Molly Worries

[hanny93]

I have a 14 gallon tropical tank that I've just changed over.
There's 3 guppies (2 female 1 male) and 4 mollies (2 silver, 2 gold)
The filter is working fine (i think!), the heater is at 27Cish, feels warm to the touch, there are 4 live plants in there, and rocks, so plenty of hiding spaces, an airstone and a light that gets turned off every night about 10pm and turned on at 8am the next morning.
I feed them 'Hikari Tropical Micro Wafers' because the normal tropical pellets I bought on recommendation from my lfs were too big for my guppies.
I havent tested the water recently as I dont have any test strips.

However, one of my golden mollies doesn't seem to be eating and looks a lot paler and is less active than the other fish.
My other mollies are quite rounded in the belly area, but this one looks more like a male danio.
Ive just changed from gravel to sand, but I've made sure theres no gas pockets and will be getting some corys to mess it up a bit (or any other fish that someone might be able to recommend for me!)
If anyone can help/suggest why this is happening I'd be most grateful!
I'm rather worried about little Paul (named after Paul McCartney, we have Paul, John, Ringo and George hehe)

(I reposted this from tropical discussion because I wasnt getting any answers and paul isnt getting any better )

 

[hanny93]

Can anyone help?!

 

[scaeriefaerie666]

I've only ever kept mollies once because they're such bloody good parasite carriers and they're generally more trouble than they're worth - but i've had similar things with platys before.
When you say you've just changed the tank over, what do you mean? Is it a new setup? or has it just had a really good going over? How long ago was it?
When i've had problems where they've stopped eating and lost colour a lot of the time it's because the current is too strong. How big/ powerful is your filter and airpump? It may be worth turning down the flow and only using the airstone for a few hours a day and seeing if that makes a difference. It did when my platys did the same thing.
xxx

 

[hanny93]

No it isnt a new setup, it's been set up for over 6 months with coldwater fish, but i changed it round with replacing gravel with sand and putting new plants in.

All the filter media is the same except a carbon pad which got clogged up and needed replacing anyway.

And I don't actually know how to turn down my filter, it seems to just be one speed (it is internal)
Its called a bioflow 280 if that helps.

And my air stone is on all the time but only because when i turn it off for a length of time i wory about oxygen levels.

I'm a big worrier when it comes to my fish, but if youve suggested it i might try it.

Shall i just turn it on when i turn my light on? Usually around 4pm-10pm/