Cloudy eye on molly

[traco1]

My male kykesis I noticed today has one cloudy eye. There is a female molly who doesn't like him and I think this happened due to fighting? 90 gallon tank, ammonia and nitrite are zero, nitrates are 20, temp is 74 (too low?). I do 50% water changes weekly, sometimes more.

I don't know if my tank is overstocked?

6 albino cories
6 rummynose tetras
4 adult swordtails
3 adult mollies
10 guppies (3 adults, rest juvies)
4 juvenile swordtails
2 BN plecos
a few apple snails


Should I pull him and treat in a QT tank, (and if so, with what?) or hope that with clean water, things will improve? No other health issues with any of his tank mates.

Thanks.

[Katalyst]

One of my goldies scratched her eye on an ornament, my breeder suggested pristine water and salt. It did the trick and took about two days to completely clear up.

[CACAdmin]

Not really sure, but it does sound like an injury. I think I'd leave him where he is to let it heal (unless of course he's actively fighting) Maybe add a little extra salt and do an extra waterchange. Keep an eye on him and let us know if it improves.

[traco1]

Thank you Kat and Jay for replying. I'll up the water change schedule, keep an eye on him and keep things really clean.

One question, looking at the number of fish in the tank, am I overcrowded?

[CACAdmin]

I don't know requirements for all your fish but your numbers seem fine to me. Do you have lots of open swimming area? Mollies do like plants to hide amongst (and nibble algae from) but also need a large open swimming area too. (more important for molllies with large sails). Maybe he injured his eye on something sharp in the tank.

I had a female molly who kept scraping the top of her head. I couldn't figure out how... finally guessed it was on some tufa rock she would dive under the edge of to escape the advances of the males. Obviously, the gal had no sense of her own size... nor any common sense in that she did it repeatedly. :rolleyes:

Keep us posted on how he's doing.

[traco1]

Hi Jay. His eye is looking a tiny bit better. I think it could be a combo of things that were happening in the tank. Stress with the female chasing him, the heaters were not plugged back in after the summer so a cold tank (was maybe 70), I noticed he had ick and plugged the UV sterilizer in, and saw that a black female molly had a cloudy eye yesterday too. I'm upping the water changes per tank to more than once a week and also am taking stock of what I have and what I want to achieve. I have realized I have too many tanks and the fish are suffering due to that.:(

Today, things seem to be on the mend. There is plant coverage in the tank, both surface and planted, so lots of places to hide and also has a big open front area for swimming and being able to stretch their fins. I'm glad it doesn't sound like my tank is overloaded, phew ...

Tank temp is 72 right now with the heaters on, should I raise the temp? To...?

[CACAdmin]

Fighting off ich could have left them more susceptible to a secondary infection. Upping the temps is a good plan (keeping in mind the needs of all the fish in the tank). As to what temp, I don't know what to advise. Many livebearers do very well at room temps but mollies generally prefer it warmer. As for me I keep my tanks at 78-80 (but that's simply a personal choice... based on what works for me.) If you do raise the temps, do it gradually.

[traco1]

Thanks Jay, I wondered if 72 was enough. I'll bump it up a bit daily. I'm not unplugging my heaters anymore. Better safe and costs a bit more than sorry that the fish got sick due to low temps.

[CACAdmin]

I don't think low temps causes illness, but it can stress any fish who don't handle lower temps well making them more susceptible to whatever 'bug' are waiting in the wings.

Keep us posted on how they are doing.