# Fish trouble



## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

This post is for a friend from another forum. She has mollies and this is what she says that is happening: One of my mollies (gold dust) has been swimming around with his head down, almost smilling on his head. Really weird. Anyway, I"m trying to figure out what this is, and what to do. He can still swim normally somtimes but for several days I've noticed most of the time he's swimming like on his head. Help?

Occasionally have them test the water for me at the store. I know owning fish I really should buy a test kit. Haven't done that yet though. The last several times they've tested it, everythings been good, I"m changing water every week as its still cycling. Its a 10 gallon tank, 72 degrees.

Oh, and their stomachs' both (both of my mollies) look really big and puffy. Especially the one who swims "on his head"



As soon as I can get a pic from my friend of her mollies I will post it here. Please help her.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

Here they are. The bloatedish looking one is on the right. I tried putting the pea in there last night after I had already fed them and they both ate some. The one looks almost totally back to normal that wasn't swimming on its head and the other looks a tad bit better. Still bloated ( as you can see in the picture) but not spending so much time on his head swimming. Do I keep feeding a frozen pea when I feed them until better or..? At the same time do I also keep up with fish food and the pea? What could originally cause this? LOts of questions as you can see I think I need an informative fish book to read through. Also, the one fish having more issues (Lokki is it's name ) always seem to have a long strand of poop stuck to it and its not quite normal looking...


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

I am having trouble posting the pic from another site. Anyone know how to do it? When I copy and paste it doesn't include the pic as you can see.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

Ok here is the thread. There is a pic of the mollies and a description under the photo. Please someone help! I will relay any thoughts to the person who is having the fish problems.

http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=70159&forum_id=5


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

It looks like maybe constipation. She can try 1 teaspoon of epsom salt per 10 gallons water as a laxative and see if that improves things. the one standing on its head may also have a swim bladder issue.


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## Guest (Jan 21, 2012)

Thank you! I just told her what you posted. I also suggested that she register on here so that she can get help with her fish the next time they get sick. I am hoping that she does.

Here is a pic I got from her, it is the same one on the thread, but I thought that maybe someone might not be able to see the pic in the thread, so here it is:










How should I continue feeding them? Several people recommended to feed a defrosted pea, which I did again this morning. Should I also keep with the normal fish flakes? Should I continue feeding a pea when I feed them?


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

This is from my friend on the rabbit forum. We have a off topic section that deals with issues other than rabbits. But we have very few fish experts on the forum.

thank you so much. I already have some epsom salts, so I will go try that now. As for the one possibly having a swim bladder issue, is there anything I can do for that?

Do I just keep feeding them as normal?


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

It's best to isolate both into their own hospital tank if possible. Swim bladder isn't definitive, just a guess. Keep an eye out for other symptoms.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank you! I just posted your reply on the thread on the rabbit forum in the off topic section. I will post more depending on the question(s) she has. Anything else that may help her?

Also she is going to try to register and I did tell her to be patient as it takes some time to get approved.

Thank you for your help. Anymore will greatly be appreciated.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

Here is another question from my friend:

Ok, I'd thought of doing that but hadn't yet. The one that was still really puffy in its stomach looks alot smaller (its stomach area). I'll try to get a current pic up. I'll have to see about getting another tank set up-would a small one work like 2 gallon tank for one of them, and leave the other in the 10 gallon?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Microwave the frozen peas and take the skin off. You can cut them up if they are bigger than the fish can eat. Peas are very safe, just remove uneaten ones as any uneaten food makes ammonia. For fish that don't poop, feed peas only for a few days. For other fish, feed fish food too as peas aren't complete nutrition. Peas often help with bloating and swimming funny. Keep a close eye on water quality in any "cycling" tank. If you don't test the water, change water "just in case", more and more often than you will when 'cycling' is done. Be careful with concentrations of salts. If you add salt, epsom salt or anything else, only let the amount/gallon change slowly. A sudden decrease in salt or hardness levels can cause bloat, swimming funny, and death.


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## Guest (Jan 23, 2012)

Thank you emc7. I haave told my friend what you posted.


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## Bunnylova4eva (Jan 22, 2012)

Thanks Angelclown for getting me started on the forum and posting this for me. It's helped alot. I've been doing the pea trick and both fish are looking alot more normal. I think I may just continue that for a bit and see if that's all as they are looking so much better. I've been doing the normal flakes with the pea. I'll see about getting a new picture of how they currently look if I can find the charger to my camera. Today's time for another water change.

On a side note- I've been told to change 20% water once a week for the first 6 weeks of cycling. Is that right? The tanks been set up for longer than that, but in the past, since we are unexperienced in fish, no one ever even told us and we stuck with once a month. Fish were dying and someone told us about cycling. =P NO wonder we've lost so many fish before..anyway, So I've been changing some for the past 4-5 weeks. If I test it and all looks good, can I soon switch to once a month or what?


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

You want to use a test kit to measure ammonia and nitrites. Do a daily 20% water change if you still read positive for either chemical. Do a larger change if the readings are very high. Once you start reading 0 ammonia and nitrite your tank has cycles and you can do a 20-30% change every 2 weeks.


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## Guest (Jan 24, 2012)

You're welcome Bunnylova4eva. Glad you have joined! Have fun and enjoy!


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## Bunnylova4eva (Jan 22, 2012)

Ok, that's what I'll have to do then. Is there a specific kind of test kit that's the best to get?


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

API is the one most people use.


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## Guest (Jan 26, 2012)

I trust the API products and they are the only ones that I have used.


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