Sick Molly

[Iconoclast]

Tank size: 25 US Gal.
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0.5 ppm
nitrite: was 5.0ppm
nitrate: 5.0ppm
tank temp: 77 degrees Farenheit

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): see description below

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 20% weekly (new tank) 70-75% today

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Mardel CopperSafe for Velvet (added 1-1/2 weeks ago removed carbon filter), 1/2 tsp. per gal. API aquarium salt

Tank inhabitants: 2 female platies, 2 female dalmatian mollies, 1 male dalmatian molly

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): none


I have a new tank (about 3-1/2 weeks old) I have been monitoring water parameters every two to three days due to cycling. Yesterday all my fish were swimming around fine, and today when I came home from work my male dalmatian molly is lying on the bottom of the tank in the gravel not moving. I thought he was dead but when I moved the net near him he swam away. If I approach him he swims but if I leave him alone he goes back to lying on the gravel lethargic like. My two platies and my other two mollies aren't exhibiting this behavior. So I checked my water quality and my nitrites had shot up to 5.0ppm, they were 0.25~0.5 two days ago. I did a 70-75% water change and I will check nitrites again in an hour or so, but I'm wondering if there is something else I should be doing? Sorry if I posted this in the wrong forum this seemed like more of an emergency than a cycling question.

 

[WILDER]

Keep doing water changes and increase aeration.
Also add some salt with only have livebeares
Add three tablespoons of salt to a jug of tank water. Stir till the salt desolves, then add to the tank.

Read up on the nitrogen cycle.

Bad water quality takes it toll on fish i'm afraid.

Why did you add the velvet med.
Is the med out of the tank now.

 

[Iconoclast]

I have two air stones in the tank for aeration. I changed 50% of the water when I got home from work today. Nitrites were at 2.0~3.0ppm. I added the CopperSafe because my two female dalmatian mollies had little gold spots on their bellies and around their eyes. So I went to my LFS and they had pictures of fish with the same spots and they told me it was probably velvet. The CopperSafe should be gone now with all the water changes and putting the carbon cartridge back into my filter.

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Some meds can knock water stats too.

All you can do is keep doing water changes.
Do you know anyone who could give you a mature filter sponge for your filter.

 

[Iconoclast]

Yesterday when I got home my nitrite was back up to 5.0ppm, so I changed 80% of the water and it dropped to 0.5ppm. Today it rose to 1.0ppm ammonia at 0.25ppm and nitrates at 10ppm. My male molly doesn't seem to be improving and I'm afraid he wont make it, he hasn't eaten in three days. So. I'll keep checking my water daily and change it as needed. And no all my friends have dogs and cats no fish for me to get mature filter media from.

 

[WILDER]

Ok. Thanks for the update.
You will get there in the end.
Just keep doing water changes.
Shame about the poor molly.

 

[OldMan47]

Do as many of those 90% water changes as it takes to pull the nitrites down below 0.25 ppm. If the mollies have enough water to not quite be out in the air, still able to swim, you have drained enough and can start refilling. There is no need for any medication for a case of nitrite poisoning, the real cure is fresh water with no nitrites. When fish are exposed to nitrites, the nitrites are absorbed by the fish's hemoglobin much like what would happen to you being exposed to carbon monoxide. In either case the cure is simple if it is carried out fast enough, get rid of the poison and let the victim recover on their own. The air bubbler won't hurt anything but it also will not help much. Do not check the water daily, check it an hour after the last water change and do another water change if it is needed. I expect you to need 3 or 4 water changes of as much water as you can get before you have the nitrites under control. After that you can probably back off to daily testing with large water changes.
Don't forget a few things now. The dechlorinator and temperature matching of the water are a must. A heater that is plugged in while out of the water means it will never overheat a tank again, it will no longer work. The filter impeller cannot tolerate running dry for more than a minute or two before it will burn up, unplug it when you start dropping the water level. Salt can help slightly when fish, any fish, are suffering from nitrite poisoning, but if you added as much as was suggested earlier, it will not need to be replenished. The traces of salt that actually have been shown to help are very, very low concentrations. It will be enough until you get the nitrites under control with no more additions.