What's Wrong With My Dalmation Molly?

[garycooper34]

Hi,
 
I was wondering if someone can help.
 
I would like to know what is wrong with one of my dalmation mollys. It's tail is faced down and it seems to be struggling a little to swim against the flow like it normally does. It has no other symptoms.
 
My tank is 25 imperial gallons. The tank last had a 30% pcw 5 days ago so I will be doing another tomorrow. The only thing I use in the water is Tetra Aquasafe.
 
 
I added some new fish on Saturday (banded barbs and a few angelfish). The other fish in the tank are 1x other dalmation molly, 1x red wagtail platy, 2x tuxedo platys however all other fish in the tank are fine and behaving normally. In the last week, I have had 1x tuxedo platy be born and 1x dalmation molly has also been born. Both babies are doing well in the hatchery.
 
I have included a photo of the molly in question. I believe it is a female - i'm not sure if it's doing this because it's pregnant?
 
I last did a water test today and the results were as follows:
pH: 7.8
Nitrate: 10
Nitrite: 0
Ammonia: 0
 
Any help would be appreciated!
 
Thanks.
 

 

[This Old Spouse]

She doesn't look pregnant. I'd change the water ASAP because of the increased bioload. She may just be more susceptible to the added ammonia.
 
You added banded barbs and a "few" angelfish? How many of each?

 

[garycooper34]

6 banded barbs. 2 angelfish.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

That is not a pregnant molly, the spine appears arched.
 
Are there any other symptoms?  Is it still eating?  How is the poo?

 

[garycooper34]

That is not a pregnant molly, the spine appears arched.
 
Are there any other symptoms?  Is it still eating?  How is the poo?

 
 
Hi Eaglesaquarium,
 
I have done several pwc's since.
 
I have not seen it poo as it generally has been hiding. In the last 2 days it has gone off its food. It's partner molly is fine, swimming about as normal, feeding etc etc.
 
Things look like they have taken a turn for the worse for this one though. It is making no effort to swim and instead has been laying on the bottom for the last 2 days. It's respiratory effort seems to be very fast. The fish is not feeding and is no longer swimming. It is slightly tilted over. I have isolated it for the meantime in a fry net, but I would expect it to die in the next 12 hours or so.
 
I don't know if there is anything else I can do for it?
 
Thanks,
Gary

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Any loss of scales or color?  I don't think this fish is going to make it.  Euthanizing might be the best course of action.  I'd keep a close eye on all of the other fish and keep an eye for loss of scales, loss of color, lesions, wasting, and spinal curvature.  If these symptoms show up in any other fish, you may have a much more serious problem on your hands than you realize.
 
 
Mycobacterium marinum - aka Fish Tuberculosis.  Its not exactly Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but is closely related.  And can infect YOU.  I'd not work in the tank with an open wound (or just wear gloves).  This disease can be treated in humans (although if it gets too bad, it can take a while to cure - and most physicians don't know much about it - and it won't be something they would think of without being prompted by you.)  Watch out for any small purple lesions and bumps.  The lesions can grow and spread and the disease can get into joints and feel like arthritis.  It is treatable with antibiotics.
 
 
 
Long story short - just be careful.

 

[garycooper34]

Hi,
 
No. no loss of scales or colour.
 
There are no signs on any other fish in the tank - all behaviour, colour, feeding any excretion is normal.
 
I honestly don't think it would be fish TB as all other fish are fine. I have read that it is common for some mollies to be born with a curved spine and as they grow it becomes too difficult and stressful to deal with that they die. Could this just be something that wasn't prominent when I got the fish, but it has overcome the fish?

 

[garycooper34]

Right.
 
That was it. The molly unfortunately passed away within the last hour. Upon inspection of the body, there was no scale loss, there wasn't a solid bump to the hunch and there were no other signs of damage.
 
I did notice however, a bit of blood on the inner edge of one of its gills.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It's certainly possible, and there are a million different fish diseases.  Spine curvature isn't exactly a unique symptom to any particular disease.  I just wanted to make you aware of the possibility and the potential risks.  If none of the other fish show any symptoms, then that's good.

 

[garycooper34]

Hi everyone,
 
I need desperate help!
 
In the last few days I had a black molly (no symptoms) and a dalmation molly (kinked spine) die. I got in tonight and there is a further dalmation molly (no symptoms) and 2 five stripe barbs (no symptoms) dead,
 
What is wrong with my tank?
 
Water levels are normal. There is a small amount of algae growth in the tank. The barbs are floating and the molly is at the bottom.
 
 
I added the barbs and angelfish 1.5 weeks ago. The remaining fish seem to be at the very top of the tank constantly facing the air. When i opened the lid tonight, there was a weird smell (although this could be the dead fish).

 

[eaglesaquarium]

First - big water change.
 
Second - be sure not to work in the tank with any open cuts.
 
 
Any fish TB symptoms?

Other options might be parasites?  gill flukes? 

 

[garycooper34]

Hi,
 
Yep just done a 50%-60% water change.
 
Luckily I have no cuts.
 
No fish TB symptoms however, a few of the other barbs have come out of hiding and are covered in white spot. Could this be the cause of death? There weren't really any symptoms yesterday. Luckily I have some ich treatment so will get on it straight away.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Possible and an ich infestation on the gills could cause respiratory issues - and possibly the blood spot you saw.

 

[the_lock_man]

Since you didn't see any signs of whitespot previously, I'm more inclined to think that whatever caused the initial deaths has weakened the remaining fish enough to allow the whitespot in as a secondary infection.
 
Certainly use the treatment anyway.
 
I suspect the inital issue is a gill infection, either parasitic or bacterial.

 

[garycooper34]

Hi,
 
Another 3 fish died today. I called the LFS and they said they haven't had any known issues recently.
 
In this 3, there was an angel die. The angel has no symptoms or marks on it.
 
My oldest fish, I can see very initial signs of wight spot however, I think the fish I got 2 weeks ago will have been the carriers for the primary disease. Will be taking my receipt, water sample and frozen fish bodies to the LFS this afternoon.