What To Do?

[Fish are friends]

The one female black molly is lying on her side in the tank on the bottom. when i look into it she might stir for a bit and when she swims she is lopsided and looks like she has a kink in her body... I dont know what i should do but i fear she is going to die... please advise if you can!!! thanks

 

[Tizer]

test the water for ammonia and nitrite, if either register, do a water change. sounds like its on its way out mind.

 

[Fish are friends]

been monitoring the stats regularly and have been doing weekly water changes... looks like it is just old, it is about 3 years old!! hate to see it suffer though.

 

[Fish are friends]

a few weeks have pased and no improvement to the molly, she either lies on the bottom of the tank and when she does move it is in circles, upside down and all over the place and nothing like a fish should swim. just wondering if i should put her out of her misery. If so then how cause i hate the idea that she is suffering!

 

[soybean]

One of my WCMMs did this recently. Only lasted a week though. The water was perfect so I presume as I've had the minnows for 5 years it was just age. If it had lasted longer than a week I would've euthanised it, it couldn't really feed or swim properly, and seeing as that's all fish do it didn't really have a very good quality of life. It died before I could get the clove oil though.

 

[Fish are friends]

i feel it wont improve at all so might need to be humaine and end its life (which i dread) what would be the best way?

 

[soybean]

I've only ever done it once and used clove oil. Don't use vodka! Try reading this: http/www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm - it says use vodka, but I don't believe that is necessary. Overdosing on clove oil worked for me.

It's a shame but if it can't feed it will eventually starve to death, and it doesn't sound like it will get better.

 

[waterdrop]

Is the water nice and hard? Mollies need really hard water usually. WD

 

[soybean]

Here's a non-vodka one - this is pretty much what I did, put it to sleep first and then just add more: http/www.oscarfishlover.com/helpful-articles/euthanize-fish

 

[Fish are friends]

yeah WD our water is quite hard... the other 4 mollies that share the tank are perfectly normal and show no signs of ailment its just the one... hate the idea of ending her life...

 

[waterdrop]

I see Davo here who may have done the clove oil thing also.. I've never done it but seen it recommended a lot, as well as the ice water thing, which is also supposed to ease them out so fast and painlessly that they are not aware. Anyway, clove sounds the best.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[soybean]

yeah WD our water is quite hard... the other 4 mollies that share the tank are perfectly normal and show no signs of ailment its just the one... hate the idea of ending her life...

It is hard but think of it this way - you've looked after her as best you can her whole life, so if you decide to do it, it's really just a continuation of that care.

But only you can see how your fish is behaving right now, and decide if she's suffering.

 

[Fish are friends]

so it looks like a trip to the pharmacy tomorrow thanks for your help...i know people say its just a fish but i feel terrible...

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, its tough, sorry for ya FAF.

 

[Fish are friends]

It is hard but think of it this way - you've looked after her as best you can her whole life, so if you decide to do it, it's really just a continuation of that care.

But only you can see how your fish is behaving right now, and decide if she's suffering.

well to me fish swim upright and forward... not squirming around on the bottom of the tank so i think she has had a good life ...