Sick Balloon Molly

[michaelhauser]

My white balloon molly that seems pregnant has in the past 24 hours developed red (blood?) marks on both sides in front of her tail. She was hiding under a rock this morning. I put her in a breeder tank just in case. Does anyone know what could be wrong? Photo included below. Thanks.

Tank size: 29G
pH: 7.2
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 20ppm
kH: 180ppm
gH: 150ppm
tank temp: 72

Volume and Frequency of water changes: weekly 20%

Tank inhabitants: 5 zebra danios, 3 swordtails, 1 pleco, 2 albino cories, 2 balloon mollies, 2 dalmation mollies, 1 kuhli loach, 3 small shrimp

Planted tank with gravel, moderate green and brown algae (from too much light), need to vacuum gravel

 

[Forestpisces]

Is she finding it hard to swim?

Is she flicking against anything?

You also need to get a minimum of 3 more kuhli loaches as they are shoaling and do not do well alone i myself have 3 after i lost one as a DOA and will be getting 2 more to make up the shoal.

 

[WILDER]

Wow she massive.
Are her scales stickiing out.
The red bloods marks are they beneath the skin or on top.
It sounds like septicemia if there no signs of flicking and rubbing.

 

[michaelhauser]

Yes, she is massive. Seems about to pop.

She's not flicking or rubbing and she's eating fine. I left her in the breeder tank and the (under-skin) blood spots are lighter today. I think I figured it out. I saw one of the dalmation mollies chasing and nipping at the the other balloon molly (smaller male) in front of his tail. Maybe they were doing the same thing with this female but she's gotten so bloated in pregnancy that she couldn't escape them. The dalmations seem pretty aggressive. Maybe it's because I have two females. I had a male but he died when the nitrogen cycle in the tank was still unstable.

I don't want to leave her too long in the breeder tank, so maybe I'll put her in another tank that I just started. Or maybe I'll move the dalmations.

More kuhli loaches? I'm not sure my tank is big enough. And that's one strange fish!

Thanks for your help.

Michael

 

[WILDER]

Keep on eye on her as blood spots beneath the skin can be h septicemia.

 

[Forestpisces]

Don't worry there low bio load and it's torture to keep just one or two of them they thrive in groups and feel secure you will see them alot more and they are great little guys.

 

[WILDER]

Good Luck.

 

[michaelhauser]

I put her in another tank by herself and she seems to be getting better. Thanks.

Michael