Shimmies
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[edit] The Shimmies
Shimmies, also known as "Molly Disease" or "Livebearer Disease", is most commonly seen in Mollies. It gets it's name from the action it causes the fish, which is to stay relatively still and wag, or "shimmy" its body from side to side, and often includes the fish scratching and itching on objects in its environment.
[edit] Causes of Shimmies
Despite being labelled a disease, it is not a disease at all but the lack of electrolytes in the water that prevents the fish's metabolism from working correctly. If left untreated this can be fatal.
[edit] Curing the Shimmies
Electrolytes can be added to the water via Salt, and it's the lack of this in the water that most often causes the Shimmies in Mollies, who are essentially Brackish fish and not Freshwater.
[edit] Store-Bought Solutions
There are several products on the market that are designed to help cure the Shimmies, even though the addition of the correct type of Salt should suffice. These include the following
- Molly Bright - Liquid Treatment by Jungle Laboratories.
- Shimmy Blocks
More details coming soon.
