Black molly not eating

[[email protected]]

I just started a new 10 gal tank with 2 zebra danios, 2 black mollies,
and 2 red mickey mouse mollies. Everything seems fine except one black
molly isn't eating. Another thing that I have noticed is that the tail
fin on this one is smaller than the tail fin on the other black molly.
Each one is just as active as the other. Does anyone have any ideas
why one is not eating? Thanks in advance.

Todd

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> I just started a new 10 gal tank with 2 zebra danios, 2 black mollies,
> and 2 red mickey mouse mollies. Everything seems fine except one black
> molly isn't eating. Another thing that I have noticed is that the tail
> fin on this one is smaller than the tail fin on the other black molly.
> Each one is just as active as the other. Does anyone have any ideas
> why one is not eating? Thanks in advance.
>
> Todd
>
Have you tested your water for ammonia? Mollies are rather sensitive to
it and not an easy fish for starting a tank. Your tank is going to
"cycle" as helpful bacteria that eat fish waste slowly grow in your
filter. Toxic ammonia and then nitrite build up in turn until the
bacteria that eat them grow. It usually takes about 6 weeks for a
fishtank to become a healthy place for fish.

Here's the FAQ on cycling. http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
You have a lot of fish for starting a 10 gallon tank, so you will see
quite a lot of ammonia and nitrite. When it gets high, do water changes
to keep your fish alive.

You need to add 1 tsp/gallon salt to the water for the mollies if you
haven't already. It will also help your fish in the nitrite part of the
cycle. Use pickling or aquarium salt because table salt has
anti-clumping chemicals that are bad for fish. Add 3 tsp each day for 3
days, until you get to a total of 9 tsp in the tank. Whenever you
change water, add 1 tsp/gallon to the water you pour back into the tank
so the salt stays the same. Don't add salt when you top off for
evaporation or it will concentrate.

Other reasons besides ammonia poisoning that your molly might not be
eating is too low a temperature (black mollies like it at least 75F),
stress from being brought home from the store, or an illness. The
different length tails are not a worry, unless there is a white edging
on the tail of the shorter-tailed fish. A white edge means there is a
bacterial infection called finrot. More likely, you just have one fish
that's younger than the other.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Dick]

On 5 Jul 2005 18:58:20 -0700, wrote:

>I just started a new 10 gal tank with 2 zebra danios, 2 black mollies,
>and 2 red mickey mouse mollies. Everything seems fine except one black
>molly isn't eating. Another thing that I have noticed is that the tail
>fin on this one is smaller than the tail fin on the other black molly.
>Each one is just as active as the other. Does anyone have any ideas
>why one is not eating? Thanks in advance.
>
>Todd


I will assume a new tank also means new fish. All new fish are not
equally healthy. New tanks need time to cycle. This is a hard time
for the fish. Most people will start a tank with cheap fish because
the risk of death is higher at this time.

How long have you had this tank? Is it planted? Are you doing
partial water changes? Are you adding any chemicals?

I have had more dead mollies than any other fish. Not a fish I would
choose to start a new tank.

dick

[[email protected]]

Elaine T wrote:
> wrote:
> > I just started a new 10 gal tank with 2 zebra danios, 2 black mollies,
> > and 2 red mickey mouse mollies. Everything seems fine except one black
> > molly isn't eating. Another thing that I have noticed is that the tail
> > fin on this one is smaller than the tail fin on the other black molly.
> > Each one is just as active as the other. Does anyone have any ideas
> > why one is not eating? Thanks in advance.
> >
> > Todd
> >
> Have you tested your water for ammonia? Mollies are rather sensitive to
> it and not an easy fish for starting a tank. Your tank is going to
> "cycle" as helpful bacteria that eat fish waste slowly grow in your
> filter. Toxic ammonia and then nitrite build up in turn until the
> bacteria that eat them grow. It usually takes about 6 weeks for a
> fishtank to become a healthy place for fish.
>
> Here's the FAQ on cycling. http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
> You have a lot of fish for starting a 10 gallon tank, so you will see
> quite a lot of ammonia and nitrite. When it gets high, do water changes
> to keep your fish alive.
>
> You need to add 1 tsp/gallon salt to the water for the mollies if you
> haven't already. It will also help your fish in the nitrite part of the
> cycle. Use pickling or aquarium salt because table salt has
> anti-clumping chemicals that are bad for fish. Add 3 tsp each day for 3
> days, until you get to a total of 9 tsp in the tank. Whenever you
> change water, add 1 tsp/gallon to the water you pour back into the tank
> so the salt stays the same. Don't add salt when you top off for
> evaporation or it will concentrate.
>
> Other reasons besides ammonia poisoning that your molly might not be
> eating is too low a temperature (black mollies like it at least 75F),
> stress from being brought home from the store, or an illness. The
> different length tails are not a worry, unless there is a white edging
> on the tail of the shorter-tailed fish. A white edge means there is a
> bacterial infection called finrot. More likely, you just have one fish
> that's younger than the other.
>
> --
> Elaine T __
> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

If I add salt to the water, will it hurt the other fish I have in
there? I have also noticed a small white spot on the lip of that
molly. The strange thing is, the other black molly eats more than any
fish in the tank and is really active.

Todd

[[email protected]]

I have only had the tank for a few days. I don't have any live plants
and I haven't added any chemicals. I have yet to do a partial water
change, but the tank isn't a week old yet.

Todd

[Elaine T]

wrote:
>
> Elaine T wrote:
>
wrote:
>>
>>>I just started a new 10 gal tank with 2 zebra danios, 2 black mollies,
>>>and 2 red mickey mouse mollies. Everything seems fine except one black
>>>molly isn't eating. Another thing that I have noticed is that the tail
>>>fin on this one is smaller than the tail fin on the other black molly.
>>>Each one is just as active as the other. Does anyone have any ideas
>>>why one is not eating? Thanks in advance.
>>>
>>>Todd
>>>
>>
>>Have you tested your water for ammonia? Mollies are rather sensitive to
>>it and not an easy fish for starting a tank. Your tank is going to
>>"cycle" as helpful bacteria that eat fish waste slowly grow in your
>>filter. Toxic ammonia and then nitrite build up in turn until the
>>bacteria that eat them grow. It usually takes about 6 weeks for a
>>fishtank to become a healthy place for fish.
>>
>>Here's the FAQ on cycling. http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html
>>You have a lot of fish for starting a 10 gallon tank, so you will see
>>quite a lot of ammonia and nitrite. When it gets high, do water changes
>>to keep your fish alive.
>>
>>You need to add 1 tsp/gallon salt to the water for the mollies if you
>>haven't already. It will also help your fish in the nitrite part of the
>>cycle. Use pickling or aquarium salt because table salt has
>>anti-clumping chemicals that are bad for fish. Add 3 tsp each day for 3
>>days, until you get to a total of 9 tsp in the tank. Whenever you
>>change water, add 1 tsp/gallon to the water you pour back into the tank
>>so the salt stays the same. Don't add salt when you top off for
>>evaporation or it will concentrate.
>>
>>Other reasons besides ammonia poisoning that your molly might not be
>>eating is too low a temperature (black mollies like it at least 75F),
>>stress from being brought home from the store, or an illness. The
>>different length tails are not a worry, unless there is a white edging
>>on the tail of the shorter-tailed fish. A white edge means there is a
>>bacterial infection called finrot. More likely, you just have one fish
>>that's younger than the other.
>>
>>--
>>Elaine T __
>>http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>>rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com
>
>
> If I add salt to the water, will it hurt the other fish I have in
> there? I have also noticed a small white spot on the lip of that
> molly. The strange thing is, the other black molly eats more than any
> fish in the tank and is really active.
>
> Todd
>
The small white spot may be ich, or the start of a flexibacter infection
(sometimes called "mouth fungus"). At this point, I would add salt and
watch and wait. If you try to add a medicine to a new tank you will
likely disrupt the cycle.

I recommended the salt based on the fish you said you had. I assumed
you meant red mickey-mouse platies rather than mollies. Do you have any
other fish in the tank?

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[[email protected]]

You are right about the platies. I don't have any other fish in the
tank.

Since the tank is a week old, I'm guessing I should do a partial water
change then add the salt. Thanks for all the help.

Todd

[[email protected]]

I have good news. The black molly is now eating. I bought some
freeze-dried bloodworms and they went over real well. I guess it
didn't like the flakes.

I changed some of the water tonight and also added salt.

Thanks for all the help.

Todd

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> I have good news. The black molly is now eating. I bought some
> freeze-dried bloodworms and they went over real well. I guess it
> didn't like the flakes.
>
> I changed some of the water tonight and also added salt.
>
> Thanks for all the help.
>
> Todd
>
Glad to hear it. Mollies also need greens and algae in their diet to
say healthy. If your tank has no algae, you might try a slice of
cucumber rubber-banded to a rock, or a spirulina flake.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com