Baby black mollies

[AmandaHoaglan]

I have 6 baby mollies in my tank all now in a net breeder nursery but some will stop swimming and fall to the bottom of the breeder is that normal I have one baby that is like going around them and doing a bit of nibles to them and they start moving again I am a bit worried I don't wanna lose any of them I am trying to raise them to be strong and big. I also changed the filter and got a new themomiter that goes inside the tank to be more accurate on temp for them. Please help what should I do also I think one baby has ich I am going to the store to get ich treatment but need to know which one is safe for the fry.

 

[FroFro]

I have 6 baby mollies in my tank all now in a net breeder nursery but some will stop swimming and fall to the bottom of the breeder is that normal I have one baby that is like going around them and doing a bit of nibles to them and they start moving again I am a bit worried I don't wanna lose any of them I am trying to raise them to be strong and big. I also changed the filter and got a new themomiter that goes inside the tank to be more accurate on temp for them. Please help what should I do also I think one baby has ich I am going to the store to get ich treatment but need to know which one is safe for the fry.

Did you place your old filter media in the back of the new one? A large chunk of your beneficial bacteria lives in your filter media/in the substrate/along decor pieces. By switching the filters without transferring the media could've caused a spike in water parameters, or a mini-cycle. I'd do a 50% water change of the same temp and conditioned water. Then test it and list your parameters. Nitrate, Nitrite, Ph, Ammonia, and alkalinity.

 

[AmandaHoaglan]

Did you place your old filter media in the back of the new one? A large chunk of your beneficial bacteria lives in your filter media/in the substrate/along decor pieces. By switching the filters without transferring the media could've caused a spike in water parameters, or a mini-cycle. I'd do a 50% water change of the same temp and conditioned water. Then test it and list your parameters. Nitrate, Nitrite, Ph, Ammonia, and alkalinity.

No I didn't leave the old filter in I took it completely out and put a new one in all the other fish aka the adults are doing fine its the babies that are strugleing they where fine on Sunday all day and then yesterday they where strugleing

 

[AmandaHoaglan]

No I didn't leave the old filter in I took it completely out and put a new one in all the other fish aka the adults are doing fine its the babies that are strugleing they where fine on Sunday all day and then yesterday they where strugleing

We have the water fall type filtration system not the ones that come up from the bottom that look like plastic toobing.

 

[FroFro]

No I didn't leave the old filter in I took it completely out and put a new one in all the other fish aka the adults are doing fine its the babies that are strugleing they where fine on Sunday all day and then yesterday they where strugleing

Fry are much more sensitive to changes in water parameters, as they are young and not as hardy as adults. You made a huge mistake replacing the filter and not placing your old media in the new one as you've compromised your bacterial colony, and that's only if your tank has been properly cycled.

Now do as I tell you and do a 50% water change of conditioned water, make sure the water is the same temperature as in the tank and you pour it in slowly to cause as little stress as possible for the fry and other fish. A water change is the only way to reduce dangerous levels of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. I also want you to list your water parameters: Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Ph, and Alkalinity. How old is your tank? Is it cycled?

I, and no one else on here, can really help you if you give us no information to go on.

 

[FroFro]

We have the water fall type filtration system not the ones that come up from the bottom that look like plastic toobing.

And that's called a hang on the back filter.

 

[AmandaHoaglan]

Fry are much more sensitive to changes in water parameters, as they are young and not as hardy as adults. You made a huge mistake replacing the filter and not placing your old media in the new one as you've compromised your bacterial colony, and that's only if your tank has been properly cycled.

Now do as I tell you and do a 50% water change of conditioned water, make sure the water is the same temperature as in the tank and you pour it in slowly to cause as little stress as possible for the fry and other fish. A water change is the only way to reduce dangerous levels of ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. I also want you to list your water parameters: Nitrates, Nitrites, Ammonia, Ph, and Alkalinity. How old is your tank? Is it cycled?

I, and no one else on here, can really help you if you give us no information to go on.[/QUOT

The tank we have had for about a year. Not that old bought it brand new. Had the water checked and all was good. The amonia was down the bacteria was at the right area and that was about two weeks ago because I cleaned the tank from top to bottom and put new conditioned water in the tank. I noticed that they ended up getting ich some how but I am treating them for it. They are the lingth of my finger nail and I only put in 5mil of the ich med yesterday Colorado time at 11:30am and then again this morning at 11:30am we had lost two babies bug the other four are doing good now and thriving. I also read that to help get the ich to die is by medicating and increes the temp to at least 82°. So far all is going well. I will be doing a cleaning of the tank tomorrow doing a 50/50 change with conditioning also have the stress coate to help keep them from putting out amonia by keeping them calm the adults seam to be doing good plus I have raised a baby mickey mouse platy that was born in my fish tank. This is my first with mollies though but like I said these 4 that are thriving seam to be doing ok.

 

[AmandaHoaglan]

And that's called a hang on the back filter.

And that shouldn't matter if I have the old filter in verses the new one these babies where struggling before I even bought the new filter and put it into the filtration system.

 

[FroFro]

And that shouldn't matter if I have the old filter in verses the new one these babies where struggling before I even bought the new filter and put it into the filtration system.

FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESEPUFFS. It DOES MATTER. Beneficial bacteria is what eats up the nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites that your fish naturally secrete from their bodies and waste. If these levels get too high it is literally poison to the fish. IF your tank is cycled, which I'm assuming it's not, when you remove a HUGE SOURCE of the beneficial bacteria, and most of them LIVE INSIDE YOUR FILTER MEDIA, you remove a huge chunk of the bacteria colony needed to keep your tank stable. When the water parameters are not stable it causes major stress on the fish. As I've said, fry are much more sensitive to water fluctuations as they are young and not adults. This means they are much more likely to die due to their sensitivity. They are babies. The same way you wouldn't bring a new born human around someone with the flu because babies have little no immunity to the virus. It is the same with baby fish, they are sensitive!

When ANYONE wants to switch out a filter for a new one its always best to take the media from the old filter and place it in the back of the new one so that the bacteria are still present and they can multiply inside the new filter, and so that your water parameters do not fluctuate.

Now please list your water parameters, Nitrate, Nitrites, Ammonia, Ph, and alkalinity. You can do this by purchasing an API freshwater test kit or by going to your local pet shop that offers free water testing with a sample of your tank water. Make sure you ask for exact numbers and that you write them down. Don't just accept them saying "its all good".

And also, what are you feeding the fry? Are you feeding them properly?

Have you done the 50% water change as I've told you to do nearly 3 times now?

 

[AmandaHoaglan]

FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESEPUFFS. It DOES MATTER. Beneficial bacteria is what eats up the nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites that your fish naturally secrete from their bodies and waste. If these levels get too high it is literally poison to the fish. IF your tank is cycled, which I'm assuming it's not, when you remove a HUGE SOURCE of the beneficial bacteria, and most of them LIVE INSIDE YOUR FILTER MEDIA, you remove a huge chunk of the bacteria colony needed to keep your tank stable. When the water parameters are not stable it causes major stress on the fish. As I've said, fry are much more sensitive to water fluctuations as they are young and not adults. This means they are much more likely to die due to their sensitivity. They are babies. The same way you wouldn't bring a new born human around someone with the flu because babies have little no immunity to the virus. It is the same with baby fish, they are sensitive!

When ANYONE wants to switch out a filter for a new one its always best to take the media from the old filter and place it in the back of the new one so that the bacteria are still present and they can multiply inside the new filter, and so that your water parameters do not fluctuate.

Now please list your water parameters, Nitrate, Nitrites, Ammonia, Ph, and alkalinity. You can do this by purchasing an API freshwater test kit or by going to your local pet shop that offers free water testing with a sample of your tank water. Make sure you ask for exact numbers and that you write them down. Don't just accept them saying "its all good".

And also, what are you feeding the fry? Are you feeding them properly?

Have you done the 50% water change as I've told you to do nearly 3 times now?

Attached is the water test from the pet smart I was standing right next to the person doing the tests and watched them do it this is accurate. Was told no need to change the water to the 50/50. Some of our fish ended up with ich I also asked them about what to so with that they told me to take the brand new filter out and toss it due to some of the ich being attached to it and medicate every 48 hours of only doing 5mil due to the babies being sencative. I ended up loosing 5 out of 6 of the babies but this one seams to be thriving well and is doing good with the medication. Yes I already took the filter out and tossed it and turned it off and medicated this morning all the others are doing good.

 

[Demeter32]

You will soon find that when fish start acting off and not doing so hot a water change is the first thing you should do. When it doubt, do a water change, even if all the levels are fine there could still be some sort of chemical that somehow made its way into the tank.

For the record the ich doesn't live inside the filter media so the pet store employee who told u to toss the media was wrong about that, you should never toss all the media at one time, replacing half of it or leaving the old cartridge in is the way to go. Also, most ich meds will mess with the cycle by killing off the bacteria so a heat treatments with salt would of been the way to go. More frequent water changes and gravel vacs will remove any of the cysts (basically like an egg sac) that fall off the fish into the gravel.

Finally, the younger and weaker fish are the ones that show signs of illness first. If the fry are acting off then the adult fish will become affected over time as well. The only thing that I can think of for the fry keeling over while everything else is stable is they were born prematurely or they aren't getting fed enough.

 

[FroFro]

Attached is the water test from the pet smart I was standing right next to the person doing the tests and watched them do it this is accurate. Was told no need to change the water to the 50/50. Some of our fish ended up with ich I also asked them about what to so with that they told me to take the brand new filter out and toss it due to some of the ich being attached to it and medicate every 48 hours of only doing 5mil due to the babies being sencative. I ended up loosing 5 out of 6 of the babies but this one seams to be thriving well and is doing good with the medication. Yes I already took the filter out and tossed it and turned it off and medicated this morning all the others are doing good.

You don't listen do you? Clean water is often the best pick-me-up for ill fish. If the medication you have is working, follow the instructions religiously and make sure that after your ick has cleared you stop tossing out your filter media and that you start performing regular water changes. You won't believe how well your fish will be when you take the time to care for them. They are much more active, playful, and a delight to watch. My corydora actually love it when I do water changes, they swim around the gravel siphon and play in the current when I change the water. Fish can have great personalities, but when they are kept in unhealthy conditions they do not thrive, simply survive.

I'd advise against using medicine and taking direct advice from people at pet stores like petsmart and petco. They often are ill informed or just spout out whatever answer they need to sell a product. I've had great luck with this product called Herbtana, it treats for parasites like ick, and more, by naturally stimulating a fishes immune system and starving the parasites. The best part is that it's safe for your bacteria, plants, and ALL your fish! I just recently finished a ten day treatment of this stuff and my fish are all cleared up for their ick.

I'm not saying meds are bad, often times they are necessary, but they are destructive to your bacteria colony and cause undue stress on other fish. Sometimes they make a sick fish even worse.

Since you chucked your filter media for the second time after you have medicated you are going to need to monitor your water parameters every day as well as to do more often water changes while your tank recycles itself. Without a present bacteria colony you'll see high rises in ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. All the medicine in the world won't do you any good if your tank water is poisoning the fish.

And also, nitrates and nitrites and ammonia should all be zero. That means a water change is needed when you see them at anything higher than zero.