Molly with bluish spots

[Da Squid]

Heyyo, I just picked up my first fishes for a 55 gallon planted tank. Black mollies, 2 female 1 male. One of the females has blueish markings on its head. It almost looks like its scales are a metallic blue color. The first night she sunk to the bottom and hid. When I came home from work today she came out and has been pecking at all the algae with her mates (though the other male attacks her constantly when she's nearby). I didnt think she'd survive the night, but she seems to be perking up a bit. Any idea what the bluish spots could mean?

 

[happygirl65]

It's hard to say but might just be her own unique characteristic.

 

[Da Squid]

Hopefully. Its been a few days and I'd say 70% of the time she is hiding in a dark hole under some rocks or driftwood. Every time I think she's had it and I should fish out the body, she'll come out and be swimming around fine. I havent seen her eat any flake food yet, but she does pick at the abundant brown and thread algae growing off the live plants and wood. The tank's temp is between 80 and 85 due to my hot house, so if its something like ich, maybe the warm water will help.

 

[Zakk]

Da Squid,

i've seen a few dalmation mollys with a blue coloration around from time to time. i had one that lived for a good 2 years before she killed her self giving birth and a quite a few of her fry had them as well. i dont think the blue scales are something to worry about.

As for her hiding, i would assume its due to stress caused due to the constant pickin by the male. i have seen this habit in males when the female has delivered a batch of fry and is back with a new male. try getting a 3rd female. it might help eleviate the situation.

Hope this helps.

 

[happygirl65]

Ich would look like grains of salt in patches. You would surely notice it....but the high temp would help....infact it may help ensure none of your fish get ich, just be aware that some fish can't hold up under those temps. (cherry barbs for example)

If the male is constantly picking at her like Zakk said she is probably stressed....you may think about rehoming one of them. Does he pick on the other female?

 

[Da Squid]

Thanks for the responses. No, the other two black mollies get along great. In fact they seem attached at the hip and just play follow the leader around the tank. I was worried the current might be too much for them as they seem to get blown around alot, but they seem incredibly active and healthy thus far. Whenever the sluggish molly with the blue markings does come out, they seem to mostly leave her alone and are more interested in begging me for food.
Btw, am I ok in feeding them one or two flakes every couple days? I'd like for them to keep picking at my awful algae problem until I find a store that sells some SAE's.

 

[Zakk]

DS,

thats pretty much what i do when i want my barbs to clean up any algae. just feed them once in 2 days and they will go back to looking for stuff to eat, in this case, Algae.

 

[Da Squid]

Quick update, things are about the same. Some days the molly with the blue spots on her head hides in a hole somewhere, other days she's out swimming around looking fine. I notice that her gils are sort of pale and white as well. I'm not too worried about her anymore, but just posting this in case anyone else ever notices a similar problem.

 

[Da Squid]

Came home today and saw some little baby mollies struggling along in the current. Sooo she was probably just hiding while giving birth. I'm an idiot, sorry for the pointless thread, lol.

 

[happygirl65]

It's never pointless. Congratulations! You might want to get a breeding net to trap the babies in if you want them to live to be old enough to fen for themselves. Or some java moss for them to hide in.

 

[Samuel-Bennett]

I know your question was answered already but I have some Dalmation Mollies and they have blue spots as well. Congrats on the babies though, I've got one male and 4 females and I think he's impregnated them all lol

 

[Da Squid]

Woo hoo! Your dalmation is a stud muffin! Happygirl is right about the java moss, the babies went right to it. Unfortunately all my moss is at the bottom of the tank and they've established that as their home now. I'm not trying all that hard to keep them alive, but if a few survive that would be fine with me. Anyone know how many babies a mollie births at one time?