Mollies Dying

[jellybaby]

Hi, I have a 48ltr tank with 3 plants. I have 2 ballon mollies and 5 various Mollie's. I have had a few fish die and have mostly replaced them. I bought a water testing kit, not strips, and all levels were very good apart from nitrate at around 40. I have 3 plants. The fish seem to be eating fine then they stop eating and die after a week or so. I lost one 4 days ago, she appeared to have had a stroke on one side, and now one of the ballon mollies stopped eating yesterday. I water change around 25% every week. I have aquarium salts in the water, tap safe, and have been adding stuff for internal parasites, that I can't remember the name of at the moment. The other remaining ballon Molly that is well was ill and recovered, I was doing salt baths as recommended on here as well with any fish that appears ill. I also have a ginger coloured Molly that keeps on having a problem with fin rot. It seems to be almost cleared up then comes back, I will have to start salt bathing again. When I bought him and two others the assistant was quite rough and I think that he was a bit damaged and this may have caused the problems.
I read on here somewhere that someone had a query about paint flaking off an aquarium ornament, and a log thing I have is flaking and has paint blisters not he bottom, just incase that may ring any bells with anyone.

I am quite new to this, I had a goldfish, shubunkin and comet before and they were getting too big so I rehoused them to a pond. They were ridiculously healthy fish. The tank was empty for a while before I started cycling it for the smaller fish.

I would appreciate any help as it is distressing to myself and my husband, especially him, big tough guy with a very soft inside. I read somewhere that you can tell someone's character by how their relationship with something is with something that can do nothing for them.

 

[the_lock_man]

Do the fish wobble whilst swimming before they die?

 

[jellybaby]

They come up for food but look at it then ignore it. Don't wobble. They become a bit unsteady, want to be alone, seem to faint, going nose down, or on side then recovering. She is not at this stage, I watch my fish carefully every day and she only stopped eating yesterday. I was intending starting salt bathing tonight just incase this might help as it helped the male fish. He is totally back to being the alpha male in the tank.

 

[the_lock_man]

Odd one.
 
Mollies are too big for a tank that size, really, but it doesn't strike me that this is the reason for your repeated deaths. I think you should stop treating for internal parasites, as fish tend to get very bloated but still eating normally (since they are feeding themselves and the parasites). Do a very large water change - in the region of 90% - and then start treating for internal bacteria infection.

 

[jellybaby]

It might be internal bacteria that I am treating for but I will have to check the bottle when I get home. I checked symptoms and what to buy on here before I bought it. As I said I will check tonight and if needed buy the correct stuff tomorrow when I am in town. The fish with the damaged tail, a couple of days after I bought him the damage showed up as a white scrape on his side and at the base of his tail. The white progressed down to the end of his tail the the tail started to get a nice clean split all the way down. I used a salt bath and stopped when it was almost clear. The tail problem started again and I bathed for a few days when it was almost clear again now it has started up with a bit of white and a split again. This is all in the past few weeks. Otherwise he is eating fine and is a peaceful fish. They al, are really apart from the the alpha male who rules his man cave and won't let any females in, but is ok with the males. It is really quite funny.

 

[jellybaby]

Reading your post again, she is quite a big fish but I wouldn't have thought she looked bloated as she looks more meaty. I am inexperienced though so it is only guesswork. I will keep a close eye on them all.

 

[the_lock_man]

It's always difficult with female Livebearers, as they get fat anyway, through pregnancy. Balloon mollies are worse, because of their mis-shapen bodies.
 
I'm pretty convinced that the fish in this thread has internal parasites. The later photos in the thread are the best views.

 

[jellybaby]

Hi,

That was a bit I had missed out, white stringy poo before they start not eating that was why I thought it might be internal parasite, so that will be what the "medicine" will be for.

 

[the_lock_man]

I am currently treating a fish for internal parasites. Her scales have split open where she is so huge. But she is eating normally. The same is true of the fish in that thread I linked to, and that fish is bigger (bellywise) than mine.
 
Your fish aren't eating. In your case, I don't think it's parasites, I think it's bacteria

 

[jellybaby]

Home now and and the stuff I got to put in the water is for fungal infections, it was to try and treat the fin rot.
I will do a large water change tonight and add the tap safe. Do I still add the aquarium salts? I will buy the bacteria stuff tomorrow. Will it help if is do salt baths for the affected fish?

You have been a great help and I really appreciate it.

 

[bodge99]

Hello,
 
I would perform regular, large percentage (as much as possible..) water changes.
Add aquarium salt 1 - 2 teaspoons per 10L of water.
 
I keep all of my mollies in water with this salt ratio.
 
Bodge99

 

[jellybaby]

I do have anti internal bacteria, interpet No 9. It has bronopol, formaldehyde, and benzalkonium in it, incase anyone is not in the UK.
That was what I used a couple of weeks ago. Sorry for the confusion, I have been using the stuff as directed, just doing an awful lot of stuff at the moment. Have done the water change used tap safe and anti bacterial. Will add the salts tomorrow morning. Any more advice is very welcome.

 

[jellybaby]

My balloon Molly died today while I was at work. It appeared almost as if she had a large blister around her vent area. She was still very swollen even though she had not eaten for a good few days. I do not know what to do with them, they all seem to be fine just now, just the one with a bit of fin rot. It is horrible to see an pet I'll and not know what to to to sort them.