molly fish

Question
Hello. I have a 10 gallon tank with two mollies that i feed twice a day and (i know they are schooling fish but most of my other ones died and i haven't had time to buy more.)one of them keeps swimming vertically facing up and now he or she's barely swimming any more and its hiding behind the plants and is lying on the gravel. please help!

Answer
Andre,
If your fish is having problems swimming, then it is suffering from swim bladder disease. I would cut the feeding down to once a day. Remove the ill fish and put it in your hospital tank. Remember that molly's are brackish fish and need to have some salt in their water. Add 1 teaspoon of aquarium salt, that has been completely dissolved, to 1 gallon of water. Fast the ill molly for 2 days, on the third day feed her a shelled cooked pea cut into bite size pieces and then fast her for 2 days. To help prevent swim bladder disease, feed once a day only what the fish can eat in 2 minutes. Remove any uneaten food at that time. Fast them once a week followed by a shelled cooked pea. Make sure their heater is at the right temperature and that you are doing weekly water changes.