# Sick Molly, please help.



## missileman (Nov 5, 2008)

I rescued 6 mollies from my daughters 10 gallon tank.
She had not cycled the tank yet and took the advice at the pet store.
Here amonia level was very high but the fish seemed heathly so I told her to put them in my 46 gallon tank while she finishes her tank cycle.
Upon later inspection I noticed that one of them (a small spotted male) was swimming oddly with a nose up attitude and sunken belly. (looks like the description of tuberculosis I saw on a fish disease chart)
The others still look heathly and are very active.
The sick guy has hidden himself inside a structure.
He did eat after he went into the tank just before going into hiding.
Can amonia poisoning cause these symptoms?
Is there a treatment aside from being in clean water now?
If it is TB I might be in trouble with my whole tank now?
Is there something else it could be?
I probably should find a way to isolate him when I get home from work.
My tank has the following levels
PH 7.4
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0.25 PPM
Nitrate 3 PPM
Temp 78 deg.
As of yesterday.
I don't remember her tanks amonia level but it was at the very high end on the master test kit chart.


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## Rodolfo (Mar 19, 2008)

well i think your doing thing right thing. when my fish are having a littel trobel swiming or breething i like to add some salt to the tank this helps the fish osmo regulate, the salt epson salt or aquarium at 2tbls per 5 gals. its like your fish ran a marathon and lost electrolites and the salt is like drinking a gatorade or some thing like that. just keep an eye on that water and you should be fine. are there othere fish with the mollies in the 46gal tank that might beat up on the weak one?


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## djrichie (May 15, 2008)

Thanks for all the info about the fish and the water perams. You may want to sperate this fish from the others in a small tank with a box filter use the water from your main tank with a strip of the dirty filter floss. they have little 2 1/2 gal tanks at any chain pet store. This way you only have to treat the sick fish. Also you can keep a better eye on them.. eating and such. I have found that other fish will also start to pick a a sick fish... ie more stress on the fishies own immune system. The aquarium salt is something you could try.....


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

Agree with whats been said already. Hope he makes it.


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## Fishboydanny1 (Jun 13, 2008)

mollies need salt (except for the lyretails, but even they like it) and the aquarium salt will help if he can be saved. I've had livebearers - especially mollies - that will eat fine, but actually lose weight. onc they start losing weight...... nothing I can do....... 

try the salt. if anyone knows what my problem is too, please tell me.


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## missileman (Nov 5, 2008)

Sadly he didn't make it, he was already gone when I got home.
I still isolated the others but they seem fine so far, eating well and very active.
I will have to pick up some salt this weekend.
I am now convinced it was simply amonia/nitrite poisoning. Bad way to go and sadly we sometimes have to learn from our mistakes.
Thanks for all the great suggestions.


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## D & T (Feb 4, 2008)

MediaHound said:


> Agree with whats been said already. Hope he makes it.


Ditto on what MediaHound said!!:biggerfish:


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## MediaHound (Jul 19, 2006)

sorry about your loss


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