Help. Broken Back Molly

[vicstar078]

Hello,

I am not sure what is up for my dalmation molly but it seems like it has a broken back. I had it in my big tank and I have had this fish from the start. All its life it has lived with an oscar since it was a baby (about a year) and its been fine. I am wondering if the oscar might have broke its back or does it have swim bladder or some other disease?

I have moved it to another tank and it cant swim it just floats to the top with its belly up but its still eating. I have been holding it to feed it its favourite blood worm. Its been like this for a week just floating upside down and on its side at the top. It tried to swim sometimes and floats to the top.

I do not know what to do as I feel its cruel to leave it like that but it might get better. Its skin doesnt look the same either. It seems really horrid and not sure how or if I could do it but should I put it out of pain??

Thanks

Vicky

 

[Gytas]

it might be a balloon molly

google search it and it might look the same

 

[-FighterFishh]

If no one can give you any answers and it seems to be in pain, just get a glass/pot of cold water, and maybe an icecube or two and put the fish in. The cold water should kill it without any pain
But hopefully it won't come to that. Let's hope someone can help

 

[angelfishguy]

If no one can give you any answers and it seems to be in pain, just get a glass/pot of cold water, and maybe an icecube or two and put the fish in. The cold water should kill it without any pain
But hopefully it won't come to that. Let's hope someone can help

Im pretty sure frezing to death would cause pain lol.
Alot of people squash fish that need to be put out of pain as its the fastest

 

[scaeriefaerie666]

Oscars should be kept in species specific tanks, however i take it that your oscar is a baby still. They are generally carnivorous and can be quite violent so i think you may be right, in which case euthenasia is probably the reccomended way to go. Its certainly better than watching the poor thing suffer. If you want to do it the right way, take a jar of tank water, with the fish in. Add 5-6 drops of clove oil to a small glass of tank water, and stir until the water is milky. Slowly add this to the jar over about 20 mins. The fish should be lying on the bottom of the jar breathing. (Clove oil is a world renowned fish anaesthetic, and will just lull the fish to sleep with no pain at all). When the fish is like this - it may take some time - add a small quantity of high percentage alcohol (Vodka is recommended). This will end the fish's suffering with no pain at all, and it's much less stressful than a quicker method in which the fish is bound to struggle.
I'm sorry, but it is genuinely the best way to go.
xxx

 

[guppi]

Quicker way throw it hard to a hard floor dead instantly,or good blow to the head. Sorry to be abit abrupt.

 

[vicstar078]

Ok thanks for the replies. I am hoping it will get better. My oscar is nearly a year old so he is quite big. I now have him in the tank with lots of large cichlids. The mollies were the only fish I had left from my first tank, I have moved them both to another tank now.

My oscar is a really nice one and isnt mean to any of the fish he just sits there. I think it might have been him though.

Im not sure if I can do it to the mollie just incase he gets better, I will have a look at him tonight; The clove oil seems the best way I spose.

 

[scaeriefaerie666]

honestly, i wouldn't leave him in there long. Oscars are kept in species specific tanks for a reason. Once they get past infancy they start doing this sort of thing, and don't stop. Normally the only fish that they can live harmoniously with are plecs, because they get so big they don't look like food to them. Cichlids are aggressive, and aggression begets aggression - and the oscar will win. You don't want to keep him in an environment where he can do this sort of thing again, so i would look at putting him on his own or getting him another oscar friend (though they do get MASSIVE and that would require a huge tank.) It's just my opinion, but its one that most people would agree with, and i would hate to see this happen again.
xxx

 

[vicstar078]

honestly, i wouldn't leave him in there long. Oscars are kept in species specific tanks for a reason. Once they get past infancy they start doing this sort of thing, and don't stop. Normally the only fish that they can live harmoniously with are plecs, because they get so big they don't look like food to them. Cichlids are aggressive, and aggression begets aggression - and the oscar will win. You don't want to keep him in an environment where he can do this sort of thing again, so i would look at putting him on his own or getting him another oscar friend (though they do get MASSIVE and that would require a huge tank.) It's just my opinion, but its one that most people would agree with, and i would hate to see this happen again.
xxx

I have a rio Juwel tank its about 450 litres so this should be ok for one oscar. He doesnt show any aggression to other fish but I do have another tank so if I see it I will move them.

Molly is still alive and I have sectioned it in a big net in the other tank. I dont know what to do with it, I am still hand feeding it and I dont think I can kill it..