Molly In Trouble

[mummybearspain]

I have a black molly which is acting very weird. It seems to be swimming in a spiral way, frequently doing loop de loops! It doesn't seem to be able to just float as it tends to sink when it doesn't use its fins. It is eating well and hasn't had this problem before 3 days ago. It swims vertically too and rests on the filter or the bottom at times. I have done nothing different for months, changing a third of the water every 14 days while cleaning the gravel plus the filters every 6 weeks. It looks the same, quite fat but I only have one so it can't be pregnant. Help please to a relatively inexperienced parent.

 

[Colin_T]

Mollies can be pregnant even without a male present. Female livebearers can retain sperm packets from previous matings and use them to fertilise successive batches of eggs.

However, the fish sounds like it has a serious problem. The loop de loop is not a good sign and is quite often caused by a problem in the brain. Sometime’s a virus or bacterial infection gets into the brain and does damage or even just causes inflammation.
Maybe try doing a partial water change and gravel clean each day for a week and see how she goes. Sometimes the cleaner water can help fish recover from these sorts of problems.

 

[scooterchick]

http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hddropsy.htm

Does it sound like above?

 

[mummybearspain]

Thanks for the information. No, the symptoms are not like dropsy and my fish is hungry all the time. I have added an extra dose of tetra aqua and easy balance to see if the water needs a boost. I am due for a partial water change tomorrow so will measure properly. The molly seems to have been fine for the last 9 months so why would it suddenly go weird. It is still resting on the filter but isn't doing so many loop de loops now!