[Tabby216]

This morning I find one of my adult mollies dead. She might of been there overnight since when I checked on them at night I didn't see her. She was a very pretty fish...

I tested my water parameters

Ammonia:0
Nitrite: 1.0
Nitrate: 20

What caused this nitrite spike? Yesterday I switched from my old filter to a new filter but I kept the previous cartridge bag and placed it in there instead of using the new cartridge bag. Also a few weeks ago the aquarium just finished with the nitrogen cycle.

 

[Romad]

I'm sorry to hear about your fish Did you add any new fish to the tank recently? What size tank do you have and how many fish are in it?

 

[Tabby216]

A few weeks ago I added two amano shrimp to help with the algae. Now I'm left with two platies one molly and many molly babies. Its a 10 gallon tank fully planted

 

[Tabby216]

Two weeks ago to be exact I added the shrimp

 

[Romad]

Did the molly have signs of decay? It's possible that that fouled the water enough to have the spike that you show. Do a water change and a really good vacuum of the bottom.

If you can get your hands on some Seachem Prime conditioner, triple the dose until you get your params. back to where they should be.

 

[Tabby216]

Yes she was decaying. I did a 50% water change and added prime. The day before she died I also did a water change so the prime conditioner maybe helped. All the fish and shrimp are alive
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[Byron]

I would not replace the dead molly, just in case you might think of that. This is only a 10g, and as another member said in your other molly thread, molly really should have 20 gallons or larger. They do get large. And they need very stable water. Plus you mention fry which will need culling out soon.

Your mention of 20ppm nitrates in both threads is a possible concern; you also say well-planted, and with plants I would not expect nitrates above 10ppm, and likely lower. Molly are sensitive to these, any of the nitrogen forms (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). If mollies are subjected to cycling or a new aquarium, they may live through the initial stages but usually succumb down the road. They are not a "hardy" fish by any means, compared for example to guppies or platies.

Byron.

 

[Tabby216]

I am not replacing her but funny thing is the fry are not being eaten by the adult fish. I have left java moss in the tank so they would hide but they only did that for a little. Now all of them are free swimming with the adults even the little tiny ones. This sounds crazy there suppose to eat the young.

I did not know nitrates would harm them the tank just recently finished the cycle with 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 10-20 nitrate. So far the black molly and frys are all swimming actively but I will keep an eye on them.

as for tank size I cannot get a 20 gallon but as the fry get a little more bigger I will be giving them away for more space.
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[Sylverclaws]

Mm, you have parameter spikes because your tank is considered extremely over-stocked. It wont fix unless you make stocking changes. Even a single molly in a ten gallon isn't too good, especially with youngins. They're not being eaten because most likely your fish are too ill to be chasing them down. Mollies should actually be kept in nothing smaller than 30 gallons and require groups of 5 to be properly happy, or four of the smaller types that get no bigger than 2.5 inches in a twenty, but with the bioload they give off, which is very high for a tropical fish, would be pushing it unless it's densely planted.

I know how hard it is to not have the space your fish require and having to give some up. But you should really give up those fish and go with five guppies. Five guppies and your shrimp are the only things that can really fit there if you want multiples. The other option is complete re-stocking and getting a betta and maybe three African Dwarf Frogs. The tank cannot support what you have.

If you don't make changes, the spikes will continue to flux and get worse regardless of how much you clean, and will eventually kill everyone and make them sick and highly likely to get parasitic and bacterial infections of all kinds. So you have to make a big choice here, or risk everyone dying and suffering. =(

 

[Tabby216]

I moved the adults out of the tank now leaving the fry only in there. There hasn't been a spiked so the previous one was caused by the fish that passed away.

I would disagree that my fish are unhealthy they have been doing really great. I think they did not eat the fry because of having enough food in the tank. There is algae all over the surfaces. I also feed them four times a day but now it is cut back to two times per day.

 

[SeaHorse]

Be sure to do lots of water changes on the Fry tank too. They should get a change a day for a few weeks. Clean fresh water makes them grow much quicker. Studies have proven... and it sure can't hurt!!

 

[Tabby216]

Be sure to do lots of water changes on the Fry tank too. They should get a change a day for a few weeks. Clean fresh water makes them grow much quicker. Studies have proven... and it sure can't hurt!!

Thanks! I do change the water once each week. They are also short-sighted to the fact there is a vacuum in there. I've sucked in a few before but always saw them and only had to put one back in from the bucket. They are not scared of anything sometimes they peck at my hand when I do stuff in the tank. It tickles lol I love them all

 

[Sylverclaws]

I wasn't trying to be mean or anything. ^^; Just trying to give tips. Tanks like that are always ok...until they're not. I try to give people tips and the why's that I didn't get when I started, my tanks were also fine...until they weren't. Lost my whole tank in only a few hours after a parasite hit and spawned, it was heart breaking. =(