Fallow black Mollie test tank

[fishfairy]

First, I’m questioning if the black mollie test for Ich is something I want to do, but if I do, my plan would be to keep the mollie long term and happy.
Do I need to add the mollie to the display to test if the fallow period worked? Alternatively, would setting up a ‘test’ tank with a few scoops of sand from the display and display water have the same results? My system is 200 gallons. My thought being if the mollie came down with Ich it would be easier to treat him and it wouldn’t reset the fallow period.
I have another 2 weeks before my fallow is up, I’m just nervous to add the fish back in when the time comes

 

[Doctorgori]

not a bad idea at all .... yeah I’d “infect” the test tank with sand/water from the DT. ... my guess is if there is ich, it will transfer over

 

[Dolphins18]

Just a thought, Ive dealt with ich twice in my display, with FW mollies in the sump. None have ever gotten sick and survived both ich periods.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

First, I’m questioning if the black mollie test for Ich is something I want to do, but if I do, my plan would be to keep the mollie long term and happy.
Do I need to add the mollie to the display to test if the fallow period worked? Alternatively, would setting up a ‘test’ tank with a few scoops of sand from the display and display water have the same results? My system is 200 gallons. My thought being if the mollie came down with Ich it would be easier to treat him and it wouldn’t reset the fallow period.
I have another 2 weeks before my fallow is up, I’m just nervous to add the fish back in when the time comes

Your alternative plan is better, but the reality is the molly method, while a nice theory, has some major flaws in its real life application and you shouldn’t rely on it. The real failure of fallow periods is people not quarantining new corals, or poorly quarantining new fish. Take a look at the sticky thread at the top here about 45 day fallow period.
Jay

 

[Saltyanimals]

Just a thought, Ive dealt with ich twice in my display, with FW mollies in the sump. None have ever gotten sick and survived both ich periods.

Makes me wonder if this black molly thing is even worth it reading some of these examples I'm seeing on R2R.

I added 3 mollies today to test my fallow and now just sitting back and waiting to see if I get a hit. These post suggest I may never. lol

 

[Dolphins18]

Makes me wonder if this black molly thing is even worth it reading some of these examples I'm seeing on R2R.

I added 3 mollies today to test my fallow and now just sitting back and waiting to see if I get a hit. These post suggest I may never. lol

I think the important thing is they aren’t getting velvet.

 

[Saltyanimals]

I think the important thing is they aren’t getting velvet.

That's the entire point of the molly to see if the canary gets something, but there folks such @mstoneman17 on this thread have said they had issues and yet mollies didn't show anything. And he had "mollies" so multiple change of fish getting sick and not a super-mollie that was immune.

I'm wondering if the sump helped isolate them and not enough of them made it to sump so mollies are better in DT? Maybe they drop straight to the bottom of DT and never made it through the overflow. Following this logic, keeping them in an acclimation box at the top also makes them more difficult to infect vs a molly that swims closer to the sand?

So many questions. I'm day two on mollie fallow test. Will report back if I get hits.

 

[Saltyanimals]

Possibly coincidental, but my mollie is potentially hit with brook after roaming DT freely for 3 days. Actually it escaped from the acclimation box that I drop to the sand. So zero hits while on top of the tank and hit after 3 days free roam. All within the "up to 2 week" period so again anecdotal, but I think it's best to allow it to roam freely in DT giving it every chance to catch something.

Pic below and some folks have said looks like brook. Only happening on one side and basically looks like discoloration. Other side is still solid black and nothing visible. I'm going to let it play out for another couple more days to see if ick or velvet or whatever will also hit it before removing to treat. Sucks because this was a fallow test..so back to zero for another 6 weeks !!?? !