# Black Mollies dying



## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

I read they can live between 2-5 years estimated. Anyone here have them? How long did they live and did you have them in brackish water? (I had some years ago, but my cat kept getting the lid off the tank and every morning I found him hanging on with his bottom in the tank-they didn't last long after that)

I think we have had ours a year. I wrote in about my Black Skirts fins, added fish ,medicated and so on. Everything has been fine. So, the Mollies recently had white on them and I treated the whole tank. The rest of the fish are fine, but the mollies are always at the top and one is breathing very hard, and lost a lot of weight. So my high PH level was the only one out of range,like 8.3 or so. I do weekly water changes etc. The rest of the test were fine. Oh, I have gotten a new heater and temp sticker. 

I'm not asking for a help on whats wrong, but if their age has anything to do with them being ill and not the others. The 8 misc tetras and 4 Glofish are acting and look fine.:-? (29 gallon)


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

*UPDATE!One Glowfish has died, black thin molly looks like his head was smashed in, but no open sores.* *Now I need help Please!*
Housing 
What size is your tank? *29gallon*
What temperature is your tank? _*78f*_
Does your tank have a filter? y_*es-Top Fin 30*
_ Does your tank have an air stone or other type of aeration? _*Bubble wand*_
Is your tank heated? _*yes*
_ What tank mates does your betta fish live with? _*Not a betta in it list:*_ 2 black mollies, 4Black Widow Tetras,4serp Tetras and was 4 Glowfish, one died.

Food
What type of food do you feed your betta fish? *Tetra Flakes/Brine Shrimp Frozen once in a while*
How often do you feed your betta fish? *Almost Daily
* 
Maintenance 
How often do you perform a water change? *Weekly
* What percentage of the water do you change when you perform a water change? *About 25-30%
* What type of additives do you add to the water when you perform a water change? API Stress coat + has chlorine remover in it

Water Parameters:
Have you tested your water? If so, what are the following parameters?

Ammonia:_*0*_
Nitrite:_*0*_
Nitrate:*10-20ppm*
pH:_*7.6*_
highph _*8.3 or 8.4-did water change yesterday, will check again..*_
Hardness:
Alkalinity: 

Symptoms and Treatment
How has your betta fish's appearance changed? _*White on Mollies*
_ How has your betta fish's behavior changed? _*Mollies breathing hard at top of tank,one last weight that has "smashed head"*_
When did you start noticing the symptoms? _*A week ago *_with a _*Mollies*_
Have you started treating your fish? If so, how? _*I have used Tetra Fubgus Gaurd*_
Does your fish have any history of being ill? *Just the torn fin issue from the Teras staring the problem.*
How old is your fish (approximately)? _*1 year*_


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

Hi! I owned mollies. I found that dalmation and black mollies (regular and balloon mollies) tended to have so much more problems, however I have no idea if that is related. However, mine lasted about a year.. take in mind you usually buy them as adults so they'd have been 2-2.5 years old at least. They should be in brackish water, however people fail to realize one teaspoon per water change makes the water more salt wate than brackish... if taking out 25% put in 25% of salt you usually put in 

Also, they tend to be very very prone to cotton mouth. Even if it does not show up on their mouth, it will show on their body and fins as a strange white spot that refuses to budge with mild treatment. Best case is Maracyn and Maracyn 2 combined to battle it. Trust me! I've gotten 3 mollies with it, first one was orange (Mama) and she died since I thought it was regular fungus, and treated it so. Second was a dalmation black molly female who had it and was having troubles with birth. Third was her baby, who first showed signs on his mouth.


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

Thank, Im sorry I asked you to reply . One molly had the white near its mouth/gill, and the one with the "smushed head" had it in the middle of its body. Those were gone within two days of medication. Yes, I feel worse they are not in brackish water.

The glowfish that died- the right eye out, and gill closed, just odd. Didn't look like fungas, maybe a reaction to the meds? The belly is round but I know they can bloat when they die right? The high ph is down to 8.1/8.2 and I did just did a water change,thinking maybe it would help. Thanks you


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

Oh, it was two days ago for the other water change, not yesterday.....


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

When a fish dies always do a water change. Mollies actually live well in non-brackish water, I had half of mine (the aggressors split up) in non-brackish water with the platy fry, and the tehrs were in brackish water and they still lived about the same... however the ones without salt did get the cotton mouth. It is highly contagious, so you'll need to treat the entire tank and any live plants you want to quarantine.

And it's fine  I know a bit about mollies so I can help


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

You know, Im good with Bettas, except the walmart ones, Im good with two fish in a tank, but when it comes to many in a tank, ugghhh! I would get a picture of them, but my pics never turn out lol!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

haha I know what you mean! I am cursed. I cannot have 14 or more bettas....... -dun dun duuuun- :lol: seriously. every time I get 14 or more, somebody has to die on me. D:


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

I lost another glofish this afternoon, and my purple one is breathing hard at the top. Got the dead fish out, 25%(estimated) water change and I have just put in the Tetra Parasite Meds,thinking maybe this is it? There is no fungus on any of the fish, temp is fine. I checked the water again and this is what I have...

Ammonia:_*25*_ maybe a little less. api test,,yellow is always off...
Nitrite:_*0*_
Nitrate:*10-ppm*
pH:_*7.6*_+
highph _*8.0-*_


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## animallover (Dec 10, 2011)

Sena Hansler said:


> haha I know what you mean! I am cursed. I cannot have 14 or more bettas....... -dun dun duuuun- :lol: seriously. every time I get 14 or more, somebody has to die on me. D:


That's a lot of Betta's :lol: After my 29gallon, I think I will just sell the tank or let sit for a very long time!


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## Sena Hansler (Aug 24, 2011)

-cough-sellittome-cough- :lol: I got 2 new females today... purty ones. 11...12..13.. whew! I'm safe xD


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