# swim bladder problem??



## MollyFry (Nov 14, 2006)

i was at the lfs store today and saw a molly who looks like she is gonna pop out fry any second now so i bought her, now that she is adjusted to her new home i am starting to see signs of swim bladder problems, now when i say she looks like she is gonna have fry i mean she has a balloon in her belly.

could her impending motherhood be causing problems for her or should i watch for something else?

thanks


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## handvie1 (Dec 10, 2006)

I, Not Really Sure About This But I Have Seen Fish Have An Air Bubble In There Stomachs... Once I Had To Slightly Squeeze The Air Out Of A Fish, But I Do Not Recomend Doing This Until You Talk To Someone Who Knows More About That, It Could Be Pregnant Or Not Im Not Sure.


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

It seems your fish has damaged internal organs. How do you feed the fish and what food are you using? 
Here are the following factors you may have look out: 
1. Congenitally deformed bladder 
2. Cancer or tuberculosis in organs adjacent to the swim bladder 
3. Constipation 
4. Poor nutrition 
5. Chilling or rapid fluctuations in temperature 
6. Serious parasitic infestation 
7. Serious bacterial infestation 
Make sure your temperature is stable and feed your fish with live food to ensure it is getting enough roughage.

A reply from one member of the other forum-This is in reply to another member who suggested meds.


> This doesn't sound like a case for meds. What it sounds like is possibly swim bladder problem and/or neurological problems. Unfortunately, it happens. There are many causes, such as water quality, sodium chloride overdose, physical trauma, temperature jumps, and various others. It sounds to me as if the fish is too far gone to save, and is probably suffering. My personal advice would be to examine the other fish, if any, and if nobody else is showing any of those same symptoms, be humane, but put the fish down and end its suffering. I would also advise trying to eliminate causes in water quality and incompatible tank mates that may be present, but posting test results for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and size of tank, how long it has been set up, what and how much you're feeding (how often, too), if you've done water exchanges, and how many, how much water, and a list of all the other fish in the tank... and how many of each, live plants or fake, everything you can think to tell us will help.


On 2nd thought, it seems your molly is a balloon variant. They are actually already deformed though the distributors keep the fact from most of the people. Balloon mollies are often susceptible to swim bladder problems. When feeding, it may be best not to use floating types.

Have a read on this one as your problem is almost the same as the author's.

Good luck.


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

handvie1 said:


> I, Not Really Sure About This But I Have Seen Fish Have An Air Bubble In There Stomachs... Once I Had To Slightly Squeeze The Air Out Of A Fish, But I Do Not Recomend Doing This Until You Talk To Someone Who Knows More About That, It Could Be Pregnant Or Not Im Not Sure.


You should not squeeze the fish's stomach. Squeezing can damage their internal organs and may eventually kill them.
Swim bladder problems are associated by imbalance of swimming and often the fish swims in an upside down manner.


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## MollyFry (Nov 14, 2006)

Well she gave birth last night and is looking much better, her belly is back to a normal size and her swim problem is gone so i guess it was just the fry putting pressure on her swim bladder.

i wasnt sure that could happen and it seems nobody else knew for sure either.

we learn something new every day.


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