Dalmation Molly Crisis

[Harmony]

I only used MelaFix in my tank hoping that would kill any parasites that could of hurt her. : / But to no avail it didn’t have any effect onto her condition.

I also thought it could have been from her just previously giving birth and losing all her babies. No matter what I did they just kept dying so I do think that genetics do have a large role in this mysterious disease.

I don’t have any snails in my tank because I was told that you start with one and in a few months you have twenty.

I don’t have any more Dalmatian Mollies in my tank and I’m a little hesitant to get any more because it could be in their genetics. I just pray that together through talking together and trying new things that we can find a cure or at least the cause.

Thank you all for responding to this topic. It really means a lot that all of you have taken the time to read and respond to help others!

Thank you,
Shannon

 

[H2O]

While I think water quality plays a large part in disease among fish, can genetics effect thier immune system making it weaker?

Yes. For example, the guppy. At one time it was considered to be about the hardiest fish going. Not any longer though.

 

[jpinard]

Well, I was a genetic engineer when I was younger at the University of Michigan and was part of the team that identified and sequenced the Cystic Fibrosis gene on chromosome 7. From my experience I highly doubt this is a problem of genetic inbreeding...

What I saw in my tank was not reminicent of a genetic disease or genetic anomoly. Here's the sequence of events:

1. Get 2 adult Orange-Black Mollys. One male and one female.

2. They're very strong and healthy (he mates with her constantly), she has 16 babies after 3 months.

3. Babies are all strong healthy and vigorous, and growing well. There's a huge variety in color, pattern, and even the eye types. This means genetic diversity is strong within this pair.

4. 2 months later all is well except we realize the female has been hiding for 2 days. (so we've had them for over 5 months now).

5. Finally shoo female out of hiding to see if she's OK, and see most of her color has vanished.

6. Female is dragging tail and looks half paralyzed.

7. Majority of babies start dying as they appear half paralyzed also. Many getting sucked into filter intake.

8. A week goes by and only 3 of 16 babies remain. I take my favorite baby out who is totally black and put him in another tank. Female dies. Male is half paralyzed all puffed up (looks like dropsy), has lost color, but is still doing his best to survive.

9. One week (now) later 2 babies remain, and so does the male. The baby I moved to our other tank appears best and is vigorous and healthy. All water condition tests had appeared normal through all of this...

 

[Harmony]

jpinard, that is exactly what happened to my fish. How are the remaining babies doing?

 

[jpinard]

Well, the remaning babies are OK so far. The big guy is trying so hard to make it, I just want to cry. Even though he can barely move he still feeds, but like you mentioned about your fish, his feces is white too...

I sure wish we could figure out what this is...

I added Melafix just because I felt like I wasn't doing enough.

Do you have any "brown" buildup on your plants or the base of the aquarium?

 

[EmilyNoel]

The same exact thing is happening to my two female dalmatian mollies. First to the one three days ago and now the other tonight. I have a community tank and idk what to do. I changed some water and added some salt.

 

[fluttermoth]

This is a really old thread, EmilyNoel; listen to eagle's advice in your own thread