What Would Cause This

[weejen]

my black mollie has started swimming with his head down and his tail straight up vertical?

 

[LauraFrog]

Need more info...

I'm assuming tank size and inhabitants are as per signature... water params (ammonia/nitrite/nitrate/temp/pH) would really help us. I'm assuming that with alll those tetras and plecs there is no salt in the tank.

How long has he been doing this? Is he still eating? Does he bump into objects or rest awkwardly in this position, or just swim like this? Can he straighten up at all? Is he too skinny?

 

[weejen]

amm 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 10


he is still eating and can swim normaly but just every now and again he does it. he doesnt bump into anything

 

[windhopper]

could it be swimbladde problems? I havent kept mollies but goldfish can go like that if there are issues with the swimbladder.

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like swim bladder.
What do you feed your fish?
is the fish bloated.
Swim bladder is caused by bad water quality, bad diet, injury, birth defect, parasites internally, bacterial.

 

[mezzic]

my silver molly has done this aswell, i did about a 50% water change and all is well.

 

[weejen]

they are on mixed diet of flake food, frozen. and some veg

 

[WILDER]

The diet good then.
Is the fish bloated.
Can you issolate the fish and try a bacterial med.

 

[weejen]

no fish is not bloated at all. and is fine apart from that. no i have no way of isolating the fish

 

[WILDER]

Head standing can be swim bladder.
Usually though when they head stand alot they rarely make it.
Is the fish doing barrel rolls and laying on it side.

 

[weejen]

no not doing barrel rolls or laying on his side. just every now and then tips up then after a bit starts swimming normaly

 

[WILDER]

All you can do is really add anti internal bacteria med by interpet to the tank.
What does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet.

 

[weejen]

fish is goin to the toilet normaly.

 

[WILDER]

Ok that good then.
Good Luck.

 

[weejen]

thanx