Livebearer tussle a thon   5/9/06
I have already received a response to the items below (just can't find the email right now) and thought I would include it as background for my current question...
<Thanks>
I'm looking for suggestions as to what to do with "Bubbles"...the skittish male platy in the 10g tank.  The female molly is fairly aggressive with him,
especially at feeding time.  I try to put food at both ends of the tank, but when he tries to eat, she still chases and nips at him.
If I put him back into the 35g, the other male platy chases and nips at him. If I put the female molly into the 35g, I'm sure the male molly will be after
her again and they will start fighting again (he still hasn't completely healed from her last nips).
The only things I can think of are 1) put the female molly in the 35g, but add 1 or 2 more female mollies at the same time?,
<This will likely work>
2) then add a few female platies to the 10g for "Bubbles"?
<Sounds very good>
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
<I would do what you state. Bob Fenner>
(FYI...the 10g is my 3 yr old son's aquarium.  He had 5 fish, now has 2 and keeps asking me where all of his fish are going!)
Donna

Guppies
My sister had two guppies. One male the other female. One day she found her male guppy at the bottom of her bowl, dead. Would a female guppy be 
aggressive enough to kill a male guppy? She also had baby guppies about 5 days after he died. Would this be part of the problem? And a week or two 
later the female guppy ate all the babies. Is this normal?
Sarah
>>
Sometimes a female will be very outgoing... but rarely kill a male guppy. Often these animals "just die" from "old age". At time of purchase, most only live about a year more.
Having the babies didn't have anything to do with the males passing... but unless there is lots of space or decoration (plants, breeding "grass", or a breeding trap), livebearers, like guppies, platies, mollies and swordtails will definitely eat their young.
Bob Fenner

Molly - Cory compatibility
Doctor Fenner,
<Call me Robare, just not late for din din>
My wife and I recently started an aquarium in our apartment. While I was growing up, my grandfather was an avid fish keeper, and it really rubbed off
onto me. Finally, I have a setup of my own, and we bought four beautiful black lyre tail mollies to start.
<Ah, great>
I've heard from several sources that Cory cats are good tank mates for mollies. However, I wanted to make sure before I head out to my local
aquarium shop that Corys can handle the slightly harder water that mollies need. Thanks for your help!
<Yes, good question... "modern" Corydoras catfishes are much more "plastic" (tolerant of wide, varying water conditions) than those of yore. Will do fine with Mollies, even tolerating a modicum of salt. Be chatting, Bob Fenner>
-Chris

Those Crazy Mollies
Dear Bob, Thank you so much for your website! Obviously much time and effort has gone into it, and it is outstanding!
<Agreed! Anthony Calfo in for Bob while he is away>
I have discovered 11 new baby mollies in my 39 gal brackish tank, it has only been set up for 3 weeks, and the 2 original mollies (male and female) were actually meant to be test fish, but surprise! What now? Do I have to remove babies from the tank? I only have one aquarium.
<nope... mollies are one of the very least cannibalistic of livebearers... although no guarantees>
Also, I really wanted some other kinds of fish in my tank, but what will not eat the babies? I was thinking of bumblebee goby (sp?) 
<might work nicely is suitably brackish>
and angel mono.
<yikes! Too aggressive...grows too large and fast>
Also, when will it be time to do the partial water change, and will it affect the babies? 
<just do a normal and proper water change...same salinity/temperature in and out for aged/new water>
Is there a possibility the babies will be different colors (other than white and gray like the parents)?
<absolutely... much hybridization in livebearers>
Thank you in advance for your help. Sue
(ps I don't know if you need this info but my sp gravity is 1.008, temp is 75)
<excellent Sue, keep learning and growing. Anthony>

Livebearing fish
I Have a 20 gallon tank. I want a Mollie but I like them all. What should I do?
<many livebearing fishes have similar requirements and are peaceful enough that they can be enjoyed in mixed company. Stable temperatures, slightly alkaline pH, and mildly brackish water and you have yourself a home in the 20 gallon for 12-15 assorted platies, mollies and swordtails. Resist putting too many aggressive males in the tank and be prepared for the inevitable reproduction that will occur. Have an outlet for the babies or specialize by species or gender instead. Best regards, Anthony>

Re: Guppy and Molly Fry together
Hello,
My silver Molly had babies (4 weeks ago), and they've been put in a fry net that hangs on the side of my 10 gallon tank.  My guppy gave birth to 17 fry 2 days ago.  Can I keep both the guppy and molly babies together in the same fry net?  My molly originally had 12 babies.  There's only 4 left.  Although they are bigger (4 weeks old) than the guppies. is keeping them together a good idea?  At this moment I have another 10 gallon goldfish tank.  So I
don't really have another aquarium set up with a heater for the babies.  In my warm water aquarium, I have 3 guppies (1 female/2 males), 3 mollies (2 females/1 male), 3 neon tetras and 1 Siamese algae eater.  
Thanks so much
Kia Carnelus
<Hi Kia, they would probably be ok in the same fry net, but if you want to be extra cautious you could get a second fry net. Best of luck -Gage>