Is my Black Molly sick?

Question
I've had my tank for a couple months, it's 10 gallons and i have 7 fish and 1 snail. I have a medium sized filter and i try to change the water every month. Lately my fish (a black molly) has retreated to a corner of the tank and seems to have white spots it also has a hard time swimming but does try to eat. Should I remove the other fish? Clean the tank at once? What should I do?? please help!

Answer
Hi Crystal;

If your molly has tiny dots that look like salt specks, it is a parasite called ich. You will need a remedy for it from the fish store.

If the white spots are more like blotches, it's a bacterial infection that is common in mollies when their water quality is not very good. Use an antibiotic called "Maracyn" along with some aquarium salt and a natural product called "MelaFix". The salt and MelaFix help heal damaged tissues. These remedies are not going to work without getting the tank clean though. All tanks require a weekly 25% water change along with gravel vacuuming. What you don't want to do is a major cleaning and remove a lot of water. Only replace 25%. It is very bad for the biological balance of your tank to make major changes and can shock your fish. That's why the weekly 25% changes are important. It gets the job done but leaves the tank still balanced and the fish happy. It is important maintenance that will keep the water chemistry consistent.

I hope your fish feels better soon...

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins