Odd behaviour

[Typej084]

Hey all, nearly all my mollies (probably 4 of them, 2 pregnant ones the most) starting a couple of weeks ago have started 'flashing' on the smooth objects in the tank.(ie, heater, filter) There is no sign of 'ick' in the tank and the 10 cardinal tetra's in the tank don't display this behaviour.
All of the water parameters are fine and all the fish are eating healthy, swimming normally, so yeah just wondering if its a quirk they sometimes have or a prelude to something serious. Any insight appreciated. Thanks!

[Jaster]

Do the mollys look like someone sprinkled a white-goldish powder on them? That could be something like velvet... that would cause them to flash.
Or it could be a type of external bacterial infection.

The two prego ones, well mine were nutcases when they were getting ready to have the fry. They were all over the place and doing all kinds of odd things, like rubbing on stuff in the tank. but it was only smooth things like the filter pipes, the glass of the tank, and other fish, never anything "scratchy" like the background, driftwood, or rocks...

Keep an eye on them and watch for illness signs... if you start seeing signs I would suggest dosing with melafix and pimafix. I've used both before and helped greating with the bacterial issues I had in my tank.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Gayle]

My Mollies do not flash. It is a sign that they are itchy. It may not be ICH, but I would guess they have some sort of parasite. I dont think the Tetra can handle salt, so maybe give your Mollies a salt bath? Up the temp a bit.

http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/treatments/salt.htm

I do not think you should treat with any chemicals due to the prego ones. Just my opinion.

[Typej084]

Thanks for the quick replies, the mollies i have a are dalmation, since ive had them they have had small yellowish patches on them (bout 10 weeks now) i assumed that was natural colouring. I checked the velvet page, all of them are still very energetic with only one i noticed now with rapid gill movement.
Just a few of questions...
1. If i treat with the mela/primafix will it kill the fry?
2. If i decide to give them a 'salt bath' will it shock the fish at all, more so the fry?
3. Would giving the gravel a good vac plus raising temp help much?
4. What salt is best to use?
Sorry for all the questions, just never treated for disease before. Thanks again!

[Alfcea]

Not all flashing is due to diseases. In some cases, fish do it for territorial reasons, because they saw a tank mate doing it, etc... If I were you, I wouldn't do anything at this point. Only watch them closely, but i they are fine, then they are fine!

[Gayle]

Do you have pics of the yellow patches? Is it raised? Only one has rapid gill movement..is it still doing that?

[Typej084]

Sorry, my camera is busted at the moment but the yellow patches aren't raised, looks pretty natural. The one with rapid gill movement is still doing it, and that's also the one that i've never seen with the flashing behaviour. It also usually hangs around by itself (not hiding just seems like a loner) and is agressive to the other mollies.

[Typej084]

A dalmation molly died today, but this ones gilling slowed and started hiding out yesterday and died just now as i was getting ready for work. I checked the body out and there was lots of yellow patches on it and it seemed bloated. The yellow patches didn't seem to be protruding and it didn't have clamped fins before death either. I'm at a loss, not sure if its velvet but the mollies were flashing vigourously on the gravel this morning, any idea what i should do?
Im hesitant to treat because of the fry, or is there a temporary set-up I can use to put the fry in while i treat the tank?

[Gayle]

I am going to guess that it is velvet, but it of course could be something else.

http://www.aboutfishonline.com/articles/velvet.html

In my opinion you are going to have to do some kind of treatment. The fry are just as suceptible to disease as the treatments.

I would move the fry, and just try a slow up in temp, and some salt on them and see if that helps. It may or may not.

That article also says that blacking out the tank may help. It is worth a try.

[Typej084]

Thanks for the info. I'll try the blackout method before i medicate. As well as that i finally scored a decent ph test kit, the last time i had a chance to test the water it was 7.2 (about 8 weeks ago) now the test says its 6.0 or below, does ph naturally drop like that? Can the mollies survive in a ph that low, since im aware they are more alkaline fish and if not what can I do to raise it? My tap water here is about 7.4
Sorry for all the questions but the info/help is great!

[Sarkazmo]

That's a considerable difference in PH. Is your water sparkling clear or does it have a slight tea color to it? Almost sounds as though you're using something like peat make the water acidic... or maybe it's dead plant material that's dropping the PH. A fairly significant water change seems in order though. Probably 1/2 to 2/3 of the tank to bring the PH back up to a more alkaline state. I'm sure the Cardinals are loving the soft water but that's quit a difference for Mollies. Are you doing weekly water changes? If so, how much?

Sark

[Typej084]

My water is sparkling clear, i have had a few dying plants lately, not heaps though. My usual schedule is weekly 30% changes. I'll do a big change soon to see if it shifts the ph to a more alkaline state. Last time i did the 30% change the ph didn't budge. But i've got no peat or anything like that in the tank, i did have a small piece of driftwood in there but removed it for now. I have a massive snail infestation i'm trying to control would they affect ph, like dead shells or anything??