# Found Molly dead and very bloated at bottom of tank. Contagious?



## snook413

Hi everyone! So I found my favorite fish dead at the bottom of my tank this morning with one of my shrimp trying to eat it. She was a Dalmatian Molly and seemed to be fine last night swimming around - very active. This morning I found her very bloated at the bottom of the tank. I am new to this hobby and have no experience with any fish diseases. She did have some babies (I was able to catch about 15) a week and a half ago. They have been in a breeding net and are doing great. I did notice 2 days ago that she seemed to be a little bigger but I thought she was just pregnant again. I know Mollies can have several "batches" of fry with no male around.

Does this sound like any type of disease that could spread to my other fish? Anyone have any ideas on what could have cause the demise of my molly? Thanks in advance everyone!


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## Lil Gashog

It could be dropsy,but not really sure.Maybe some more exp. people can varify.


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## snail

Bloating is a symptom off dropsy, swim bladder problems, constipation. It is possible that it has a contagious cause but quite likely not. Dropsy is much more common in aquariums with high ammonia. Have you tested your water? How long has the tank been set up, was it cycled?


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## snook413

snail said:


> Bloating is a symptom off dropsy, swim bladder problems, constipation. It is possible that it has a contagious cause but quite likely not. Dropsy is much more common in aquariums with high ammonia. Have you tested your water? How long has the tank been set up, was it cycled?




Hi Snail. The tank has been set up for right at one month now. I upgraded from a 10 gallon tank to a 15 gallon so when filling the 15 gallon I used the water from the 10 gallon and added about 4 gallons of water treated with prime. It ran for about 12 hours before I introduced my fish. I had the water from the 10 gallon tested before using it and it tested fine. I did a small water change about 2 weeks ago and had the water tested again. Everything looked fine. All the other fish seem healthy and are eating well. Is it possible that the Molly was sick when I purchased her? 

The only other thing I can think of is that I put a small bunch of wisteria in the tank and I did find an unwanted snail in the tank this morning. I am assuming he caught a ride in with the wisteria. I didn't think that could have anything to do with the Molly, but maybe so. 

Thanks for the responses everyone!


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## snail

Did you change or wash the substrate and filter/ filter media? Most of the beneficial bacteria that breaks down the ammonia and nitrites are in the substrate and filter media, not the water. A month is about the right timing to be at the hight of your cycle with toxic levels of ammonia and or nitrites. If you used the old filter and gravel then this is less likely. I'd recommend at least doing a 50% water change and it would be good to test your water. 

For more about how cycling works look up the nitrogen cycle. Here is a link:
Manage your freshwater aquarium, tropical fishes and plants: Nitrogen Cycle for Dummies


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## snook413

I only used some of the old substrate. I put in a planting substrate and mixed in some of the old gravel. I am going to get the water tested again. I really hoping this was a isolated incidence. Thank you very much for your advice, and I will check out that link. I was thinking that it would only take about a week or two for the tank to cycle, sounds like I was wrong. Thanks again!


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## snail

4-6 weeks is normal but I would have expected it to be a bit quicker if you used some of the old gravel. I'd do a large water change either way because it can't hurt.


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## Gizmo

I've had fish become bloated and develop red spikey protrusions around the anus before death. I've heard this is a sign of parasitic infection.

As far as being contagious, I would treat it as if it was. Feed your fish some flake food soaked in garlic juice (or just straight mashed garlic, if they'll eat it), and dose a half-dose of anti-parasitic water treatment to make sure to get the parasites, if that is what is going on. If it is dropsy, I'm not sure if that is contagious or not. Someone else will be able to tell you more about that. One symptoms I do know you can look for with dropsy is pineconing (when the fish's scales stick out like the sides of a pinecone).


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## snail

Dropsy is a symptom rather than a specific disease, it is caused by organ failure. It can have many causes some contagious some not. Reading over the symptoms again though it doesn't sound like dropsy as it tends to develop slowly. It seems likely to me that the fish died and then bloated after it was dead.


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