyn in the QT. I'll keep watching the other fish in the main tank and will keep you posted. Here are the girls.

[Zagz]

It is a good sign that some are definately getting better. You are on the right course. Good for you for spending the time to get them better.

[AquaBry]

Originally Posted by Zagz

It is a good sign that some are definately getting better. You are on the right course. Good for you for spending the time to get them better.

Thanks, I just hate that i didn't catch that these 2 were sick during the first round of treatment but I guess that is why we have QT tanks. To deal with issues as they occur. Happy Holidays.

[AquaBry]

Well, things are going much better for the most part. The creamcicle molly ended up with a spot on one of her fins so she went back in the QT for treatment along with the 2 dalmatian mollies that were being treated. The treatments ended yesterday and last night I noticed something moving in the tank and here's what i found.

The dalmatian molly gave birth. So I had a rush to isolate the other pregnant molly and get the tank ready for babies with a large PWC since no PWC during treatment. They are too fast for an accurate count but there are currently well over 16 molly fry in the tank and I have 4 other moms that are well on their way to having more.