Shimmying

[stucolls]

ok so my dalmation (pregnant molly) is now shimmying in the water, rubbing against things, swimming arched and the others seem to be pecking at her side?

whats up with her? pmt as usual hehehe

no seriously, i dont know the first thing about poorly fish so any ideas?

 

[helterskelter]

Firstly have you tested your water quality, the most important being, ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.

Then do a large water change 30%, many peeps may suggesting adding salt as it reduces stress and mollies do well with salt, but some of your fish on your list may suffer, to treating with something like protizin to flush the gill will also help.

However with these fish you have to act fast and water changes will be the best thing.

 

[Lynda B]

Are there any visible differences in her appearance?

 

[-germ-]

By swimming arched do you mean there appears to be a kink in her spine?
Bad, bad, bad if there is....
I'd get her seperated fom the other fish now!

Oh... to add, she doesn't appear to be bloated at all? Any scales beginning to pinecone?
Basically are you 100% that she is pregnant?

Oh... google flexibacter, how do her gills look, flexibacter is fairly common in poecilids and is also associated with gill disease...
More symptoms please!!!!

 

[stucolls]

I mean by arched that she seems to be arching around almost to bite her own tail like a dog would??? do you jknow what I mean lol

and no, there are no physical chabnges, it started earlier today with the other fish pecking at her, then in the last hour I noticed her twitching like she had terrets (shimmying) and then rubbing on the rock?

only prob is I have no declorinator tap safe stuff until tomorrow

 

[Lynda B]

I know you're thinking dropsy, but with dropsy, the behavior would be more swimming with head downwards, and a lot of resting at the bottom of the tank (from what I've seen first-hand). I was thinking more ich or an organism that's causing the fish to try to scratch?

 

[backtotropical]

The fastest way to get rid of chlorine with no dechlorinator is to boil the water.

Make sure you let it cool before adding it to the tank. lol.

 

[stucolls]

ok, gonna boil up a couple pans of boiling water now...........and yes.....let it cool lol

tank is mega cloudy now so needs a good water change

 

[backtotropical]

let us know how you get on. Keep asking questions if you're not sure.