dead mollies

K

Kurty

Small Fish
#1
Oct 22, 2002
26
0
0
#1
???  :( :'(I ve lost 3 mollies in a week why would they die or were they killed water test fine I have a large community of ... tiger barbs,cherry barbs harliquins,pair of sword tails,5 corys,1 pictus cat,1 rainbow shark,a large cleaner shrimp,clown loach,and the one I question the most is a lochata botia the shrimp is the one who eats the dead all of this in a 72 gal bow front with a power head on 1 side and a canster type filtration on the other up tube from the under gravel     I LIKE MY MOLLIES THERE FUN TO WATCH *thumbsupsmiley*
 

C

colesea

Superstar Fish
#3
Oct 22, 2002
1,612
0
0
NY USA
#3
*sigh* Black mollies...

101 different things could've killed your mollies.  I don't think other fish picking on them is a primary cause, but if your fish were weak and stressed out, nippy fish like tiger barbs could certainly not help matters any.  

Mollies belong in brackish water tanks.

Too often misguided aquarist are sold black mollies as a freshwater fish to place in their community tanks.  Indeed, some skilled aquarist who understand the principles of proper acclimation and keep their tanks drinkable clean are able to do this.  

But fresh water is not the appropriate type of habitat for black mollies.  They require almost marine salinities or else their skin becomes prone to velvet, ich, and bacterial infections. Sometimes their internal systems become un-balanced by the sudden rush of freshwater absorbed by them the animals become bloated and die.  And from all my experience with the fish, they just don't seem to thrive and do as well in freshwater as they do in near marine/brackish conditions.

I would not purchase mollies for your tank next time.  All the other fish you have listed do require "pure" freshwater conditions that don't jive well with the requirements of mollies. Or you can get rid of your current population and convert your tank into a molly only community.
~~Colesea
 

K

Kurty

Small Fish
#4
Oct 22, 2002
26
0
0
#4
*thumbsupsmiley*THANKS 4 THE HELP I TOOK 10 GALLONS OF DRAIN WATER FROM MY BIG TANK AND SET UP A SMALL MOLLIE TANK WITH 2 TABLESPOONS OF SEA SALT ADDED THEY SEEM HAPPY IM HAPPY TOO   MY ONLY QUESTION IS IF I TAKE 3 GALLONS OUT EVERY 2 WEEKS IS A HALF OF A TBS. OF SALT ENOUGH TO KEEP THE LEVELS GOOD  ::) ::) ::)
 

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