Molly With Redness On Gills

[scooterchick]

Hi,

One of my silver mollies has some redness on her gills. At first I thought she'd scraped herself on something cos it looked like 2 grazes, however it seems to be getting worse, not better, and the other gll is looking a little red too. It's on the outside of the gill, not underneath if you see what I mean. She's maybe a bit quieter than usual but normal otherwise.

Tanks stats are all good, amonia 0, nitrite 0, and nitrate was 10ppm before the last water change which was Sat. 50% changes every 2 weeks, tank mates are 5 other mollies and 2 guppies and it's a 17 gallon tank.

It's basically a brackish tank so sea salt is added every water change, water conditioner and for the past 3 days since I noticed the redness I've been dosing with some melafix.

Any ideas? I though maybe gill flukes but I thought that affected the underneath of the gill, so now I'm maybe thinking (and hoping not) an ulcer, although it wold be strange on both sides.

Oh, just a thought. I was maturing a sponge filter in the tank for a fry tank I've set up, then one of the filters broke in my big big tank and I had to take some media from the molly tank, so 2 out of the 3 sponges were removed in a short space of time (not planned), I didn't test the water and stats are now fine, do you think that could have caused a mini cycle?

 

[WILDER]

Any signs of increased breathing or fliciking and rubbing, they will rub the gills.
Sometimes other fish will try and peck at the gill when a fish has gill flukes.
Does she spit her food out.
Ulcers are red or pink with a circling of white dead skin around the edges.

 

[scooterchick]

Thanks for reply Wilder. No signs of flicking or spitting out food and no whiteness round the edge. As they day's went out they appear to be getting redder and one of the guppies is very quiet. I've decided just to go with internal bac med and see if that helps. All the other fish look fine and I've got a very pregnant molly in there as well.

I know water quality is an issue but the tank is very clean and the water is changed at least every 2 weeks. I can only assume the removal of the media has kicked something off. Hopefully I'll see some improvement in the morning.

 

[WILDER]

If water stats a good and ammonia and nitrite are 0 its not the water quality causing the red gills.
Red inflamed gills even can look like they are bleeding is gill flukes.
Fish carry gill fllukes only when they get infested with them you only start to notice the symtoms.
Young fry are more prone.
http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/flukes1.shtml

 

[scooterchick]

I've set up a fry tank for my current fry ranging from 3-6 weeks old. Do you think newborn would be safe enough to put in with them?

As for the molly with the red gills, they look ok internally, it's actually the outside that are going red, know what I mean? The edges of the gills look ok.....I'll try and get a pic.

 

[WILDER]

I would leave the fry out of the main tank.
Is the fish darting around and acting strange with the red gills.

 

[WILDER]

You could wrap the fish in a cloth soaked in tank water, need someone to help you.
Get a magifying glass.
Pull the gills flap up and take a look behind the gill to see if you can see any white wormy parasites.

 

[WILDER]

Is there enough aeration in the tanl.I see what you mean, do the gills look swollen.If it was gill flukes would of expected the fish to flick and maybe increased breathing, or loooking like something was irratating her.But she not showing any of these signs.If there enough aeration, I would just treat as bacterial for now like you are doing.

 

[scooterchick]

She weren't too keen to pose!!!

No, def no flicking or rubbing, while I was trying to get pics she obviously thought there would be some food on the go so was hanging about in hope!

She's not darting about at all, the only areation comes off the filter, I've got it sitting above the water line so it pours into the tank IYSWIM. Are the pics any good?

 

[WILDER]

It looks more pink to me than red in the pic.
The gills don't look swollen.
No flicking and rubbing.
Think you gone the right way at the moment treating it as bacterial.

I know you are an experienced fish keeper but need to ask you do use declorinator.


http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdgilld.htm

 

[scooterchick]

Yeah, I think it is more pink than blood red. I'll let you know how she gets on! Thanks for your help (again) xxxx

 

[WILDER]

Sorry just thought but you said both gills are affected, was thinking she might of scraped it like you said.
I would still watch out for flicking and swimming in a jerky odd movement, with both gills being affected.
Good luck.

 

[scooterchick]

Yes, use interpret stress coat at every water change, akthough the last one I'd ran out and had to use a diferrent one, but supposed to do the same job. However I'd already noticed the pink gill by then. I've noticed the pregnant female getting quite nippy, maybe she's taken a bite at her and it's got infected?Yes, it started out on Sat with just one gill, but the other one is getting abit pink as well now. I'll be keeping an eye on her but so far her bahviour is completely normal, wouldn't know anything was wrong other than the pinkness.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
This is a good site on gills so take a look at least you will no what to look out for.
Yes livebearers do peck at the gills for some reason.
http/www.koicrisis.com/symptoms/gill.html

 

[scooterchick]

mmmm, doesn't seem to be any of them. If there's no improvement by Wed I'll get the magnifying glass out, she'll enjoy that. Def no swelling or fraying or anything of the gill cover, looks fine apart from the redness on the outside. I hate having a sick fish, always blame myself even though I know they're kept in good conditions. She's happy enough for the moment at least.