MaddieLynn

One of my new female mollies looks weird. "Bloated" isn't really the word for it... I don't think she's pregnant, because I've had pregnant guppies before and that's not what she looks like. Her stomach is very deep in the front, behind her gills, but not in the back. It's not fat sideways, but up and down it looks large. She is eating fine, but I'm wondering if she is getting sick. I bought her 2 days ago along with a black female, and the black female looks the same way, but not nearly as much.

Does anyone understand what I'm trying to say? I'll try to get pictures. Does anyone know what could be wrong, if anything is wrong?

KyWildFish

She sounds like shes constipated. Mollies are notorious pigs when it comes to feeding time and usually dont get the proper diet. Mollie will eat anything and can eat most diets but they SHOULD be given mostly veggie based foods as that is what they are most able to digest.
Try giving her a frozen pea mashed between your fingers. Peas are a great source of fiber for the fish and can help move things along if she is backed up. My mollies love them too.

If he behavior changes and she starts looking lethargic I would either remove her from the tank and either q-tank her or take her back to the pet store, she might have dropsy.

MaddieLynn

I don't have any peas, but I have been feeding them lots of vegetables. I give them a mix of flaked food and algae wafers. I'm about to get the pictures.

MaddieLynn

Here is the one I'm talking about.



Here's the black one next to one of my "old" mollies (I got them about 6 weeks ago) who I consider to be normally chubby.



Here's the one I'm worried about again, also with my 2 "old" mollies. Can anyone tell me what her color and the color of the bright orange female are called? I know the little black & gold one is a gold dust.



Not a very flattering picture, but it shows how fat she is.



Last picture - this is a good side shot.

MaddieLynn

Anyone able to tell what's wrong with her from the pictures? And what are those colors called?

KyWildFish

She just looks to have a stomach full of food. I would cut back a little on the feedings and try the peas if you can get them. The swelling could be a number of things but you will have to wait and see if her behavior changes before you make any calls. She could just be fat.

I believe the color is "cremsicle" as its a blend of silver (white) and Orange.

MaddieLynn

Thanks for the help!

I love her color! It almost looks pink sometimes!

agabr123

i'd agree that she looks really full as well, maybe cut out the flake food from her diet for a while and just feed algae wafers, fresh veggies, and frozen bloodworms

MaddieLynn

I only fed a tiny bit of flake today for Sprite's benefit. The rest will just have to eat algae!

agabr123

ah okay, your dwarf gourami can eat the bloodworms too so you still may want to try that for them for a week or so

MaddieLynn

Where do I get frozen bloodworms?

agabr123

i've gotten mine at petsmart, they should have a freezer right next to the fish section and they come in a little package and are separated into cubes. i feed them to my fish by putting a little bit of the tank water into a plastic cup then putting the cube into the cup. and using a plastic fork to fish them out and feed them to my bettas

fishchick

my molly is the same way but stomach is fat more at the sides ! I have had one die one me already !