Beaten up mollie?

Question

I have neons, danios, a gourami, a dwarf african frog and a mollie. I am the kind of fish dork that will actually stare at their little community of fish and watch interactions and health of fish every day. I have been noticing that my mollie is getting beat up... but by who?
I watch and no one ever seems to even bother with my little guy. but yet his head has had some wounds. They are healing. And now a chunk is missing from his dorsal fin. WTH? I don't get it.
My fish are pretty docile and all seem to swim around pretty oblivious of each other. Could it be some wierd disease or is someone really attacking him? Water levels seem ok - A little ammonia that I am rectifying with 25% water changes but even that seems like it couldn't be enough to cause this...
I am at a loss. Thanks for your help...

Answer 1

If someone is beating him up, my guess would be the gourami. But, if you're showing ammonia in your tank, either your tank isn't fully cycled, you aren't/weren't doing enough water changes, or it's overstocked. It could be fin/tail rot that's starting, which is usually caused by poor water quality (the ammonia). Once you get the ammonia and nitrites to 0 ppm, get on a regular weekly water change schedule. I'd do about 20-25% once a week. If you're tank's less then a 10 gallon, give some thought to upgrading to at least that size. For the torn fin issue, pick up a bottle of MelaFix. It's a natural remedy that works wonderful on injuries and such for them. And you're not a fish dork, that's kinda the point of having a fish tank, to watch and enjoy them :)
Good luck!!

EDIT: Gouramis aren't known fin nippers, and my experience and all I've heard, you don't want more then 1 gourami in a tank. They get aggressive towards each other. Granted, there's always the exception to the rule, but I'd advise against getting more gouramis. And, I seriously doubt the frog did it....my money's on first the fin/tail rot, then the gourami.

Answer 2

The Gourami would be the one attacking it if any fish are harming it. Gouramis can become territorial and obviously are bigger than a molly.

As for the ammonia in your tank, you might want to get rid of that. Diseases that your fish MAY have is Fin Rot, since you said that his dorsal fin had a chunk out of it... but i highly doubt it.

I'd say that the Gourami is getting a little territorial. I wouldn't worry about it unless it gets worse. The Gourami will eventually stop.

You have more pressing issues, such as your Ammonia levels. If the ammonia levels rise and the molly is being harassed by the Gourami, it could die from being extremely stressed.

Answer 3

Why dont you try taking him away from the other fish for a while give him a private bowl and see what happens make the water the same way add the ammonia in the exact amount and if he ends up missing anymore Lims then you will know it is the water or a disease if he heals up and doesnt get anymore problems then its obviouse that he is being bullied

Answer 4

my money is on the gourami. they are from the same family as bettas just a little less crazy.

second bet would be the frog -- they can get very defensive if they feel the need.

put some melafix in your tank to help your molly heal. its good stuff.

Answer 5

i bet it is the gourami,for the simple fact is that gouramis are fin nippers, your best bet is to get about three more gouramis,so they can school which means that they will be to busy worrying about each other that they wont pick on your mollie .i should know i got twelve gouramis, and three blk and 4 spotted mollies. and they get along fine.when i added more gouramis

Answer 6

Could mollie be getting to close to the suction of the pump or possibly getting scratched on any ornaments you have in the tank ?