Livebearers

Question
QUESTION: Hi Trish. I have 2 white mollies that often turn a shade of grey. What causes a discoloration in these fish. I change and test the water every 1-2 weeks but I'm just wondering if there's something in the water that does this. Also a few of my guppies have died. A couple of them had red spikes or tentacles coming from their anal area.

ANSWER: Hi Henriette. Thank you very much for the ratings feedback. I'm writing to you again because I want to try to help you with your problem.  You say you cannot get a specific medication in Australia, but can you get ANY type of Anti-Parasitic medications or Anti-Parasitic foods?  Even if ordering online?  https://www.drsfostersmith.com and http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquariumtreatments.html (I know the person who owns this place) and I have other sites too that you can see if you can order off of if you cannot find any anti-parasitic medicines.

You can also add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt (or non-iodized table salt....it HAS to be NON-iodized though) per 5 gallons of water and up your water temp. to about 82-84 and that may help in the meantime.  Do both of these slowly though, maybe do half the salt at one time, wait a few hours, then add the rest (being sure that it is melted before adding it), and slowly raise the temperature.

I will help you out however I can, please don't be afraid to just keep writing me.  I will watch for any questions from you and get back to you ASAP.  I'd like to help you be able to fix this problem.

Good luck and I'll wait to hear from you!  Have a great day!!!    ;o)


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Trish
Thanks very much for your answer. I will try what you have suggested and let you know how I went with it. A few months ago my local tropical fish store sold me some external parasite medication which didn't work. I'll try online and also try the salt. I have a bristle nosed cat fish and 2 peppered catfish so I hope the medication I get won't harm them.All tank dwellers are behaving normally and eating so that's a good start I guess. Thanks again Trish

Answer
Hi Henriette.  Glad to hear that things are starting to go ok.  Are you able to obtain a medicine there called "Quick Cure"?  If so, get that and use that in your tank as well (without any other medication in the water).  I have just cleared up a tank I thought I was going to lose to parasites through using this.  I was amazed.  I used that along with anti-parasitic food (Pepso to be exact).  The other food medications work too, whatever you can get at this point.

Keep me posted on how things are going, I would love to hear from you.  Oh, and the medication should say on the bottle to dose less on certain fish if it will be harmful. I don't believe that it will harm the bristle nosed or the peppered.  None of the medication hurt my otos.

Good luck!!   ;o)