after maintaining a thriving tank for several months, i changed the gravel and decorations 4 days ago. this included an almost complete water change, but i did not mess with the filter other than clean some gunk from the intake tube.
now, two mollies seem to be exhibiting signs of a weird lip problem i have seen before. it looks almost as if the bottom lip is becoming detached, with no typical signs of fungus. all the fish seem active and fine, but i know something is going on with the lips on the two mollies.
the lip thing is probably a result of another mystery - the smelly, cloudy water. it happened in about two days. i thought it'd just go away, because it happened when i first set up this tank for its initial cycling months ago. that time, there was a very plastic (almost like cat urine) smell, a little white cloudiness, and then everything was fine. this time, the cloudiness is accompanied by a slime coating on everything in the tank, as well as the plastic smell. it doesn't SEEM to bother the fish, but really, it's hard to tell. i've been very observant of their behavior, but it's possible i am missing small signs.
the new decoration is a big plastic log. it had a fish tank tag, so i assume my fears that it is the problem are mostly unjustified. it seems to have some weird, small fuzz stuff on the surface, but i think that's part of the greater problem - not the cause.
at any rate, the lips are not something i think i am making up, and i wonder if it's the fungus discusses here. today i am treating with an antifungal medication, the name of which i can't recall at the moment (i'm at work). but, i just don't know if that has any effect on the cloudiness, or if the cloudiness is causing the lip thing.
please help, i'm getting very worried; possibly about nothing, but i doubt it.
tank stats:
10 gallons
5 adult mollies, a few fry
4 tiger barbs
1 pleco (who does have another, much larger [and currently, much healthier] cichlid tank to transfer to)
ammonia, nitrites and nitrates = 0
now, two mollies seem to be exhibiting signs of a weird lip problem i have seen before. it looks almost as if the bottom lip is becoming detached, with no typical signs of fungus. all the fish seem active and fine, but i know something is going on with the lips on the two mollies.
the lip thing is probably a result of another mystery - the smelly, cloudy water. it happened in about two days. i thought it'd just go away, because it happened when i first set up this tank for its initial cycling months ago. that time, there was a very plastic (almost like cat urine) smell, a little white cloudiness, and then everything was fine. this time, the cloudiness is accompanied by a slime coating on everything in the tank, as well as the plastic smell. it doesn't SEEM to bother the fish, but really, it's hard to tell. i've been very observant of their behavior, but it's possible i am missing small signs.
the new decoration is a big plastic log. it had a fish tank tag, so i assume my fears that it is the problem are mostly unjustified. it seems to have some weird, small fuzz stuff on the surface, but i think that's part of the greater problem - not the cause.
at any rate, the lips are not something i think i am making up, and i wonder if it's the fungus discusses here. today i am treating with an antifungal medication, the name of which i can't recall at the moment (i'm at work). but, i just don't know if that has any effect on the cloudiness, or if the cloudiness is causing the lip thing.
please help, i'm getting very worried; possibly about nothing, but i doubt it.
tank stats:
10 gallons
5 adult mollies, a few fry
4 tiger barbs
1 pleco (who does have another, much larger [and currently, much healthier] cichlid tank to transfer to)
ammonia, nitrites and nitrates = 0
