Black Molly with 1 bulging eye

[Kelly Preussner]

Well, I really appreciate everyone’s advice and help but my poor Molly didn’t make it through the morning. All the other fish look good. I don’t see any issues except with my newly acquired Betta. She doesn’t seem to be eating. Has not eaten since I got her 2 weeks ago. Well maybe she eats the tropical food but I tried to put some Betta food near her & she has ignored. Yesterday she started to just hang at the bottom of the tank but then will swim around when you go by her or another fish does. I took her out today & put her in a bowl. I tried to feed her Betta food which she wouldn’t eat but then she did eat some of the Betta treats (freeze dried worms). She seems fine so will probably put her back in tonight.

I have acquired 3 new fish in the past 2 weeks. Everyone else is a few months.

I think I might do another water change & replace my moss balls & add some more live plants.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Are you quarantining these new fish before adding them with the others? I’m so sorry that your molly didn’t make it.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

No. I don’t have a quarantine tank. When I add them I also add some voogle to the tank which has seemed to help. Might have been the 2 platy I recently got. I found out after I got them they were just delivered to the store that morning so lots of stress. They seem to be doing good now but spent almost 3 days together at the bottom back corner of my tank.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Always quarantine any new fish for at least a week. Preferably 2 weeks. You can purchase an inexpensive plastic food safe container to put them in along with a cheap heater. If you can’t afford a filter then do daily water changes.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

Thanks. When you quarantine, do you just look for any disease to arise in that 2 weeks? Are the fish ok with daily water changes as long as I dechlorinate?

 

[FishGuest5123]

Thanks. When you quarantine, do you just look for any disease to arise in that 2 weeks? Are the fish ok with daily water changes as long as I dechlorinate?

Yes, they should be. I have only gone a few days before in QT when in a pinch. By then they should at least show signs of ich if they have it. Get a small heater and filter when you can to be prepared. Eventually you will have to put a sick fish in quarantine. Keep some extra filter media in your existing filter too so you can move some over when you set up a QT TANK. Then you will have it cycled.