I love my Mollies (fish)....Why are they so puffy?

Question

My mollies get such puffy bellies. I heard when they get puffy like that it's because their innards are swollen due to water retention and they're actually in pain. I don't want my little mollies to be suffering! How do I un-puffify my mollies? What am I doing wrong? And no, they're not pregnant. Some salt is already in the water.

And if it's dropsy, how do you treat it

Answer 1

If it is dropsy, their scales will stick straight out from their body and they will die within a few days.

If it comes and goes, you are feeding them too much. Fish only need to be fed once a day and you can skip one or two days during the week. A hungry fish is a happy fish.

If they are pregnant and you never see any babies, the other fish in the tank are probably eating them. Do you have other fish in the tank?

Water retention? Whoever told you that must have no clue about tropical fish.

Mollies are happy when you add about a teaspoon of salt per gallon of water. Don't forget that salt does not evaporate and when you add water to allow for evaporation, do not add salt to it.

Only add salt when you, yourself, physically remove water from the tank and replace it while doing your regular (weekly) partial (25-30%) water changes.

Water changes are the single most important thing you can do to keep your fish healthy and happy. BTW, never change 100% of the water once your tank is up and running. You will lose all of the beneficail bacteria that you need and the tank will have to go through the nitrogen cycle all over again, including the ammonia spikes that kill many fish every year. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all toxic to your fish in varying degrees, but ammonia is the worst. The beneficial bacteria help in eliminating some of them but water changes are needed every week to maintain there levels at or near 0.

Answer 2

Saber had a good response, could be any of those. If they start getting a pinecone shape, and it looks like their fins are sticking out, then I'd say dropsy.
If the swelling comes and goes, and it seems to happen after they eat-overfeeding.
If it's just a big belly, and they're female, probably pregnant. They could've gotten pregnant at the store before you bought them. Do you know how to sex them?
Scroll down on the link to about 1/2 way, shows good pictures too.

http://www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html#Dropsy

http://www.fishdeals.com/fish_diseases/dropsy/

Don't treat for dropsy unless you're absolutely sure that's what it is. Antibiotics will kill off the beneficial bacteria in the tank, and put undue stress on the fish. Just be sure to keep up on your water changes-at least weekly.

Answer 3

They aren't retaining water. Molly only get a big belly as a result of over feeding, pregnancy, or dropsy. Over feeding can be cured by only feeding once a day no more than they can eat in 2-3 minutes. Pregnancy for most females is just way it is. Even with out a male they can give birth 2-3 more times. Dropsy is the result of organ failure due to disease, and/or ammonia/nitrate poisoning.

Answer 4

I have them too, it will go away the next day. Another possibility , which has happend to me in the past is that your lil molly is pregnant. I had this happen twice and i had little mollys swimmin all over my tank. If they get real huge and are healthy and all that, i suggest buying breeding grass incase they have little fishies. My baby fish turned out just fine :)

Answer 5

even as i'm prepared on Molly, i will not photo it on a grown lady. I truly have a buddy named Molly Jade and that i imagine that it truly is a impressive call. Molly Sophia and Molly Jane are also wonderful.

Answer 6

Really not pregnant? Mollies seem to be very easily re-produced, it would have been my answer.

Answer 7

When my mollies got swollen it was because they were pregnant!

Answer 8

If they are not pregnant, and they are not dying because of some sort of stomach/bladder infection my only guess is that you are overfeeding them.

Answer 9

Feel better, fish!!