Fish burned her face
 

My female Molly gave birth a week or so ago, and in the last 3-4 days has been acting weird. The male and her spend most of the day by the heater, even if I chase them away they come back almost immediatly. The female rubs her 'face' up and down the hot part of it and now it looks like top of her head is pink from the heat. I cant take the heater out obviously but I can't keep her away. Don't want her to die, but I'm not sure why she's doing this. Any advice for me before i have a baked fishstick?:lol:

Wow I have never heard of a fish doing this before and I have been keeping fish along time (20+ years). Maybe you could get some plastic netting like stuff they sell at home depo and lowes and make a cylinder type inclouser to place around it. It has holes so the water will have no problem moveing around it but the fish will not be able to get to it.
Edit: They also sell these sheets of plastice stuff that I use to make dividers for my betta tanks its about .80 for a piece of it. I can't think of what they are called right now but I think they are suspose to be for cross stiching.

Acctually read this. It should point you in the rite direction
Plastic netting from oranges aquarium safe?

The fish is probably sick... Fish crave heat when they have some sort of infection. (They can't run a fever like we can.)

Do you have plants in the tank?
If not, I'd reccomend 2 teaspoons of salt per gallon, and raise the temperature if you can.

Do you have a filter?
If so, is there any way you can put the heater inside the filter?

Can you raise the temperature of the water?

Redchigh I did not know that about fish so once again you have taught me something. LOL
iamrayn could you maybe post a picture of the fish? What other fish are in the tank and are they acting weird rubbing on the rocks or plants in the tank?

Could also be internal stress- ammonia, nitrite, metals... Usually infection though.

The temperature is pretty steady between 83-84 with the heater on low. I use salt regularly with water changes, maybe i'll do another one and add some today. Makes sense that she could be sick. The male is there too, a few inches above her but he's not at the hottest part like her.
1 Bala Shark
1 Tin Foil Barb
1 Red Tail Shark
3 Silver Dollars
3 Kissing Gourami
2 Molly's
2 Angel Fish
1 Peacock Eel
1 "Dinosaur Eel"
That's everything that's in there, and none of them are too large yet so they've all been comfortable and happy for 3 months. None of the other fish have changed their behavior. I'll get a picture in a minute.

How big is your tank? Do you know what your ph, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings are?