humBill wrote:
I have a 10 gal tank with 4 platies and 1 molly - al but one is male. In
the past 3-5 days I have noticed the molly has a nearly transparent poop
trail and is not eating. It is a bit more isolationist than norm, but all
in all acts pretty normal. At feed time it will swim around a bit but not
eat. Nitrates are 20-30 but I am reducing them through water changes now.
Am, Nitrites - 0. pH 7.6, kH & gH both around 120, temp 78. I do salt
lightly (1 TBS every 2nd or 3rd 25% weekly water change.) We do feed
mostly flake food and there have been two 'batches' of fry in the last 3
weeks of which only 1 was seen/survived about 3 weeks ago and 2 the last
week. Not sure if the molly was the mom, though she has gotten smaller (fry
or not eating?). I doubt this is an external parasite/bact problem.

I would appreciate any suggestions about how to proceed.

Thanxx
Bill


I'd start with more salt. Some people successfully keep mollies in
freshwater, but I've only been able to keep them alive in 1 tsp/gallon
salt or more. You don't mention what kind you have, but sailfin mollies
are really brakish water fish and can even live in sal****er. If you
don't have plants, go all the way to 1 tbsp/gallon salt over 2-3 days.
You also need to feed mollies veggie food regularly. If you have been
feeding a standard protein-rich flake, your mollie's diet may be part of
the problem.

Try removing the carbon from your filter and adding a dose of copper to
the water in case he has copper-sensitive parasites. (Add copper and
salt with water changes to keep the dose the same.) You could also
raise temps to 82 but watch your platies for signs of stress between
salt and high temps.

Your fish is pretty sick, but hopefully the salt and water changes
you're already doing will help. If he starts eating again, feed a good
spirulina flake for half of the diet - your platies will appreciate it
as well.

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