Molly Doesn't Look Well...

[nosoup4you]

I noticed this morning that my black lyre-tail Molly's scales look kind of dull. No spots, no growths, no excess slime, no clamped fins, no flicking or rubbing...just dull. I know you'll want a pic, but i can't seem to capture what I'm talking about. He's still eating and swimming around normally. Any ideas?

 

[nosoup4you]

I just noticed that he has a small spot where the scales look kind of crinkled just behind and beneath his dorsal fin. I'm going to try again for pics.

 

[WILDER]

What colour is the spot on the fish.
How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph.
What do you feed the fish.
So the scales look like there peeling.

 

[nosoup4you]

The spot is the same color as the fish, the scales just look bunched together a bit...not really peeling, but his body just looks kind of dull.

He is in a 20 gallon with 2 other Mollies, 3 Guppies, and a clown plec.

Ammonia is 0
No2 is 0
No3 is 20
pH is 7.5

I feed primarily flake and supplement with fresh veggies (spinach, cukes, and peas) and occasionally frozen bloodworm.

 

[nosoup4you]

After taking about a hundred pictures of this guy, I've come to the conclusion that my photography skills are just not up to the task. I finally had to move him to a critter keeper to get a better shot. Here's a few pics so that you can see that he appears otherwise healthy.

The white spot just below his dorsal fin in the first pic is not actually white but i think you can kind of see how the scales look bunchy in that area.

 

[nosoup4you]

It might be worth mentioning that I haven't been running the air for the last few days and it's been unseasonably warm causing the tank temp. to shoot up a few degrees to 84.

 

[WILDER]

The spots does it have any redness to it.
No signs of flicking and rubbing.
Never heard of bunched up scales if i'm honest, do they look like there sticking out..
Does the fish look bloated.

 

[nosoup4you]

No, no redness. No flicking or rubbing. Yeah, I have never heard of bunched up scales either...I was hoping you could tell me. LOL No bloating, he's actually quite svelte. He does look somewhat better this morning, I QT'd him and added some salt. Thanks for your help, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Good luck.

 

[nosoup4you]

What do you think would be best? Maracyn I? Maracyn II? Both?

 

[nosoup4you]

One of the girls has been bullying him a bit (even before I noticed the dullness). Do you think that maybe the dullness I am seeing is just excess slime coat due to stress from her constant attacks? The bunched up scales could even be from an injury I suppose. Before I moved him, I noticed that every time she would come near him he would clamp his fins in submission.

 

[nosoup4you]

Sorry about all the questions, I'm just a tad obsessive about my fish. LOL

 

[WILDER]

Fish do go pale when under stress,
Excess slime coat can be bad water quality, parasites, to bacterial.
If you can issolate I would use both the maracyn one and two.

 

[nosoup4you]

He actually looks almost normal now after removing him from the tank and treating with salt. Should I still go ahead with the Maracyn? I don't want to treat unnecessarily. Thanks again!

 

[WILDER]

If he looks fine don't bother with the meds then.
Or just add maracyn one.