BalloonMolly male

[TassieMay]

My male seems to have his private part facing the wrong way. I think he has a condition called dropsy or swim bladder I can't get any treatment for him in Tassie and he won't eat any peas. I soaked him in apson salts but now his pens is facing the wrong way. What to do. Does anyone know how to get this little man back to normal if possible. Done part water changes everyday as stated increased heat a little more tried peas can't get treatment so tried Epsom salts ?

 

[Colin_T]

There is no cure for swim bladder problems so don't buy snake oil from a shop. Any shop that tries to sell you a cure for swim bladder problems is not to be trusted.

Swim bladder problems cause fish to float or sink when the fish stops swimming. When fish float, it can also be caused by air in the intestine. This is easy to check. You simply stop feeding dry food for a week and give the fish frozen or live foods instead. If the fish swims normally after you remove dry food from its diet, then the fish had air in its intestine and the swim bladder is fine.

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In relation to the male molly. His gonopodium is quite maneuverable and can face forward. It needs to be able to do this so he can impregnate the females. Monitor it over the next day but he is probably just feeling excited and it should face back towards his tail later on.

 

[TassieMay]

There is no cure for swim bladder problems so don't buy snake oil from a shop. Any shop that tries to sell you a cure for swim bladder problems is not to be trusted.

Swim bladder problems cause fish to float or sink when the fish stops swimming. When fish float, it can also be caused by air in the intestine. This is easy to check. You simply stop feeding dry food for a week and give the fish frozen or live foods instead. If the fish swims normally after you remove dry food from its diet, then the fish had air in its intestine and the swim bladder is fine.

---------------------
In relation to the male molly. His gonopodium is quite maneuverable and can face forward. It needs to be able to do this so he can impregnate the females. Monitor it over the next day but he is probably just feeling excited and it should face back towards his tail later on.

 

[TassieMay]

Thank U for input I assumed it was dropsy or swim bladder because he was unstable and swimming on a tilt kept swimming in circles as well. I moved him to hospital tank. He picked up with Epson salt bath swimming better but still not eating. Tried peas frozen blood worm but not really interested. He active enough swimming well but now I'm concerned about his nutrition requirements.

 

[TassieMay]

Oh yes and that Little matter underneath, corrected itself after a few hours I gathered maybe due to having salt bath cause it?

 

[Slaphppy7]

These fish are bred specifically to be deformed, their inner organs do not develop properly, because they are mashed together. The spine is contorted.

They usually don't live very long.

It is a cruel practice to raise and sell these fish.

 

[TassieMay]

Oh really that's horrible poor little mites. Geez I have hybrids now balloon Molly X guppies not intended to happen but did very pretty gold with black flecks and stripes.... Short lived fish there too I guess

 

[Slaphppy7]

Oh really that's horrible poor little mites. Geez I have hybrids now balloon Molly X guppies not intended to happen but did very pretty gold with black flecks and stripes.... Short lived fish there too I guess

Don't feel bad about it, the shops shouldn't sell them

Yes, all of the "balloon" type fish are short-lived

 

[TassieMay]

Oh poor little things.... Not nice at all.

 

[Colin_T]

Oh really that's horrible poor little mites. Geez I have hybrids now balloon Molly X guppies not intended to happen but did very pretty gold with black flecks and stripes.... Short lived fish there too I guess

No you don't have hybrids.

If you post a video of the fish swimming it might offer more information. Upload video to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.

Check the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH.

Find out what is the GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness) of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

If the GH is below 250ppm, you will need to add some mineral salts for the molly.