Discolored mollies

[jimsgrl]

Been having water condition problems, but seem to have them leveled out now. Ammonia is ok (now), pH is fine, no nitrates or nitrites..but I've lost a half dozen fry this morning and now my silver mollies are looking discolored. They're looking greyish and some of their fins look like they may be showing signs of slight blackish color. What should I do? (Idk what other info may be needed to analyze the situation...) Does this sound like anything anyone knows of?

 

[LyndaB]

How long has the tank been set up?

Why do you have 0 nitrates? What test kit?

What is your water change/maintenance schedule?

 

[jimsgrl]

Tank has been up for almost 8 weeks.

Not sure about the nitrates, just tested them last night. Test kit is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit.

Have been doing about 50% daily lately, bc of ammonia spikes.

 

[LyndaB]

With your tank in such a state of fluctuation, that's most likely why you are losing fish.

If you're showing 0 nitrates, I believe there's a problem with your cycle. What method did you use to cycle the tank and then how did you introduce your fish afterwards?

 

[jimsgrl]

Left it empty for a week, added two fish...and then about 2 at a time every other week. Currently 9 total, with 7 remaining fry.

(It was cloudy for a couple weeks...just recently started clearing up. That was a bacterial bloom, right? I'm pretty new to fish keeping....successfully, anyway. lol)

 

[LyndaB]

Ok, since you are basically cycling with fish, you will need to do water changes just about every day to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down until they disappear completely.

In case you haven't already read this in other threads, leaving the water for that first week did nothing to prepare the tank for fish.

 

[jimsgrl]

I didn't know that. I was originally told to leave it for a week and then but a couple sturdy fish in it for a couples weeks...before adding more.

But now it looks like my silver mollies have white spots on them. If I loose everything to Ick again...I'm really going to loose my mind, lol. What can I do? The treatments they sell at the store never seem to work.

 

[BillD]

If you have ich, and I am assuming you can identify it because you had it before, crank the temp up to about 86 for a few weeks. Add some salt if you like, and someone else will have to supply the dosage, as I have never used this treatment. I have only ever used malachite green for ich, and haven't had any ich for 20 years. Keep the tank well aerated either by filtration or an added airstone. Start with a large water change, with gravel vacuum if you have gravel.