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| FAQs on the Mollies 3
Related Articles: Mollies, &
Poeciliids: Guppies, Platies, Swordtails, Mollies
by Neale Monks, Livebearing Fishes
by Bob Fenner,
Related FAQs: Mollies 1,
Mollies 2,
Molly Identification FAQs,
Molly Behavior FAQs,
Molly Compatibility FAQs,
Molly Selection FAQs,
Molly System FAQs,
Molly Feeding FAQs,
Molly Disease FAQs,
Molly Reproduction FAQs,
Livebearers,
Guppies,
Platies, Swordtails,
Livebearer Identification,
Livebearer Behavior,
Livebearer Compatibility,
Livebearer Selection,
Livebearer Systems,
Livebearer Feeding,
Livebearer Disease,
Livebearer Reproduction,
Male green sailfin Molly...
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Thank you (Mollienesia; commentary) 7/5/09
To whom it may concern,
<Apparently me! So a very good day to you...!>
Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise on mollies. I have
learned much valuable information from your website. I have some mollies
coexisting happily with other community fish including guppies, dwarf
and Mickey Mouse platys, female Bettas, one dwarf frog, and one double
tail male Betta. They all seem to be doing fine together.
<Glad to hear it. But while Platies, Mollies, and Guppies will all
thrive in hard, alkaline water with a little marine salt mix added, the
others might not. So do bear in mind that if you have problems keeping
your
Mollies healthy in a plain freshwater tank -- and many people do --
adding marine salt mix will only be an option if you remove the Frog and
perhaps the Bettas.>
I have Dalmatian, orange and black regular tailed mollies. Recently I
purchased some lyre tail mollies. They sure are an active fish. They
constantly are speedy swimmers and aggressive breeders.
<As are Mollies generally; the more space you can give them, the better.
While Mollies are often thought of as "mere" community fish, they're
really not, but their lovely colours and boisterous personalities do
make them fish WELL WORTH keeping properly.>
I now have some babies from these fish and they are so cute!
<Indeed they are.>
I have a silver male lyre tail molly that is often chasing the female
fish.
He is the stud of my tank so I call him Fabio. He is sometimes chasing
the other males and I assume this is his way to get them away from his
girl mollies. Luckily I have more females then males so no sing le
female molly is singled out as that would lead to unnecessary stress.
<Cool.>
For later reference, I have organized your website and other related
websites that I may need later.
<Indeed.>
Sincerely,
Irene
<Happy fishkeeping, Neale.>
About Mollies 4/26/09
Hi, I am Gouri from India,
<Hello Gouri,>
I have 1 male Dalmatian molly, 1 female balloon molly and one sunset
male platy. I am a beginner at this hobby.
<Nice fish! Do remember that both these species, Mollies and Platies,
like hard, basic water. I'd recommend adding a little marine salt mix
(as used in marine aquaria) to the water if you can; even half a
teaspoon (about 3 grammes) per litre will make all the difference. Even
better is a mix of baking soda, Epsom salt, and marine salt mix:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm>
1. Both the mollies always stayed together but today female molly is
constantly chasing male molly and nibbling him. Sometimes when female
molly does so even the male platy irritates the male molly. What should
I do?
<Difficult to say what is happening here. Sometimes, fish behave like
this because of aggression. Sometimes, they are eating dead skin, blood
from wounds, faeces, etc.>
2. When female molly irritates male molly, he turns blackish. Should I
isolate him / her?
<How big is this aquarium? If it is reasonably large (100+ litres) there
should be enough space for all the fish to be happy. Adding floating
plants will help too.>
3. I don't see gravid spot on female molly's belly. Does female molly
behave like this when she is pregnant?
<You will not see a gravid spot on a Molly; they are too big. The
"gravid spot" is not a patch of colour that develops when a fish is
pregnant. It is the dark lining of the uterus pushed against the muscle
wall of the body.
In small fish, like Guppies, you can see this. But you cannot usually
see if in the bigger fish species such as Mollies.>
4. Female molly is also rubbing herself on the pebbles and the glass of
the tank. What should I do?
<Depends. Sometimes, this behaviour indicates the fish has external
parasites such as Ick (Whitespot). Sometimes, it means there is ammonia
in the water, "burning" the fish. Sometimes, it is a sign of sudden pH
changes, which Mollies do not like. Check the pH; for Mollies, the water
should be pH 7.5-8.5, and the hardness should be 15+ degrees dH.>
5. Female molly seems to be overly active today.
<Could mean anything really, but not a good sign.>
I liked the website. It is very helpful.
<Glad to hear it.>
As I searched I found many questions related to molly fighting but I did
not find female chasing male or I might have missed such a query. It
would be very helpful to get the answers.
Thank you very much.
<Most welcome.>
--
As water is to fish, wisdom is to knowledge.
Gouri
<So the Mudskipper, who lives out of water, must be a very foolish fish?
Cheers, Neale.>
Re: About Mollies 4/26/09
Thank you very much. I will follow the solutions.
<Great!>
How to recognize that female molly is pregnant?
<You really can't. Having said that, if there is a male Molly and a
female Molly in the same tank, the female WILL be pregnant.>
Is it so that because she is pregnant she doesn't like male molly to be
around her?
<Perhaps. The male Mollies can be annoying, trying to mate with females
all the time. When the female is pregnant, she is not interested in him!
In the wild, females will hide among the plants, and the males, being
smaller, are also being eaten by predators the whole time. So it's less
of an issue.>
My male molly has turned black, becoming inactive sometimes.
<Does sometimes happen when conditions aren't "just right". Mollies are
sensitive fish, like the canaries miners used to take down coal mines.
They are among the FIRST fish to get unhappy when something goes wrong.
Although widely sold and considered fish for beginners, in my opinion,
Mollies are quite demanding fish. They are very beautiful fish, but not
easy fish. It takes a good aquarist to keep them healthy for a long
time!>
Thanks a lot Neale, you made me laugh on the comment you made to -As
water is to fish, wisdom is to knowledge Neale- So the mudskipper who
lives out of water, must be a foolish fish?
<Always good to have a laugh! Laughter and wisdom are a good
combination, I think.>
Thanks a lot!!!
<Good luck, Neale.>
Molly advice 11/02/08
Hi, What a wonderful website!
<Thanks for the kind words.>
Two weeks ago I purchased a 70L tank
<Still very "young" and likely not completely cycled, so do review ammonia and
nitrite levels. You cannot keep Mollies in an immature aquarium: they are just
too sensitive to nitrite, at least under freshwater conditions. Neons are
marginally better in new tanks, but I still wouldn't recommend them. Best to
cycle using a fish-less method, and then to add demonstrably hardy species to
begin with, such as Peppered Corydoras or Zebra Danios.>
and now have 2 balloon mollies (1 gold coloured male and a Dalmatian female. I
had a black one but it died yesterday) 4 neons (4 have already died). One orange
finned albino shark fish (1 died last week) and 5 guppies (none dead!)
<Do understand that Mollies are virtually incompatible with neons. Neons need
cool (22-25 C) soft, acidic water to last any length of time. Without the right
conditions, they have an extremely high mortality, as you're discovering.
Mollies need warm (25-30 C) water that is hard, basic, and preferably brackish.
Mollies kept in freshwater tanks are staggeringly disease-prone. You need to add
6-9 grams of marine salt mix (not tonic salt or aquarium salt) per litre of
water for anything like good odds of success. The carbonate and bicarbonate
salts in marine salt mix harden the water and stabilize the pH, while the sodium
chloride detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, rendering the conditions in an aquarium
much safer for Mollies. Neons will NOT tolerate brackish water, and nor will
"albino shark fish" (what I assume is the albino Epalzeorhynchos frenatum).
Guppies, on the other hand, will be very VERY happy in the warm, brackish water
Mollies require. So, lose the Shark and the neons, add marine salt mix, and off
you go. Simple as that. None of this is hidden knowledge, and if you've been
reading aquarium books *prior* to buying fish you will already have been aware
of this and prepared for such things.>
The mollies are definitely my favourite fish, and I am interested in getting
some more females to increase the female to male ratio. I was wondering what I
could do to make the best environment possible? I read that it's good to add
salt, but I don't know if the neons and the sharky would survive this.
<The Neons and the Shark are completely incompatible with Mollies. End of
discussion. Move on. You can't combine these fish an expect "easy" fishkeeping,
as at least some fish will be compromised if you make allowances for the others.
If your water is warm enough for Mollies, it'll be too hot for Neons. Keep
conditions freshwater for your Shark and Neons, and the Mollies *will* get sick
every five minutes. I'd encourage you to read this article on Mollies, possibly
the most misunderstood fish in the hobby:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm
I think Mollies are lovely fish, but I DO NOT recommend them for beginners or
community tanks. Their mortality rate kept this is horribly high.>
Also, since the death of the black molly yesterday, the male has been constantly
harassing the female, I'm worried that he's going to kill her.
<Unlikely to kill her, but is she happy? No. She will be stressed and prone to
miscarriages, which surely is about as objective a measurement of the
"happiness" of a pregnant animal as any. Adding more females, and especially
adding floating plants or tall plants is very useful.>
Additionally, all of the guppies have started chasing the female molly and
nipping at her underside, this is odd as it never happened before today and they
are a lot smaller than her!
<They are likely eating baby fish as they are released. Many fish learn this
trick. Again, adding plants helps. Live or plastic, as you prefer.>
She has stopped swimming so much and now just tends to hide; I'm very concerned
for her. Additionally, for about 20 minutes today, she was doing what looked
like pink/black poos every 30 seconds or so; were these dead/prematurely aborted
babies?
<Could well be; stressed Mollies will indeed miscarry. The embryos are typically
silvery-white with obvious eyes. The colour of the feces tends to depend on what
you're feeding them. Being herbivores, I trust you are giving your Mollies a
diet based primarily on algae flake (Spirulina, sold as "livebearer flake")
rather than standard fish food, which isn't particularly good for them.>
Thanking you in advance! Gemma
<Hope this helps, Neale.>
RE: Molly advice (Environment; repro.) 11/03/08
Thank you for your advice, I have purchased some tall plants, 2 female mollies,
a breeding tank and some Spirulina flakes! I was wondering, you said I needed
6-9g of marine salt per litre, now my tank is a 90L (not a 70L as I originally
said) That would mean I need at least 540g of salt as a minimum??!!
<Let's start at the low end of the salinity range. A 90 litre tank will need 90
x 6 g = 540 g. But that's added to the whole tank. Don't do this all at once!
Start by doing your regular 25% water changes, and replace old water with the
slightly brackish water. This way your plants and filter bacteria can adjust to
the elevated salinity. You might also want to invest in a hydrometer; a basic
floating glass model costs about 5 UK pounds. You're after a specific gravity
around 1.003.>
Does that sound correct? Also, how do I know when to put my female fish into the
hatchery?
<You never, EVER put Mollies into breeding traps. It stresses the heck out of
them. Despite advertisements to the contrary, these traps aren't much use and
are mostly a waste of money. At best, you can put very small livebearer species
in them (like Guppies) but Mollies will, at best, jump out, and at worst, the
female will miscarry or otherwise damage herself.>
I don't want to keep her there for a month!
<Put things like Indian Fern in the tank; the newborn fry will swim into these
floating plants where you can catch them in the morning and put them in the trap
or a breeding tank.>
Thanks once again
<Cheers, Neale.>
Molly very aggressive, reading
8/9/08
I recently added a marbled Molly to our 10 gallon tank.
<Mmm, I'll comment that this is too small a volume to be viable...>
It seems that our Molly is a bit aggressive and the dominant fish in the tank.
<You only have one? A male?>
We currently have 2 African Dwarf frogs, 4 neon tetras,
<"Like" different water quality than Mollies>
3 zebra danios, one female red wag swordtail and a golden algae eater. Two of my
swordtails died as a result of the Molly (one male and one female). Now my
remaining swordtail hides all the time. Is this common.
<Mmm, yes>
I worry as she does not even come out for eating. Should I take my Molly out of
the tank? I am still a novice as I have had my tank about 6 months. Thanks for
any advice. Jennifer
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm
and the linked files above... Bob Fenner>
Mollies... comp.?
01/22/2008
I am thinking about getting some more fish. What kind of fish would go good
with Mollies? Some of my Mollies bowl movements are long. Are they okay?
<Read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Black Mollies
2/16/08
Thanks Bob.
Yes I did add some hornwort and a little driftwood in the last few days.
Food has been as normal (flake, Tubifex worms, algae wafers and shrimp
pellets).
<Good.>
I'll raise the temperature and keep an eye on them.
<can make a difference with Mollies.>
The juvenile Black Molly was a mercy rescue from a pet store so wasn't
researched like my other fish - I looked in a tank and saw the
little guy swimming for his life (probably from his parents) and took
pity. I realized soon after that he was in fact more of a brackish
fish but he seemed to be doing fine till the flashing.
<Adding small amounts of marine salt mix (say, 3.5 grammes per litre)
will make a big difference for the Mollies but is perfectly within the
tolerances of other livebearers. In fact many livebearers will thrive
under such conditions. So creating the brackish conditions isn't
necessarily a bad thing.>
I'll look at these links now.
Thanks again Bob.
John
<Cheers, Neale.> <<Thank you for
the follow-up Neale. RMF>>
Mollies... repro., gen.
12/31/07
Thanks for all of the help but I just thought of a couple more questions.
When you buy fish at the pet store some people say that they are most likely
pregnant; is that true?
<If males and females were mixed, then yes. The best aquariums stores keep male
and female livebearers apart, but unfortunately less sophisticated stores do
not.>
Do you happen to have a couple pictures of male and female mollies?
<The top two photos of Mollies on this page are males:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm
It is REALLY easy! Seriously, if the anal fins of your fish all look the same,
you probably only have one sex. Make sure you are looking at the right fin for a
start. It's the unpaired fin on the bottom of the fish, close to the anus. On a
female, the fin is obviously triangular, just like the anal fin or any other
fish. On a male, the fin is a long, narrow, tube-like structure that is bent up
against the body most of the time. When the male attempts to mate, he pulls the
anal fin forwards, effectively forming a structure like a mammalian penis.>
I keep on looking at the anal fin and I just can't seem to get it.
<Look closer...>
It all looks the same to me.
<Really...?>
Some people say that all mollies are aggressive, but when I watch my fish only
one of them (the long one) is aggressive.
<Male Mollies vary in aggression, but at their worst can be very troublesome.>
What fish are compatible with Dalmatian mollies that I can get at my local pet
store?
<Mollies are generally easier kept in salted water at SG 1.003 upwards, so
choose things that tolerate salt. Guppies, Orange Chromides, Monos, Scats,
Archerfish, Violet gobies, Bumblebee gobies, Colombian shark catfish, and so on
would all make superb choices. Mollies also do well in marine aquaria, so that's
always an option! Avoid fish intolerant of salt such as Gouramis, barbs and
tetras. Cheers, Neale.>
Mollies, English, reading
10/19/07
hello, this is my first tank. I have a 55gallon freshwater tank. i have one
black molly, one Dalmatian, 2 balloon, one white, one gold, two tetras,
<... like very different water quality>
3 frogs and 2 catfish. I had a swordtail which suddenly died last week. the gold
molly is staying to herself and kinda shaking around. the white molly is chasing
the Dalmatian molly around a lot and being quite aggressive. I don't know how to
determine if they are mating of which mollies are female and male. please help
Xiomara
<Please read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollies.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Some Molly Issues...
10/12/07
Hi folks - very nice forum, full of good information and eats up a lot of
time digesting all the advice!
I have some issues with my mollies - firstly I'll run through my setup:
1 Marble Mollie (Female)
1 Traditional Mollie (Female)
1 Traditional Mollie (Male)
1 Silver Sailfin Mollie (Male)
2 Pleco (Suckermouth 2-3" maximum)
60L Tank, 25'C Bogwood x 2, Java moss and some other traditional plants with
fine sand ground and Tetra carbon filter.
<60 litres is too small for mollies. You'll have problems maintaining the zero
nitrate conditions they need, and the sailfin mollies won't grow to full size.>
Now onto the issues...
The tank completed it's cycle about 3 weeks ago, during which these fish were in
a smaller tank. However on re-integration back into this tank, all the Mollies
all flick themselves off objects, be it airstone tubing, sand, bogwood or the
filter.
<Sounds like incipient whitespot (ick). Look for small white spots.>
They also speedily swim to the surface and splash their tailfin on the surface,
making loud splashes. I've checked closely for Ich, and they all seem clear.
<Ah, but whitespot can be on the gills, and in this case you won't see it.>
The water has just had a 40% change yesterday (it was going cloudy, so I
replaced the filter cartridge and did a thorough syphon of the detritus and food
remnants).
<Hmm... I don't recommend changing biological filter media unless absolutely
essential. What sort of filter media are we talking about here? Obviously,
replacing biological filter media re-sets the cycling process to the start.
Carbon is redundant, and Zeolite shouldn't be required in a regular, properly
maintained aquarium.>
Is this anything to worry about?
<Odd behaviour should always be observed closely.>
Secondly, the Sailfin male is very aggressive towards the other fish, and at
least once a week will push the other male (who is actually bigger than the
sailfin) in the corner, and generally stress him out.
<Completely normal. Male mollies are aggressive. In a 60 litre tank, the
dominant male will eventually batter the others, if not to death, then into
severe stress.>
However, the Sailfin sometimes when hanging in the water will slowly tilt
upwards, until it is facing directly upwards. None of the other fish exhibit
this behaviour at all. Is this something to be concerned about?
<Sailfin mollies have a distinct adaptation to living in low-oxygen waters (such
as brackish water ditches in the wild). They orient themselves head-upwards, and
suck the surface layer of water in the mouth and across their gills. Most other
livebearers don't do this. If your sailfin is doing this repeatedly, check water
quality.>
I am gradually adding small amounts of marine salt into the water (not too much
as I'm aware that the Pleco's won't appreciate it) as I have been doing for 2
days now, in an effort to rectify this issue and the flicking issue, is that
futile?
<Treat for whitespot/ick using a standard medication of some sort. Quicker and
easier. Common Plecos (Pterygoplichthys spp.) are fairly salt tolerant, and with
care will do well at SG 1.003. This should be a high enough salinity for your
mollies. But long term, I'd swap out the Plecos for a true low-end brackish
water catfish, such as Hoplosternum littorale or (the true) Hypostomus
plecostomus. These are fine up to SG 1.005. You can of course keep large mollies
with brackish/marine cats such as 'Arius' seemanni and Mystus gulio.>
Thirdly, I have these 'Hikari Tropical' Algae Wafers, made up of everything (it
would be a super food if it was for humans I reckon). I usually drop one in and
leave it for the Plecos, however I've noticed that the Mollies eat it too.
Further to this, could these wafers be responsible for the water going cloudy?
<No, these won't make the water cloudy by themselves. They are of course
excellent food for plecs as well as mollies. Both species eat a lot of algae and
plant material. Water cloudiness comes from three different things: silt from
unwashed gravel, bacterial blooms during the early phase of cycling, and
overstocking (and it's associated hazard, overfeeding).>
On a separate note, I have a smaller 30L Tank downstairs which has 5 Female
Guppies, 2 Male, 3 Neon Tetras and 1 baby Mollie - the Guppies are giving birth
this week, but the fry seem quite large - are the fry at any risk of being eaten
despite seeming too big for the Guppies?
<Some will get eaten, yes. Depends a lot on floating plants. If you have lots of
floating plants, most fry should be fine.>
I don't know how I would catch them either - they are well hidden in the Java
Moss, and they would probably pass through my smallest net's gauze.
<I catch fry with small plastic cups, rather than nets. Turkey basters can be
used, too.>
Thanks for any assistance!
MPH
P.S. if you could email me the link if you update the FAQs with my Q+A that
would be most helpful - if not too busy, a reply would be super too, cheers!
<Cheers, Neale>
Re: Some Molly Issues...
10/12/07
Thanks for the fast reply - the filter cartridge I replaced was merely the
carbon cartridge in my 'Tetra Aqua Art 60L' tank - the bacteria grow in the
other elements of the filter itself, so the Cartridge is alright to replace (or
so Tetra proclaim).
<Indeed. Carbon can be changed as often as you can afford. Certainly, carbon
stops doing its thing after a couple of weeks. But personally I consider carbon
useless in the average community tank. Water changes are more effective at
removing pollutants, and you can replace the carbon's space with more biological
media. Carbon is cheap, sounds technical, and thus gets used by manufacturers to
sell (at a high price) what is basically just charcoal.>
I note that you said that 60L was too small for Mollies - what is a good size
tank for them in this case?
<Depends on the mollies. I'd keep Shortfin varieties in something around 90
litres, and Sailfins in something above 150 litres. Sailfin mollies should
exceed 10 cm in length, and potentially up to 15 cm depending on the species.
They're big fish.>
Thanks for any assistance,
Matt
<Cheers, Neale>
Mollies, children on the Net 5/25/07
hi
<Hi>
everyone,
I went to the pet store a few weeks ago and bought one male black molly, one
female Dalmatian molly, and one orange male fish with a black tail. I think my
Dalmatian molly is pregnant, she wiggles a lot when she swims and has a hump in
her stomach. Should i put in some molly bright?
<Maybe>
she was also kept in a tank with males. If she is pregnant when should I put her
in a divider?
please help!
Kyleigh
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollydisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. RMF>
Using WWM... sexing Mollies 5/8/07
Hi I just bought some silver sail-fin mollies and one of them is a male and
the other is a female, but my question is how can you tell if the female is
pregnant or is it just her body structure that cause her to look plump???
p.s. hope you can send me a picture so i can tell the differences!!! :)
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollyreprofaqs.htm
and the linked files above. BobF>
Overstocked Aquarium? Molly Qs 7/24/06
Hi. I have a 10-gallon freshwater aquarium. Without getting too off topic, I
hope, on a recent trip to GA to visit my mother (I live in AR) I unexpectedly
delivered a premature baby and was (obviously) unable to maintain my tank.
<!?>
Many of my fish died *sniff*. What remains is as follows:
1 green tiger barb (it was his schoolmates who died), 1 Kribensis cichlid, 1
lyre-tailed molly (added post-death), 1 striped spiny catfish (also added
post-death), and 1 golden algae eater (I am now aware of your take on these and
am considering its removal). I was hoping to add balloon mollies, but am unsure
of 1. how many to add and
<One... a female preferably... two females... or a trio, with one male...>
2. whether they will get along with my barb.
<Should if there's room>
Also, as I am more experienced with the barbs, I was wondering if there is
anything especially significant that I should keep in mind
concerning the keeping of the balloon mollies. Thank you.
<Mmm, please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollyfaqs.htm
and the linked files above... like different water quality than the Krib, need
vegetable material in good quantity in their diet... Bob Fenner>
Use of UV Sterilizer on Molly Fry tank
Hi all,
I was thinking about using a UV Sterilizer for a Black Molly rearing tank. My
reasoning is that it would be an extra form of protection for the fry
considering how delicate & susceptible to disease they are. What do you
think? Good or bad idea?
<Would help, wouldn't hurt>
Also how is a UV Sterilizer connected?
Does it run independently or does it have to be attached to a filter or
something? Thanks.
The MollyMan
<Needs a fluid-moving source and electricity. Please see here re:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/UVFAQs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Molly Behavior while pregnant... no useful env. info. 6/17/06
I have a pregnant Dalmatian molly and a male that wont leave her alone.
<Common... good to have a better sex ratio (more females), larger systems with
decor... plants...>
I separated her for 4 days and no fry. I also have 2 female mixed mollies that
look like they are also pregnant and today both of them started laying on
the bottom of the tank on the rocks. Is this normal pregnancy behavior?
<No>
Should I put the Dalmatian molly back and put these two in the breeder's net?
Fry are new to me...so, any info is very much appreciated.
Thanks.
<... not possible to give advice with the information presented. Please read
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollysysfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Mollies... - 03/13/2006
Hi
I have a question about my mollies. they are baby mollies and they are about
2 centimeters small and I was wondering how many I could fit into a 5 gallon
tank
<Please see WWM:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm
re Mollies, Systems... Bob Fenner>
Molly, new additions - 03/13/2006
Hi again!
sorry to bug you once more but my molly has worsened her bright yellow color
is almost gone she is just about white so today I noticed that she had begun
to show signs of a cottony white substance on her body and tiny white spots
on her fins and tail. I went and bought Ichaway assuming that's what it is I
dosed her and let her be. I actuality she seems better she is swimming
about and eating quite normally Is what Im doing okay? if not what else can
I do? Oh yes is it absolutely necessary that mollies have salt in their tank?
Well in other news one of my female guppies died I think she may be the
mother of the seven tiny fry I found later I am quite excited but how do I
tell what kind of fish the fry are? One last question how man fish can I put
into my ten gallon? I want twenty-one total they are all small fish
livebearers is that okay? I hope so... Thank you in advance
-Maria
<Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollydisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
My Dalmatian Mollie has Popeye!!!!!! What do I treat it with!!?? Don't know what
the water is like, so sorry! 2/24/06
<... see WWM re Mollies, Pop-Eye... Bob Fenner>
Help needed about my mollies ... NNS - 02/20/06
Hello! I am Atif, i am a beginner about aquarium fish. I have 2 gold fishes
and 2 koi or may they shubunkin. I have 3 female mollies and 1 male.
<The mollies and the goldfish/koi should be in separate systems...>
I don't know about a red one whether its a molly or a platy. That platy of
molly (female ) attacks both koi and gold fish but not other mollies. One white
female molly remains at the top just searching for the food i think and when
the male comes at the top it chases her. That black molly male keep chasing the
other black female and just i think taps to its anus of the female with its
mouth ( i think it is that ).
<Normal behavior... reproductive>
Now how do i know that one male is making pair with a female molly. Do the
mollies and platies do mate with each other. I cannot afford another tank. My
current tank is 2.2 long and 1 feet width and 1.5 cm high.
Please tell me some instructions on how to make my mollies and other fishes
do live good with each other and i also have 2 guppies in the tank. Can i put
one more pair of the mollies in the tank. I mostly feed once in a day. I have
put a PVC pipe at the gravel to act as a cave for mollies and guppies. But only
once i a day they do in the cave for 2-3 seconds. Also i put some plants to the
aquarium and my goldfishes ate there leaves and then after some days they even
broke into pieces from there stem and now that broken stems are floating
at the top. Do i remove them or not. Also do i clean my sides of the
tank mostly or i leave them to have some food for the mollies like algae.
Remember my mollies have only taken 2 weeks in the tank. How long they will
take to give birth to fries and how do i know that they are a pair or what
things they do to do sex with each other.
Thanks a Lot. I am having trouble with this hobby at the start and don't
want to finish this. I need your serious advice
<Likely separating out the "pond fish" (goldfish, koi) will give the livebearers
enough space to reduce aggression here. Separate them. Bob Fenner>
New Mollie 10/17/05
I’m new to fish. It is a black, gold and white molly in with a guppy. I had
no bottled water at room temp but HAD to change the nasty bowl, I think I
made the h2o either to hot or to cold. He is just kind of sitting around,
usually very active. I did put a little aquarium salt in it. What should I
do? I really like this fish. He’s a great OU fan named Boomer and his guppy
buddy is Sooner! Thank You.
Holly
<Hi Holly, I would start by reading the following article on setting up a
freshwater aquarium, it sounds like you may need to upgrade from a bowl to a
fish tank, also there is no need to use bottled water, you can pick up some
water conditioner at the local fish store and used conditioned tap water.
The water added to a tank during a water change should be the same as the
water in the tank.
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwset-up.htm. Best Regards,
Gage>
How long are silver mollies pregnant? WWM
I have not been able to find this on the internet and my local pet shop
is
not sure. I have a Silver Molly that I believe is pregnant but I was
wondering how long before we should have babies. I have put her in a small
breeding tank to make sure that the male will not bother her.
Any advise you have to offer would be so welcomed.
Thank you
Kimberly Jones
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollyreprofaqs.htm
Bob Fenner>
My first tank, help!!! Mollies, goldfish, tiny system oh my!
it's my first tank a 10g. i have 5 small to med goldfish (no bigger
than 3-4inchs w/tails), a small catfish also have 2 silver platy (i
Think they are)
<Yes, these are>
and now i have in a smaller tank (plastic) 2 pregnant
red wagtail platy.
1. do i have enough space for all of them?
<No... please see WWM re... the goldfish need tens of gallons to
themselves, and should not be mixed in with tropicals...>
i don't think I'll keep the fry maybe 2 from each
2. do the silver platy usually bite tails cause last few days i have
seem them chasing the goldfish (that are bigger tan them) I'm sending
pictures in case they are not platy
2 1/2. I'm not sure if the silver platy is pregnant, what should i do.
and why shouldn't you get a pregnant fish from the pet store?
3. any comments will help
Thank you
ANNIE (from Dominican Republic/Caribbean)
<Annie, please read over the pertinent parts of this site:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsubwebindex.htm
re set-up, mollies, goldfish... Bob Fenner> |
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Sick Mollies
Ok... I just noticed the spots on two Mollies in my fish tank today. I
introduced a new Molly six days ago. That one was a birthday gift for my four
year old. I can't kill these fish they are his babies. I tested the ammonia, pH,
and nitrates about a week ago and everything checked out ok.
I checked them today and the ammonia and pH spiked bad and the nitrates are
perfect. I just did a 25% water change and put Wardley WaterCare Ick Away in my
tank with a half dose of ammonia eliminator as per the pet store. I didn't
realize till after I put in the ick away that it says don't use with tetras and
I have two of those too.
AM I GOING TO KILL THEM?
<These medications that are based with malachite green are very toxic to tetras,
catfish and some loaches. You probably have introduced ich into your tank with
the new molly.>
The tetra's don't have spots but cant they still be affected by the Ich if the
other fish have it in the same tank?
< They will get it too . They are just not showing any symptoms yet.>
I do have a fish bowl I could move them to but I am new to this and I just don't
know... could someone please hurry and tell me what I am doing wrong, or right
for that matter, to my poor fish?
< You could add some carbon to the filter and that would remove it too. Do a 30%
water change, vacuum the gravel and change the filter. Once the medication is
gone I would get some rid-ich II by Kordon that is especially formulated for
sensitive fish. Follow the directions on the package. After treating I would add
carbon to remove the medication and then add some BioSpira to get the bacteria
going for the nitrification process. Go to Marineland.com and see Dr. Tim's
Library for an article titled " The First Thirty Days" for info on the ammonia
problems.>
The infected ones also lay a lot on the bottom of the tank and only get up to
say hi when I open the lid cause they are
such cute friendly fish... I'd really hate to lose them :(. Please help me with
any ideas. It's a ten gallon tank been running about two or three months. Total
of three little mollies two little tetras and a little algae eater. Plants,
rocks, etc. It has a bio filter wheel thing, do I need to do anything to that
since I don't believe it has charcoal?
<Remove the BioWheel when medicating so it does not kill the good bacteria on
the wheel. Store it in a damp wheel in a container with aquarium water. You can
also get rid of the ich by increasing the water temp to 82 degrees for awhile.
It sometimes stresses the fish so you need very good aeration.-Chuck>
Molly questions
I have a molly that just gave birth to a fry. I have the babies separated. I
was wondering how long it with take for them to mature and joining the rest of
the community (tetras and mollies).
Also, what do you recommend feeding the fry?
-Tara
<Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm. Scroll down
to the livebearer, Molly FAQs archives and read re. Bob Fenner>
Balloon Mollies
I have read a lot of your Q & A's about mollies, not all of them, but enough
to figure my question is not answered. we are first time tank people, have had
our tank about a week. we bought 3 female (that's what I told them to give me
anyway) balloon mollies yesterday. I was wondering if our 10 gallon would hold
about 5 females, a small bottom feeder and 1 or 2 of those small brown frogs.
<Should be fine>
it seams like a lot, but it also seems like everyone else is trying to breed, we
are not. from the sound of it constant baby flow is the cause of high levels.
<Of?>
we just set the tank up recently and of course are going to watch it for about a
month before we start adding (slowly), but with weekly water changes and
frequent testing I think its possible. am I full of nonsense?
<No... the slow, careful approach is best here>
honestly we will probably be getting a larger tank in the future, but with only
4 or so fish I think it would look kind of bare. also another question, I know
pregnant mollies and tanks with males and females nip at each other, but my 3
are supposedly female and they are doing it frequently, especially to one in
particular. is this natural or do I have a male or 2?
<You could or not... the spawn (they likely will... can/do store sperm in their
tracks) will likely produce some males>
thank you very much for your time, I hope that I did not ask anything ridiculous
that you have answered more than 20 times. have a wonderful day!
Jackie
<Thank you my friend. Bob Fenner>
Sick Dalmatian molly
I looked through the other questions, but didn't see anything quite like
this. I was changing the water in my tank today (7 gallon) and had put my 2
Dalmatian mollies (1m, 1f) in a "goldfish bowl" while I did a partial water
change in the tank. (The water in the bowl was straight from the tank.) In the
bowl, I noticed the male was starting to spaz out. He would be swimming normally
and then just jerk as if he was being electrocuted. I assumed it was due to the
pH of the water
being off (which is why I was doing the water change.)
I have since returned him to the main tank and he is now lying on the bottom
of the tank, barely moving. His side fins are constantly flapping at about the
same speed as if he were stationary in the tank. One of my other fish was acting
this way a few weeks ago, but once I neutralized the pH, he was better. My real
concern is that it appears as though the molly has a broken bottom lip. His
bottom lip is bent completely down and away from his face so that his mouth is
stuck open.
<Yikes... sounds like it got whacked on the bowl's edge while it was zooming
about>
He did not eat when I fed them and it didn't look like he even attempted. I
was going to pull him from the tank and see if I could bend his lip back up but
I was afraid of injuring him further. Can you tell me what is happening to my
poor fish? Thanks in advance!
<Thank you for your clear writing... I think you are correct in that your Molly
did just "flip out" with the moving, injured itself. I do hope it will
self-cure... there is naught else that I would do. Bob Fenner>
Mollies and Snails
WWM Crew,
First, I must say your site has been very informative. I've learned so much! I
have read plenty about Mollies etc, but I have a couple concerns re: my mollies.
I currently have 3 of them. 1 silver molly (M), 1 silver lyretail (F), and black
molly (F). My concern is with the two silver mollies. I did read that it is not
uncommon for the male to chase around the female trying to breed. However my
male is NONSTOP harassing the other silver female (she's pregnant too), and
rarely messes with the black molly. Is there a special reasoning behind that?
<Mmm, no... or not really. Some males are just like this... having more females,
more "other" fishes, plants, other decor to break-up the physical environment...
helps>
I am worried that he will just wear her out, but I don't want to stock my tank
with more females as I am already taking care of 16 fry as it is. Any ideas on
the best way to handle this randy boy?? hahaha
<Isolate him... at least for a while... perhaps in a floating, plastic colander
if you don't have another tank>
Second question... When is it safe to put the fry back into the larger tank with
the adult mollies without the risk of them being eaten?
<When they're "big enough" to not be consumed>
I have 2 that are about a month old, but I don't want to take them out of the
net too prematurely. The others are only a day or two old. Do you judge based on
size? or age?
<Size>
And lastly (are you sick of me yet? haha), about a week and a half ago I noticed
a small snail in my tank. Have NO IDEA how it got there as I sure didn't buy one
from the store!! Then, when doing a water change the other, came across ANOTHER
one that was twice it's size. I'm assuming it was under gravel somewhere because
there's no way you could miss it otherwise! How do I know if it's ok to keep in
the tank and breeding of snails etc?? I do NOT want more snails!! I have looked
at the info on this site re: snails, and haven't come across one that looks like
mine. Is it better to wait till they're more grown to determine the type of
snail? And just out of curiosity... any ideas on how snails got in my tank?
<Come in... with fish purchases in the water, some live foods... can be
eliminated in a few ways, but not likely a problem... perhaps a help in keeping
your tank clean... Not harmful to your fishes>
Is it possible they hitched a ride on the fish as tiny lil thingies on them?
Sounds crazy but, I have no other clue as to their appearance!
Thank you so much in advance for any help you can give! I will continue to
research your site for more information. It's a great tool!!
Sarah
<Thank you for being part of it. Bob Fenner>
Breeding mollies
Hi, I have a numerous amount of female and male mollies in my tank and I
have been trying to breed them forever. They haven't had babies yet. Now I am
looking at a female Dalmatian molly I just bought about a week ago. It looks a
little bit fat and I have a net breeder I can put it in. I just don't know when
to put my Dalmatian into it. I don't even know if it is pregnant. Can you tell
me how it would look, act, or any sign to where I would know if it was pregnant
or not?
<Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm. Scroll down
to Mollies... read the FAQs posted. Bob Fenner>
Re: Breeding mollies
<Live bearers get rounded bellies and then a black area appears in the
belly area before the tail.>
I found that on your page that you told me to look at, and I was wondering
if that is all I need to know about my molly.
<Is it? If this satisfies you in terms of knowing... so be it. These are the two
best descriptors/indications of imminent birthing... Bob Fenner>
Cross breeding mollies
Hi
I had an odd question and was hoping you could help me. I have a black molly,
several Gouramis and a tri color shark in a 40 gallon tank. I have had the molly
for about 1 and 1/2 years, and all of a sudden she is having babies. How is this
possible? I have never had any babies before (I know it was her as I saw her
have a few of them) nor have I ever had any other molly in the tank. I did have
2 platies in the tank for about two weeks while my 10 year old's tank was being
repaired but that was several months ago. Could they have "cross-bred".
Thanks
Michelle
<Mmm, platies and swordtails can/do cross-breed, but I have not heard of a case
of such breeding with Mollienesia... all livebearing fishes can store sperm in
their tracks for a period of time... but a year and a half? Unusual... the
reproductive behavior and physiology of the several Molly species is involved to
put it lightly... there is even an "Amazon" Molly that produces haploid
offspring... not using sperm genetically... Bob Fenner>
Chocolate Salty Mollies..
>I have been reading your Molly FAQ's. Regarding adding salt to the
Molly tank----
1-- How much salt per gallon?
>>You'll want to measure with a hydrometer, I prefer a lab grade float for
accuracy and decent price. Mollies can "swing both ways" - this means they can
go from completely fresh water to completely marine environs.
>2-- Is regular noniodized table salt OK.
>>I wouldn't, I would use a sea salt mix. The utility of non-iodized salts for
the table is purely for medicinal/prophylactic treatments. Also, don't make the
mistake I did the first time I swung some mollies to salt - I did it too fast
(in just a few hours) and one "popped" (looked like a pine cone, then shimmied,
shook, and died. Boy did I feel AWFUL!).
>Thanks!
Rick
>>You're welcome. Marina
Mating Male Molly Mishaps
Hi, have a Dalmatian male Mollie and he seems to be attacking my female
black molly.
<Sounds like he is trying to mate. This is fairly common behavior in livebearing
fishes.>
Her fin on the top of her body seems to be all torn up now that this is
happened. He did this to the last female Mollie I had that was black, and to one
of my other fish. The other fish and the last female I had died because of this.
<Sounds like you should consider relocating him or not purchasing any more
fish!>
Why is he constantly doin' this, and should I take the male out of my tank and
put him in his own?
<He is doing this probably because he wants to procreate. To multiply. To breed.
To reproduce. To propagate. To generate more mollies. To carry on the species.
He is being met with resistance from the females, and continues to harass them
to fornicate. This harassment is ultimately leading to their deaths. It is
common practice among livebearers breeders to include several females to every
one male of a species to disperse the aggression. Good luck, Mike G.>
<Excellent alliteration of the title, Mike!>
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY
Hello! I have recently started up a tank, and there are a few mollies. I do
not know how to sex them. One of them was really fat, and I thought it was
pregnant, turns out, it is a balloon belly.. Well, it has been hiding for 4 days
now. I figured maybe it was a she and was about to give birth. She was eating a
little here and there, and mostly stayed hidden. This afternoon, I got a breeder
net and put her in it. A little while later I noticed a black molly was getting
fat and had a clearish something coming out of it. (like a poop rope, only
clear) So I stuck it in the breeding tank too. Well, the balloon belly started
chasing black molly around and coming up under her like they were mating. So, I
took the balloon belly out, assuming now that she is a he. The main question is,
if it is a he, then why would he be all sulky and hiding? ~Charly~
< To sex mollies as well as other live bearers you need to look under the tail
at the anal fin. Females have a regular looking triangular fin while males have
a long tube like fin that has been adapted to insert into the females to
fertilize their internal eggs. New fish may take awhile to acclimate to their
new surroundings. There is a pecking order to be figured out in almost all
tanks. If your fish was alone then they would feel more comfortable in schools
or small groups.-Chuck.>
Black molly care
Hi
I hope you can help me. I inherited a fish tank with black mollies in it only 5
days ago. In the process of getting the fish tank cleaned I lost 3 of the
fish. Not bad for a beginner! They all seemed to be doing well until the biggest
one in the tank started to hang out the bottom and hide under one of the rocks.
I believe it's a female by the shape of her anal fin. I feed them twice a day;
in the beginning she came up for the food now she doesn't even do that. I wonder
if she is pregnant.
These poor fish were abandoned in an apartment and left to die so I took them
in. I know absolutely nothing about taking care of fish but, I'm learning
quickly.
THANK YOU
BARBARA
<Please take a read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
regarding proper biological filtration... and here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/mollyfaqs.htm
re Mollies... I suspect your new tank is simply not "cycled", and possibly that
the mollies water is not to their suiting... Bob Fenner>
Deceased Dalmatian Molly
Hello! It's me, Walt again. I am really sorry to bother you for the
hundredth time. My wife and I woke up this morning to find one of our Dalmatian
mollies deceased and stuck to the filter intake. (Actually, we did not notice it
right away and then all of a sudden I looked up and saw it on the intake...
Don't know what to make of that.)
<Me neither>
As you may remember, I have had my 44 gallon pentagon up and running for about
nine weeks now. I started changing five gallons of water weekly two weeks ago,
as recommended. I test my water regularly, and since I added Turbostart 700 the
first week, my parameters have remained stable: pH 7.8; Ammonia 0; Nitrite 0;
Nitrate 20ppm; Hardness 160ppm CaCO3. I tested this morning after finding the
dead fish and found the same results. I cannot figure out what happened, as she
was fine last night. I have some possibilities...
I started with 16 fish after adding the TurboStart. (2 Diamond tetras, 2 Beacon
tetras, 2 platies, 3 pairs of differing mollies, 2 kissers, and 2 red velvet
swordtails). During the first six weeks, I lost one kisser due to his aggressive
brother, after which I returned the offender. Other than that, I let them be
until I was sure the tank was stable. After six weeks I started adding more
fish. First, I added the two Dalmatian mollies, two platies, and two Botia
darios to help with the occasional snail. I noticed some very aggressive
behavior following this change and I returned one of my platies and one of my
mollies (both males). The next week I added two Serpae tetras and two female
platies. Then last week I added two more female platies and two female
swordtails to help prevent further aggression. This brings my current total to
26 small fish. I hope I do not sound ignorant by asking this, but is all this
commotion the likely culprit in the death of the my molly?
My tank is 24 inches deep with 480 square inches of surface area. I have a
Whisper 30-60 external power filter and I use a four inch air-stone in the back
corner for increased aeration. Also, the tank is well planted. I am quite
comfortable with my current population, and do not intend on adding any more,
but do I have too many fish already?
<You're near there>
Also, I noticed that some of my new fish got their tail fins nipped, I am
guessing by my Serpae tetras. I believe, however, that the fin nipping has
stopped now that the tetras have grown accustomed to their new mates. Will the
fins repair themselves, or, should I quarantine and medicate. I should add that
the victims appear very happy and healthy.
As always, thanks for putting up with my neurotic letters and thank you for all
your advice.
Sincerely,
Walt
<I wish we could "go back" and chat re your stocking plan... Know that the mix
of fishes you list have quite different water quality desires, limitations...
the mollies like some salt in their water... the tetras don't... and they like
soft, acidic, warmer water than the platies, swords, mollies... IF all were in
initially good health, the system kept stable, optimized there would not likely
be problems.... but it being so new... some of them are sure to be
"challenged"... even "cranky"... You obviously have a good mind and care a great
deal... and all will work out fine... but do take a read on WWM, fishbase.org re
specific (as in species) requirements, water chemistry... before any further
purchases. Bob Fenner>
Ammonia in Fry Tank
I have found your website to be very helpful. First I want to say that I am
a proud owner of two mollies one a balloon black (female) and the other a orange
(male). Two days ago I discovered 17 fry. I was so thrilled! I need help in
deciding what to do. So far the adults have left to fry alone. No problems
there. I have a 2.5 gallon tank and know that that is not enough room for all of
them. I am wondering if I should take the adults out (to another 2.5 tank) and
leave the fry to grow a bit bigger in the existing tank. I would like to
possibly keep two at the most but want them to get bigger so I can determine the
sex. I have spoken to the LFS and they will take a the rest from me. My levels
are at ph. 7.8 nitrite .25 nitrate 5.0 and ammonia is at 4.0. temp is 78/80. I
am a determined new aquarist. What is the safest thing to do in my situation?
Thanks in advance.
Vanessa I. Tucker
<Water changes, and lots of them. 4.0 ammonia is deadly! And .25 nitrite is .25
too high and it's about to go higher. Check the pH of your tap water. If they
are within 2 or 3 tenths then match temp, dechlorinate and change 50% right now.
Wait a few hours and do it again. Then daily until ammonia and nitrite are at
zero. Your problem is a lack of bio filtration, something that takes time to get
established. Do move the adults out. The ammonia is from fish waste. The less
fish, the less ammonia will be added to the tank. Read here on establishing FW
bio filtration.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
I hate to tell you to limit feeding the fry, food is very important to growing
fish. But the more you feed the more waste will be produced. Just feed them
twice a day and only enough that it's all eaten within a minute or two. Once the
ammonia comes down you can up this to three or four small feedings a day. When
you do the water changes use a gravel vac to get any uneaten food and old waste
out of the system. You are going to have to continue with almost daily water
changes for a month to six weeks. It will take about that long to get cycled.
That link contains the most important information a new aquarist needs to have
in order to keep their fish alive. And congrats on the births. 17 is a lot for a
Molly. BTW they are not as bad as guppies and swordtails when it come to taking
their young. As long as they do not get too hungry they generally leave them
alone. But since you need to limit feeding, move the adults out. Don>
Aggressive Molly
Hello! I have a question regarding the behavior of one of my mollies. I have
20 small community fish in a 50 gallon tank, among which are three pairs
of differing mollies (black, sunburst, marbled). I just added a
beautiful pair of Dalmatian mollies this afternoon to my display tank
and I thought they would be fine considering there were no problems with
my other mollies. However, one of my male sunburst mollies apparently
has taken quite a dislike to both of the newcomers. Is it at least
possible that his aggression will subside?
<Yes>
Is it just due to the fact that the Dalmatians are the "new kids on the
block"?
<Quite likely so>
Or, should I be afraid for their lives and return them? Any help you
could provide is appreciated!
Thanks,
Brody
<Well, this is a good-sized system, doesn't sound overcrowded... If it's
easy enough to do, I'd catch out the aggressive fish and let it "float"
in a fish net, breeding trap, plastic colander... at the surface for a
few days... sometimes this gives the other fish a rest, time to mix in
with the new dynamic... Bob Fenner>
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