MollyMomma
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Posts posted by MollyMomma
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I do indeed think it's something to do with genetics! The male fish above is still all spiky looking, but acting completely fine. He has a yellow brother whose scales are perfectly normal.
Right now in my 20g I kept 9 brightly colored fry. Many of them are now maturing & are Also from the same parent fish. 2 are displaying raised scales & the other 2 are displaying raised head scales only. 1 has normal smooth scales.
How do I make sure they do NOT breed any further? Usually I bring fry to my LFS but if they are malformed then it would be impolite to sell them or give them away. Would you cull? I think I've had enough of breeding.
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It's now been 30 days, all seemed well, yesterday I was doing my normal weekly WC on this tank & noticed at least 2-3 of the fry now also have cloudy eye. So I'm gonna assume it's bacterial ?
The tank is pretty dark, because it's covered in floaters. Duckweed & frogbit. I removed a lot of it (it reproduces like crazy!) & could now see the fish much more clearly. I guess it was so dark that I didn't notice it.
I just used the search button on the forum & found tons of answers. It seems API fin & Body cure is a popular one to use for cloudy eye?
It's just mollies in this tank & 1 Female BN pleco for 2 years. The only thing I've changed in the past 6 months was adding a few plants & upgrading to a larger HOB filter. Not quite sure what I did to introduce this disease. Unless it just attacked the injured mother fish first & spread from there.
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You guys think it's okay to put him back in the tank now? He's been in his own separate QT box for a while.
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On 2/24/2022 at 12:56 PM, MJo said:
I know this is late! I hope you’re having luck with your baby.
I got some 72 hour heat packs off Amazon for emergencies. Wrap them and your QT tank in a nice warm wool blanket. You’re probly going to want dim light anyway.
Oh it's okay, she's not with me anymore. My mother in law has her now. She said the fish is healing and looks fine, in her own quarantine tank. She said she will add her to the large tank to live out the rest of her days once her head is all healed up.
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On 2/23/2022 at 5:12 AM, Torrey said:
If his sire also had blocky looking scales, and there are like the sires... but more so...
AND
They didn't look different until puberty.... is there any chance his mom was out of the same lineage as his dad?
Because what you are describing would be a sex-linked trait.
@Biotope Biologist, my memory says the blocky (or some circles say bubble, or pearled) was the result of incomplete dominance?
Of course, my memory can also be flawed, because stroke. Is it possible to have a sex linked, incomplete dominance genotype?
And what would the phenotype look like?
[Mollies are not something I have bred since 1978.... I am pulling on old memories]
Oh that's interesting!! So I did buy the breeding pair at the same store BUT from different tanks at different times.
I looked for over 6 months for the bright yellow/orange. They are hard to find up here in New England.
Then I kept the best colored females, put them in a separate tank, and traded the males back to my LFS.
I keep females mostly now because I like how they interact, and they stay smaller. Males are aggressive.
This QT was originally a 29g. I dropped 3 bright yellow fry in there to grow out. Then the tank broke out in fungus & I was afraid to move them back. One of them just happened to grow up & be male.
But so his weird scales could be a product of line breeding?
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On 2/22/2022 at 3:56 PM, Biotope Biologist said:
Ah yes they are raised but again I have never seen dropsy look so… mild. Usually the skin under the scales is pink-red and clearly agitated which again I don’t see. I’d monitor the situation and if you notice a decline in health get some dropsy medication. They look very healthy though.
I hesitate to say such things, because I only know surface level information on mollies. But, in my job every once in a while I see fish and skates with scales like this. Very thick some even develop spines on the scale itself. I believe it’s a genetic mutation but I do not know how widespread this mutation is amongst species.
perhaps someone who is an avid breeder of livebearers could drop in with some insight into this peculiarity
Thank you very much for the info. I posted it on here because it looked SO odd, there was this very large, short finned, bright orange molly who sired him. He had blocker looking scales also but not as prominent as this. Out of all the mollies I've bred, I've only seen it twice, out of hundreds in the past two years.
But, this tank has literally been "ill" for 12 months, just one ailment after another (mainly bacterial + fungal) alongside multiple medications.
He does look a bit better since soaking in the saltwater solution for the past week, but just to cover all my bases I wanted to ask my fellow fish-keepers.
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On 2/22/2022 at 2:03 PM, Biotope Biologist said:
That’s a chunky boy but I don’t see anything that screams he is unhealthy or diseased.
dropsy is fairly obvious with the scales physically lifting off the body. There is a reason it has the nickname “pinecone disease.”
Also that’s terrific news on the pleco!
This is what he looked like 1 week ago:
In the 2cd photo, there is a female below him, when the two fish are compared his scales look very different.
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No he wasn't born with it, as he started maturing his scales looked more broader than the females, then a few weeks ago I looked in the tank & he looked "puffed up."
I went back in my fish tank journal to check for info.
This tank was pretty bare- just a little sand because it was intended to be used as a short term QT, but I figured they'd be in here a long time so I added:
-1 sandwhich sized bag of leftover sand (Caribsea super naturals)
- 3? LBs of gravel
- some floating plants from my 5g grow out. Duckweed, water lettuce, frogbit.
THe scales started lifting AFTER the treatment of API fin & body cure was completed.
And after adding plants & Gravel.
BUT the pleco's condition has improved, and he got worse. That's why I was wondering if maybe it was an internal parasite.
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How can fish keepers tell 100% if it is Dropsy? I've had this orange male molly in Quarantine, I think for about 1 week now.
I check parameters daily, replenish fresh water, add aquarium salt. It's heated also. I added duckweed for cover, and keep a towel over top to keep it darker.
He seems fine. Eating, pooping, I'm not seeing any bloating. His scales just seem thicker, blockier, and not smooth compared to his female companions.
Are there any other reason for scale lifting? Like parasites or some type of abnormality?
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Torrey, that's too bad! But I've learned that these fish are hardy, and definitely have surprised me. Usually when they're close to death, you call tell, like what you said, they exhibit behavior differently, and we listen, Thank you.
@Colu I wanted to show you a photo I JUST took a few minutes ago, while feeding. The Red BN is starting to heal up. Her Dorsal fin was completely gone, and you helped me quite a bit with meds & dosing so I wanted to share an update:
She still has a lot of scar tissue, but the holes, erosion, fin & tail rot, and white spots/patches have improved dramatically:
Sorry 2cd photo has a weird reflection.
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Okay, Thanks guys. I think ill keep him isolated for a little longer and just monitor him then. Like I said, he seems okay, behavior is normal, eating healthy. And if he takes a turn for the worst then I'll put him to sleep. I guess I'll just watch him for now though.
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He is not getting better.. Or worse. He just looks the same.
I made the Epsom salt bath/dip a few days ago per Torrey's instructions on the previous page.
He is now in a separate container, with added aquarium salt only ~ 1 Teaspoon per gallon.
I've been doing a lot of reading & every website says to put the fish to sleep because it's chance of survival is so slim.
Should I? I have clove oil on hand for emergencies. I've used it twice- and hated doing it both times 😔 but if it's that bad, with internal swelling, Would it be kinder?
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Well good news, my mother in law (who I introduced into fish keeping a few years ago) Popped by today, she witnessed what I was dealing with & offered to take the molly home & treat her in her spare tank. Because I'm already fighting something else in my 15g, long story, but anyways;
Case closed,
Thank you all for the help!
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It's staying at a steady 68° I checked it all throughout the day. It doesn't feel cold to the touch, but she's used to 10° warmer, I found someone to take a bunch of the fry Tuesday. (About 4 times per year I bring in the fry to a LFS) so hopefully being isolated & the salt will help, oh and yes I own a ton of floating plants! Thank you guys for all the help & info. I will post an update if she gets better or worse, this forum is great!
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On 2/13/2022 at 2:04 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:
Tupperware would work, as long as she can't jump out of it. You could use the lid and make sure it stays cracked with the airlines.
You had said the other fish were picking at it- I'd be wary of that as they could make it worse. I would isolate and monitor if I were in similar shoes. I would consider adding salt to stave off bacterial and help healing. HOWEVER if you think the temp would be bad for them you could just monitor the situation- really only you know what your tank/fish is telling you so go with your gut.
I can say when you get a chance pick up a floating breeder box- they come in handy- in this case you could isolate this little one but they'd be in the tank.
Thank you for the advice! I do have a mesh breeder box that suction cups in the tank, but after 2 years of molly breeding, I gave up on saving them ALL.
I went to Walmart tonight & purchased a temporary holding container, I think it's 1 or 1.5 gallons. & a small 15W heater, after just reading the pamphlet it says the heater never turns off.
So I filled the container with Dechlor. Water. I'm going to do a trial run tonight with no fish in it, see where the temperature sits. It's in a warm spot, if the water stays warm then tomorrow morning I'm going to move her over, & add some salt.
The fry are picking at her poor head, and she almost "bows" down and just let's then do it! She does not try to push them away!
Inside the 20g is an Aqua clear hob 50 & an Aquarium coop nano sponge filter, with the never clog airstone in it, can I remove the old dirty air stone & use it as a temporary filter? I'm wondering if there's enough BB on it to run a small holding bin with one fish. I think its too small to fit the entire sponge filter.
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Would a tupperware container be okay? I have some I keep down here just for sponges & airline pieces. All spare heaters are too large. I added a little salt to the tank.
A couple days ago, after she wiggled out of the cholla wood (it's a thin skinny piece) her head looked raw, white, red, and scales lifted where she hit it. Now her head has a long flat white area, no fuzziness to it, could it be just healing up on it's own?
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On 2/12/2022 at 6:56 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:
Well, if said container (like a specimen container) was only as big as a breeder box it's possible. Doesn't look pretty but could work. Can you bring infected fish upstairs? Is it warmer there?
It stays about 70° upstairs. I'm gonna go look around & see if I can find a decent container & a small heater. I had a mini one but it stopped working. My main tank is 29g so they all are long heaters.
I may just move the fish out of the 5g & use that tank since its all set up, cycled, heater lights. It's full of plants, I purchased a couple Otto's a while back they've been in QT in there; before adding to the 29g.
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On 2/12/2022 at 6:42 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:
What you can do is find a suitable workable container and put water from their tank into the container for treatment, the temp will of course slowly go down, add an airstone or small filter if you have one. As far as heater, do you have a warm room? I run tanks with no heaters and they maintain 75-77 degrees because the room they are in is warm.
I see mollies can tolerate temps as low as 71 I think that can easily be maintained in a container....also bacteria which is a concern with an injured fish doesn't grow quite as well and will be easier to treat.
I've got so many spare parts & pieces kicking around, I will dig through the drawers and see what I can find.
It's a finished basement/living room where they are. I spend a lot of time down here & keep the thermostat at 71°, but I'm not sure how warm the water would stay without a heater. In the summer it would be okay but it's winter & chilly here right now.
I wish I could float a container in the tank for her, but I think the 20g is too small.
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On 2/12/2022 at 5:13 PM, Fish Folk said:
I’d put her in a dimly lit quarantine tank. Might be an abrasion… maybe something else. If an abrasion, time and mild antibiotics might help.
Ugh im a little tight on tank space. I have a 15g QT with a sickly pleco in. I have a 5g QT for new fish but it's also occupied, I could maybe find a container but all my spare heaters are quite large.
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I have a 20g Molly tank. It's almost 2 years running now. Very rarely do I see any illness in it.
20 gallons, Freshwater planted
Nitrate: 25ppm
Nitrite: 0
GH: 150ppm
Kh: 60-80ppm
PH: 7.2
Chlorine: 0
Temp 78°-80°
I just did my routine WC. It's comprised of 1 small BN, 2 adult female mollies & about a dozen of their fry.
I believe she scraped her head inside a piece of cholla wood. She keeps rubbing it against the heater. And now for some strange reason the fry are picking at it? It looks like an abrasion, the scales are lifted, I'm concerned about further infection & was wondering if I should add salt or meds?
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He is eating like a pig! Swimming fine, no abnormal behavior, even mating! He gets jumpy if anyone (or the cat) gets up & close too quickly to the tank. I've heard/read so much about dropsy & never have experienced it, so I had no idea what this was, because the photos I've seen with dropsy were all fish with huge extended abdomens, severe pineconing, swimming issues.
He does have a new symptom though, there was a red spot On his side, now there's a white area and a few scales missing- that's how the pleco's fungus started 1 year ago though, white & red spots. So I'm continuing a 2cd round of kanaplex.
I'm glad I did not move these fish back into the main tank/or other tanks because whatever this is (internal/external) keeps rearing it's ugly head & I don't want to infect my other 3 tanks. So these 5 fish may just have to live in this tank together for an extended period.
I only expected to have to QT them for a few months, and here we are months & months later, 1 year of total sick time.One fish looks better than another worse. It's like it takes turns.
All in all... This has wiped out like several corydoras, 9 or more Ottocinculus, I've lost count.. But all red spots, white pstches, white fungus symptoms. And only in THIS tank or to fish whom were exposed to this tank.
I have 3 other tanks running & rarely see illness, lots of fry so I might have a few turn up dead. I might see a scrape or something here or there, but it's weird.
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Thank you both, I will look in my cabinet tomorrow or go to the store & see if there's Epsom salt. The other meds besides kanaplex I may have to order.
It looks so strange! I just sat in front if the tank for 20 minutes during feeding time to try & get more clear photos.
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On 2/5/2022 at 11:23 PM, Colu said:
good to hear your bristlenose is getting better also I haven't seen a Molly that has been bred to have protruding scales I think it's more than likely Dropsy @MollyMomma
I have never dealt with dropsy before, I've read that salt could help?
Ugh, It could be any number of things causing it - seeing as how this tank & these particular fish have undergone quite the ordeal.
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On 1/27/2022 at 4:11 PM, Colu said:
Pineconing is cause by Dropsy organ damage such as polycystic kidney disease causes fluid buildup raising the scales or an internal bacterial infection the best treatment is kanaplex in food as that a good antibiotic treatment for kidney disease and metroplex to treat the water column as it treats aeromonas a common cause of Dropsy and aquarium salt to reduce the fluid buildup
Colu, I finished the Kanaplex treatment & no change to the molly. BUT the pleco's tail - all that gunky leftover white stuff has cleared up! I'm so relieved! 😌 This is the first time I've seen her poor body clear of white patches, in what, 6 months?! Amazing. So the API fin & body cure followed up with kanaplex took care of what was left.
The molly, he is not Quite "pineconing" if you refer to photo #1 up above on my last post, it's like the edges of his scales are spiky & not smooth.
Normally (on the females anyway) their bodily outline is smooth, his is pronounced. I think it looks odd, I only ever keep Females though, I try and remove the males & bring them to my LFS quickly.
There was a very large orange male who sired him & his scales were bulky like that too, so I did not know if this was a trait in males or something else. I've only ever seen it On two large male orange mollies.
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Calling a SOS need HELP with Sick baby BN Pleco
in Diseases
Posted
Thank you, well maybe I can call my LFS when they open tomorrow & explain. I have 4 tanks going, and there's mollies in EVERY one from them breeding. They don't seem to eat the fry anymore & it's just becoming overwhelming. They are a nice bright orange, so they looked good against the plants, but Livebearers just want to breed non stop. & now were seeing ill bearing marks.