Urgent Please Read Update on orange Molly

[mushroomfarie]

I have a ten gallon tank with 2 adult mollies, 4 babies, a plecocostumus, and 3 corries. I just added the male adult about 4 days ago. the night after i got him he must of got in a scuffle with my beta. (both has signs of wear.) I separated the beta. I noticed the night before last that alot of little black spots on the new mollie's tail fin(that is also were the damage from the fight was.) I looked in as many internet recsorces I can and nothing seems to fit it. Now him and my black female seem to love each other but I highly doubt he's trying to turn black like his lady. He seems to be acting normal. Flirting with the black molly, eating good, but I am still worried.
If it makes any difference he is an orange and white mollie with a large back fin. I call him creamcicle.

 

[Menagerie]

It's probably just his natural coloring that you did not notice when you bought him.
What are the water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)? This will tell if the whole tank is healthy.
Where are you keeping your male betta?

 

[mushroomfarie]

I always look at my fish VERY closely before I purchase them. (that's why I didn't buy the lyrtail. He had ick. It was in a different tank.) I am positive he did not have any black on him when I bought him. I put the Beta in his original tank. It is a one gallon tank made for betas.
As far as the water specks unfortunatly I am unsure. I lost my job right after I got the tank and I just barely got a new one. The pet store here sells the testing kit for 60 dollars. Much more then I can afford at the moment. If you happen to know of a place I can get one for cheap...........

 

[Menagerie]

Try www.bigalsonline.com
Most members have been happy with their service and prices.

 

[deeni0z]

You could probably take a sample of your water to your LFS and have them analyze it.

 

[mushroomfarie]

Today he is acting odd. He is shimmying around and resting on the bottom allot. He seems almost lethargic. Little interest in his lady. Although he doesn't seem to be shimmying in one spot like usual. hell move for a minute then continue his shimmy without changing spots. I just checked him and he is still shimmying in the same spot I saw him last. I am so worried. I hope he settles down soon or hell die.

 

[Menagerie]

What are your water parameters?
Do any of the fish show signs of ich? Are any of the fish flashing?

 

[Menagerie]

I merged your threads so everyone could follow and not repeat Qs, as I jsut did. Since you do not know your water parameters, QT the ill Molly, but instead of using new water, fill the QT tank with established water from the main tank. If this is a disease, you do not want it to spread.

 

[mushroomfarie]

The last time I quarenteed a molly the stress alone killed him and I lost another molly that became all stressed when I removed the sick one. I really miss my ambiguously gay duo. After those two I know for a fact mollies can get attached to there tank mates. I am afraid the stress alone would kill him and my black molly from loosing him. Another thing is all the other fish are acting fine. I'll quarentene him I just hope I don't stress him out any more.

 

[Menagerie]

I have read your stress thery, but I don't buy it. I think water parameters came into play. Aside from that, if this fish is ill, the rest of your fish are at risk.

 

[mushroomfarie]

I have seen stress affect Mollies allot. Even when I was a kid and my dad tested all the tanks. I also noticed that sometimes you will lose 2 mollies that hang out together when you remove one. If this is not stress from loosing a loved one when water conditions are tested....... Animals do have souls and feelings believe it or not. Not saying I know all about anything but, I have seen mollies die from stress more then once. This is when water conditions are tested. I find that experience is the best teacher.
Well anyways, upon further obervation I think I figured it out. Before Ebony (female black molly) would hold still for him to breed and always stayed in the same area of the tank as him. I think Ebony became irritated with Creamcicle. I noticed a trend. He will be doing his shimmy moving thing and go hit on her and she goes after him. He takes off really quick and goes to the bottom and shimmys there for a little. Repeat..... I think this has been going on for awhile and I didn't notice because I was gone. I think he is stressed out from being attacked. I am going to raise the temp in the tank to 85 degrees fahrenheit. I have it at 80 now. I have seen that cure cases of shimmy before.

 

[mushroomfarie]

One more thing. You are right water specks play a large part even if only one fish seems affected. Bad water also causes stress.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi mushroomfarie,
It is important to know your water parameters, especially if your fish appear sick. I understand if you can't buy test kits now, though, but you can do as deeni0z suggested and take a sample to your lfs and they will test it for you. Be sure to ask them for the actual number, not just "everything's ok"!

I was researching another fish illness when I came across molly shimmy. It said that shimmy is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of stress caused by poor aquarium conditions, or the onset of disease. Here's the link: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Product...tions/T1/F62+0192+0070/EDP/6762/Itemdy00.aspx
I don't have mollies, so I've never dealt with shimmy. I wouldn't necessarily give this medication without knowing what exactly it treats or does, but I would try to find out what's causing the shimmy, and knowing your water parameters would be helpful here. Also, what Menagerie asked -- are any fish flashing or show ich spots, and what is their general behavior, other than the shimmy?

 

[robertmarda]

I have kept a lot of mollies and was even breeding them for a while. I would isolate a pair to ensure they bred together and then remove the male to increase the chance of more babies surviving. I never had a problem with a molly getting stressed because of being separated from its mate.

Mollies do seem to do better when there are more females than males.

Have you isolated your male? How is he doing now? Is he eating?

If you plan to put the male back in the tank you must be prepared that the same thing could happen again. You may need to get one or two more female fish to keep this male from bothering one female too much.

 

[mushroomfarie]

He is doing just fine today. He never quit eating. No I didn't. Like I said I figured out the problem. On the other you are lucky. It does not happen often but it has happened to me before. Once quite recently.

 

[mushroomfarie]

For anyone who cares. I figured out the main problem. The motor in my filter was burnt out. Who knows how long it's been. My fish must have guardian angels watching out for them. I was trying to fanagle enouph money to buy a new on. Everyone was just as broke as me. On my way home I noticed a bunch of wires behind a dumpster. Upon closer investigation I found 4 air pumps and 2 canister filters. One happened to be ecxactly the same as mine. I took 'em home and switched out motors. It's working great now. Man, I lucked out on that one. I just feel bad for the fish that were in the tank that was thrown into the dumpster.

 

[Menagerie]

8O
Wow, that's quite a find!