nancybabe

Hi all,

I am a freshwater beginner. Initially I bought one male and female gold molly for my 1 gallon tank.
From my observation,male molly is aggressive.. sometimes he eats the whole food rarely giving chance for the female one.Male is so active.
After 10 days,female gold molly was found dead.Later I noticed 4 to 5 small frys(guess it is plural of fry).Only 1 was found alive.But later he(fry) is also dead.Then I bought a female swordtail (since the store owner said that gold molly and swordtail can breed).Then she is doing fine in the tank.
But after nearly 1 month, the male molly got swollen at his eyes and face(seems like a frog face) and it survived nearly 3 days after that.Slowly swollen face is becoming normal.But one day he was found suddenly dead. Why is it so?
I do 50 to 60% water changes every 7 to 10 days.But why did it happen like this?
Now m worried whether to replace dead male molly with another fish(any livebearer) or not?

please help!

Lucy

Hi Nancy If I havne't said so already, welcome to Fish Lore

I'm really sorry about your fish, it's sad to lose them.
Unfortunatly, your tank isn't big enough for your fish.
Are you testing your water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
If so what are the readings?
Is your tank heated? Filtered?

The ratio of for live bearers such as yours is 3 females to 1 male. Otherwise, he will harrass her.


Here's some important information you should read:
Beginners
Be sure to read the links
I wouldn't replace anyfish until you're able to to get a larger tank and cycle it before adding any fish.

Good luck.

11yancazosj

that is some top notch advice Lucy but what i want to know is why the male got so puffy:

- Where its scales sticking out?
- Was it's eye abnormally large?
- Is your tank cycled?
- Did you condition your water after or during the 50-60% water change?
- Was the molly suffering extreme stress?

I think that from the informmation you have given us you will have to wait for a much more experienced user such as Lucy...I left you with those questions to think about because they may be one of the minor reasons why your fish contracted this disease and died

nancybabe

I went to fish store to find out the fault..They said that the water became toxic for adding more food. I donno dis in d beginning..

Now I have changed the water and rinsed gravel..and the other fish is doing fine..
But now I am opting for a bigger tank(nearly 10 gallon)..but worried if I can maintain well a bigger tank!!

Leigh

Bigger tanks are actually easier to maintain. I woudn't rinse the gravel, Lucy correct me if I'm wrong, but you could be washing away beneficial bacteria.

I have a 5 gallon with 3 adult fish and my 2 babies are in a breeders net so they don't get eaten. I don't have a male adult, I bought a pregnant female.

Just hang around here...ask questions and READ, READ, READ!! You will learn a lot. I'm on my 4th tank! ACK!

agabr123

yeah, you definitely don't want to rinse the gravel. most of your beneficial bacteria is going to be on your filter media, but there will be quite a bit on the gravel and decorations and rinsing it will disturb the bacteria bed and possibly send you into a mini cycle.

fishrule101

I would get a ten gallon tank. Stater kits are cheap, and it will help you maintain the fish you want. I'm sure Wal-Mart haves some for about $40. I had one of my mollies do that( get swollen) a while back. The reason was his swim bladder. I'm not sure what the disease is call, but that made my molly get really big. Hopes this helps!!

P.S. It sucks when the fry die.