Molly Jumped Out Of Tank

[LauraFrog]

So basically, I had to bleach some stuff last week and I had the bleach in a small container with a few cms of water in it. The bleach has evaporated out, but the water is filthy, dirt etc in it everywhere. It's sitting next to my 14 gal outdoors (on ground) tank. Some time last night (I checked the fish before i went to bed and they were fine) my black molly (mainly sphenops, not too big) jumped out of the tank and landed in the little container. There was just enough water to keep her alive. The top of her body is a bit dried out and looks awful. The water, as I said, was filthy and probably still contained some bleach. I'm still glad she landed in it, given that the alternative was cold, dry cement. I can isolate the fish in a 6 gal I have empty if this would help. I don't know what to do, I don't have anything to add to the water (like stress coat or melafix) which might help, only a white spot treatment and a broad antifungal. I'm kind of expecting her to go down with fungus or columnaris or something like that because it must have been a stressful night. I'm amazed she survived.

Anybody got any advice? This fish is an old friend, one of the first fish I bought. We've been through a lot together (like me trying to keep her in an uncycled 5 gallon tank ). She's getting old (about two now) but not belly-up old.

 

[WILDER]

I'm worried about the bleach to be honest.
I would of got some tank water in a jug and placed her in there with having bleach on her body.
Did you climatise her back to temp.
I wouldn't add salt if her slime coat dryed up, sure it wasnt the bleach that caused it

 

[WILDER]

What do her gills look like have they been burnt by the bleach.
Is her body peeling.

 

[LauraFrog]

Not at all sure about bleach levels. There hasn't been any bleach added for about a week. The water has no smell of bleach at all. The temp of the water was the same, this is tropical Australia and there are no heaters in the 14g tank, so the water was the same temp. I didn't think of putting bleach in the main tank accidentally. Should I put water treater in the 14? There isn't much salt in it at all, that molly was born and raised in fresh water. I think it's about half a teaspoon per gallon.

 

[WILDER]

I would add a declorinator that good for the slime coat and hope for the best.
You can double dose with declorinator.

 

[LauraFrog]

No sign of gill damage or peeling, no missing scales or fin damage. She's swimming fine, but hiding and looking completely freaked out. I don't blame her. I just put a net in and chased her out of her hiding place - she moved very fast to find another spot and no sign of damage that I can see. Just a bit dried out on top because the water was very shallow. She spent the night in less than 1/4 gallon of water, don't even want to think about how much oxygen there wasn't in that.

Thanks a lot! I haven't actually got dechlorination stuff because I'm on a chlorine-free supply but I'll add the treatment I do have. I don't know that it will do too much though, it's beneficial bacteria and pH buffer. The tank is cycled but it's worth a try I'm sure.

 

[WILDER]

Leave her now as stress will cause an weak immune system, causing desease.
I would just add the stess coat to help her slime coat.

Don't bother with the ph buffer more trouble than there worth, don't want to alter ph and stress her even more.

 

[LauraFrog]

Ok. Thanks!
The tank was due for a water change today but I think I'll leave it, I don't want to stress her more.

 

[WILDER]

Good luck hope she makes it bless her.

 

[fourthtimelucky]

Wow, she sounds pretty tough! Good luck.

 

[LauraFrog]

Thanks for your help guys! You're right, that's one tough fish. She lost a few scales, hung around the bottom and refused to eat for a few days and then snapped out of it. You wouldn't know there was anything wrong with her!
She was virgin when I bought her and I've never owned a male but I think I might buy that nice dalmatian pair the LFS has so I can breed her. It's so hard to get tough livebearers these days, I'd be a fool to waste the genes of one of the toughest fish I've ever had. I don't know if any of the others would have survived.
I'm just so glad she's okay, thought you might like to know she made it!

 

[WILDER]

She is hardy bless her, glad she made it.
Good luck with the babies if you do decide to breed her.