Please help with balloon Molly!

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Normally you only check the GH and KH a couple of times a year. I don't recommend buying a GH or KH test kit unless you really want them because most shops will test the water for you and it will be cheaper than buying the kits, which you only use a couple of times a year.

If you do want to buy test kits, check the expiry date on them and keep them in a cool dry place, away from direct sunlight.

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Algae grows from excess light or excess nutrients, or lack of live plants.

You can try reducing the lighting period and doing more water changes. Adding more live plants to the tank can help because they use the light and nutrients so the algae doesn't.
 
I attempted to upload video to youtube. Not sure if it went.
Hello,
I was successful in getting the video with Molly and Catfish on YouTube. I struggled so I hope it works out. The molly is more active today but eye is more swollen. I have done many water changes , filter, not in same day. I appreciate your help. Video is Gail4
 
Hi and welcome to the forum :)
GH is the general or total hardness of water. It is basically the level of dissolved calcium and magnesium in the water. Salt does not affect GH.

While salt is often suggested for a remedy with mollies, it is not going to help when the GH is soft. You haven't given the GH number, but the acidic pH suggests the water is not on the hard side, and this is the issue with mollies (indeed all livebearers, mollies especially sensitive to soft water).

Do not mess with the pH. First, this is tied to the GH and KH and unless those are adjusted the pH will not budge permanently. And fluctuating pH is very stressful and damaging to fish.

It is the GH we must know here, and then look at options. We also need to pin down what the "catfish" is, as it is likely suited to softer water and increasing hardness may harm it.

EDIT. Your edit in post #4 appeared after I posted. As mentioned above, the GH and KH are connected. Using pH adjusting chemicals will temporarily increase the pH but within 24 hours (or less) the GH/KH return the pH to where it was, depending upon their level. And these adjusting chemicals are not easy on fish aside from their effectiveness or lack thereof.

You can purchase mineral salts (these are salts of minerals like calcium and magnesium, not "common" salt sodium chloride which is what sea salt and aquarium salt is), or you can use a calcareous substrate (like aragonite sand). But this will not be appreciated by any soft water fish, and we still do not know the catfish species. And the tank size...mollies need spacious tanks.


Any chance of a picture and short 20 second video of the fish and tank?
If the pictures are too big for the website, set the camera's resolution to its lowest setting and take some more. The lower resolution will make the images smaller and they should fit on this website. Check the pictures on your pc and find a couple that are clear and show the problem, and post them here. Make sure you turn the camera's resolution back up after you have taken the pics otherwise all your pictures will be small.

If the video is too big for this website, post it on YouTube and copy & paste the link here. We can view it at YouTube. If you are using a mobile phone to take the video, have the phone horizontal so the video takes up the entire screen. If you have the phone vertical, you get video in the middle and black on either side.

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What are the tank dimensions (length x width x height)?

The GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness), and pH of your water supply can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

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How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the new water before adding it to the tank?

What sort of filter is on the tank?
How often do you clean the filter and how do you clean it?

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Do a 75% water change and gravel clean the substrate every day for the next 2 weeks or until we work out what is going on. Make sure any new water is free of chlorine/ chloramine before it's added to the tank.

Clean the filter if it hasn't been done in the last 2 weeks. Wash filter media in a bucket of tank water and re-use it.
 

Here is the link of my molly and catfish, I hope I did it right this time.
 
The molly has a bad case of pop-eye. Try doing some water changes and see how it goes after a couple of days.

The other fish in the video looks like a long finned koi carp.
 
The molly has a bad case of pop-eye. Try doing some water changes and see how it goes after a couple of days.

The other fish in the video looks like a long finned koi carp.
Thank you so much! It took me many tries to get that very short video. I know it was so short. The fish were babies when I got them. There were other animals and it was soon after Christmas so I'm pretty sure that the fish, hermit crab(not ok) and iguana (fine) were some awful gifts to small children have been doing water changes. The pH is 7.0 I bought the supplies that I needed and a friend gave me a water testing kit. I would like to have a planted aquarium. The plants are expensive so I only have a very slow growing Java something plant. The fish had been left in a cold apartment last Jan. There was a Betta, the larger fish a guppie and the molly. The filter is an Aqua Tech and I changed it a couple of days ago.Shortly after I set up the 10 gallon with this filter ( tank 20inches, x10x11) the Betta and guppy got sucked in when the attachment inflow area fell off. I was horrified. I never liked seeing aquariums unless the fish seemed content with natural features etc. even then it like I'm afraid they were taken and should be free... I have pet birds I hate to say one from a pet store but I would now only rescue not buy. I've had her 34 yrs. Just to say that in general I know a bit animals in general but now learning about fish and I want to do my best. I don't take this lightly at all. I have a low budget at the moment as soon as I'm able I hope to have more plants and at least a 20 gallon tank. I should mention that I ordered landscaping polished stone and washed them repeatedly in hot water til there was no residue at all in wash water. I vacuum stones but need better vac. Thanks for your help.
 
I agree that the fish has a bad case of Popeye. Try the water changes as Colin suggests. If no improvement in a few days, you may need to treat with medications specifically for Popeye. You can also try Epsom Salt baths to help pull the fluid off the eye but let’s see how the clean water does first. Let us know how the eye is looking in a number of days and we can go from there. Good luck!
 

Ty I did just order a test kit from amazon which I will get Sunday. I didn't want to go to Petco because I will probably get more confusing advice, and expensive. Label says to test aquarium water which will have the. Until 2 days ago I was filling gallon plastic jugs with tap water and then adding API treatment for chlorine, cloramine, and stress zyme and stress coat. Putting cap on. I realized that the container needs to be open to air to be safe after 24 hrs so now its in an open bucket.
 
Look for a plant called Water Sprite (Ceratopteris thalictroides/ cornuta). It is a floating plant that can also be planted in the gravel. It grows rapidly on the surface so you only need to buy one plant and within a month you will have others that can be used to make the tank look nice.

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If you are replacing filter pads then stop doing that. :) The filter pads hold beneficial filter bacteria that keeps the ammonia and nitrite levels at 0. If you replace the pads, you get rid of the good bacteria and you can have an ammonia or nitrite spike in the tank. Ammonia and nitrite are harmful to all fish.

Some filter pads have carbon (black granules) inside them and you can cut along the top and tip the carbon out and throw it away. The pad can then be squeezed out in a bucket of tank water and re-used.

You can get round/ cylindrical sponges for some brands of internal power filter. The sponges have a hole through the centre and can be put over the intake strainer of most external canister filters.

You can buy square or rectangular sponges for various filters and cut them with a pair of scissors so they fit inside your current filter. The sponges can be squeezed out in a bucket of tank water and will last for years so you don't have to buy any more filter pads.

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Filter should be cleaned at least once a month and every 2 weeks is better. However, do not clean a new filter until it is more than 6 weeks old. This includes filters that have had new pads put in during the last few weeks. Wait 6 weeks before cleaning it, then do it every 2-4 weeks after that.
 
You have been so helpful Colin. I had nasty black algae growing. I will take your advice.
 
I inherited some fish a few months ago when a tenant left them in January. This is new to me. There were four and 2 died early on. One molly and a catfish, don't know which species about 3.5-4in. long. I am conscientious about water quality. right now. pH 6.8 amonia0 nitrite and nitrate 0. My really cute "Bubble" has stayed mostly on bottom of tank for 4 days now. She is able to swim up to eat and gets excited when she sees me. She'll eat and go back down. Yesterday I noticed one eye swollen. Today it seems even more so. I've talked to a few people at Petco and searched online. I really love this little guy. Please help if you can! TY Gail
This sounds like pop eye
 
I agree that the fish has a bad case of Popeye. Try the water changes as Colin suggests. If no improvement in a few days, you may need to treat with medications specifically for Popeye. You can also try Epsom Salt baths to help pull the fluid off the eye but let’s see how the clean water does first. Let us know how the eye is looking in a number of days and we can go from there. Good luck!
Thank you
 
If you can post a picture of the black algae we should be able to ID it for you. Some algae is easier to deal with than others.
I cleaned up most of the algae. It isnt I did use 3 drops of Tetra broad spectrum algae control a couple of times with in a 2-3 week period last dose orobably when it was really bad. Probably 2months ago and I think it was there was light from a nearby window. A bloom of green algae I cleaned glass, large rocks everthing I used treated water to rinse. a few weeks later this black stuff covering everything. I put 2 drops directions said to put 3. I hand clean what I can.

I have gotten my fish advice, before this site, from several Petco employees, YouTube and internet sites. I have used Seachem Flourish, Excel, and Iron for the plants as recommended I have the one plant, Java fern the 1st one died and this one is very slow. Since the problem started with my molly I haven't used these plant additives.

Today I did a partial water change 25% aprox.because I only had that much treated water available. She spends most of her time resting on bottom. When she sees me enter the room she gets excited and comes to top looking for food.

Regarding the other fish, is a koi carp a pond fish who will grow quite large? Why would anyone put these particular fish together in a 2.5 gal flashing led lights. I thought he had to be some kind of catfish but seems to long and fluffy.
TY so much and I will check out the plant that you recommended.

If you can post a picture of the black algae we should be able to ID it for you. Some algae is easier to deal with than others.
 
I cleaned up most of the algae. It isnt I did use 3 drops of Tetra broad spectrum algae control a couple of times with in a 2-3 week period last dose orobably when it was really bad. Probably 2months ago and I think it was there was light from a nearby window. A bloom of green algae I cleaned glass, large rocks everthing I used treated water to rinse. a few weeks later this black stuff covering everything. I put 2 drops directions said to put 3. I hand clean what I can.

I have gotten my fish advice, before this site, from several Petco employees, YouTube and internet sites. I have used Seachem Flourish, Excel, and Iron for the plants as recommended I have the one plant, Java fern the 1st one died and this one is very slow. Since the problem started with my molly I haven't used these plant additives.

Today I did a partial water change 25% aprox.because I only had that much treated water available. She spends most of her time resting on bottom. When she sees me enter the room she gets excited and comes to top looking for food.

Regarding the other fish, is a koi carp a pond fish who will grow quite large? Why would anyone put these particular fish together in a 2.5 gal flashing led lights. I thought he had to be some kind of catfish but seems to long and fluffy.
TY so much and I will check out the plant that you recommended.

A couple of issues here need explanation to help you moving forward. First, never use any form of algicide if fish are present. Fish continually take in water through all of their cells and at the gills, and substances in the water thus get into the fish's bloodstream. To say the least, none of these are beneficial to the fish, and they can add more stress if not worse. Anything that might kill algae is going to cause issues for the fish, and often plants for that matter.

Second, the plant additives. Keeping in mind the above, the less the better for the fish. Flourish Comprehensive Supplement is a complete balanced nutrient supplementation for plants. Use it minimally, more is not going to help the plants and it will affect the fish, and possibly other organisms too (snails, shrimp, bacteria). I have been using this for over ten years. Their Flourish Tabs which are placed in the substrate can be extremely good for larger substrate-rooted plants like swords.

Flourish Iron should not be used; there is sufficient iron in the Comprehensive. Iron can increase algae, and it can kill some plants, I went through this, it decimated my floating Water Sprite. Plant nutrients have to be in balance according to the needs of the plants; if one nutrient is in excess, it can sometimes cause plants to shut down assimilation of certain other nutrients.

Flourish Excel should not be added to any aquarium with fish, ever. It is a highly toxic disinfectant (glutaraldehyde) and inside the fish this is not good. Even at recommended dosage it can kill some plants outright, and if it should get overdosed it could kill plants, fish and bacteria. I often will kill black beard/brush algae, but that in itself is or should be a warning not to use it with fish present. It is used in hospitals to disinfect surgical instruments, in embalming fluid, in ship's ballasts to kill bacteria...I trust you get the drift.

On that so-called catfish (which it definitely is not), it is some species of cyprinid but I've no idea which. I was reminded of the so-called algae eaters or loaches.
 

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