highwaylady26

Help me please! We bought a 2 gallon tank for our son. Luckily, my husband had an aquarium before and knew about the cycle process. He told me when the tank was ready and I took my son to a pet store. Asked about what fish would be best and all. They recommended black mollies, we bought two.
One died within three days, I took it out right away, called the pet shop and changed some of the water as we were told. Now our second molly has white spots all over it and was hanging around the top of the tank. I came on here and read up on them. I did not know to add salt water. I won't be able to get any until payday.Could this be what is causing the spots?
I changed the water by 20% and the fish is no longer hanging around the surface. I don't want him/her to die. I am hooked on fish now and plan on reading all I can so we can buy a bigger tank.
Did I do the right thing? Will it be ok until I can get salt for the water?
Thanks,
Donna and James(It is his fish he says)

0morrokh

The white spots are symptoms of ICH, also known as White Spot. There are some medications you can buy to treat it. Adding salt will help, too. Mollies like at least 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon (not marine salt or table salt). Ich/White Spot is usually not fatal, but you should start treating it ASAP. Have you been testing your water? More info on your water perameters would be helpful. If you haven't been testing it, you can buy a kit of test strips for pH, hardness, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Also, try to move the fish to a bigger tank--10-gallon or bigger is best. The problem with smaller tanks is that if you are using a heater, it is probably cooking your fish; if you are not, your fish is probably too cold. And do you have an aeration system? If not, when you're fish was hanging around the surface he was probably gasping for oxygen. The water change would have added more oxygen to the water. Buying an air pump, tubing, and an air stone will solve this problem.

fishfreak

mollies feel better in a bigger tank like 10 gallons to 50 gallons if u are going to put salt in ur bowl make sure u dont put much. What usally think gold do better in bowls than mollies do they r easy to take care of too.

highwaylady26

We have an air pump and stone but no heater. Ugh, I wish the pet shop had told me all this. I feel like a fool. We don't have any testing strips either. Hubby thought we had some, can not find them. We are tight on money, so I won't be able to buy anything until next week. Do ya'll think she will be ok until then? I am going to buy a bigger tank (at least a 10). Can I use the stones from this small one to do the cycle process?
What is the medicine I need to get for Ich? Thank ya'll so much for your help.
Donna

fishfreak

She will be ok if u have a walmart where u live u they ten gallons for for around 30 dollars with a filter a top with a light a heater it comes with other stuff like a net a test packet of aqua safe test food of tetra min tropical that is pretty cheap and is a good tank to start with i have two ten gallon tanks with mollies it the do fine in it. all u have to some rocks maybe a oranment u dont have plants and oranment all at one time u can build up on that stuff.
i hope this info helps u