I need to know more about mollies than I have been able to find on the net. I had a silver and two black female mollies and one black male. I had them about three months when the male died - possibly old age because he was at least 3 inches. All was cool. But I wanted a Dalmation mollie and bought a pair about 3 weeks ago. The female died within hours of getting them home. The male took up with the silver female and hardly noticed the black females. Yesterday I noticed one of the black mollies no longer interacting and in the morning she had disappeared - and I do mean disappeared. After taking the entire tank apart I haven't located a shred and she's not in the filter or under any decor. About an hour ago I noticed my Dalmation picking on the remaining black mollie and within a half hour he was dead. There isn't a mark on him, no fin damage or anything, but upon close exam he is a male and I now wonder if the other was a male, also. How do they kill another fish? All I saw him doing was bumping him with his nose, and although I didn't like the bullying, it didn't look lethal. The tank is planted with decor and caves. He hasn't bothered the male platy although I have been told they would interbreed.
Mollies
- Thread starter Thyra
- Start date
Yep! I just knew that would be the first thing someone would ask. 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 10ppm nitrate. I did a lot of reading and the general consensus was they don't actually need the salt. I have a pair of platys and 2 otos. I just wrote another little note to you on Fishman's thread. Also I am working on the 26g tank that I kind of blame on you - you some how got me all excited when you were looking for a tank. I like the mollies. I don't want expensive fish. I don't want aggressive fish. I'd like a variety, particularly of color and therefore schooling fish are probably not going to satisfy me.
Personally I found mollies are more prone to ich and other such diseases without salt. Your otos will certainly not appreciate it though.. Do you think they're sick from the store, perhaps?
And I like it, contagious MTS
I'm moving into my house tomorrow so from then on I'm able to get on with my tank. Oh and I just remembered you asked about the sale, it fell through because the bidder didn't bother getting in contact, so I filed a complaint on ebay. I'll sell it at some point.. hopefully very soon.
And I like it, contagious MTS
I'm moving into my house tomorrow so from then on I'm able to get on with my tank. Oh and I just remembered you asked about the sale, it fell through because the bidder didn't bother getting in contact, so I filed a complaint on ebay. I'll sell it at some point.. hopefully very soon.
mollies are practically the same as all other common livebearing fish and can be cared for the same way as guppies, swordtails and platies. mollies will appreciate some salt in the water, so add about one teaspoon of aquarium salt for every 5 gallons of water that you change out during a water change. this is a light dosage and shouldn't bother anything else in your tank (except skinless catfish)
They should be kept as a ratio of at least 3 females to every male. a male is not even necessary since most times the females you buy at the store are pregnant. this means that if you bought around 3 females, and if you care correctly for the fry that they will give birth to, you will eventually have a male resulting from the saved fry.
you are correct in thinking dalmation and black mollies can breed. all mollies can breed, no matter what their color is. they just prefer similar color individuals, but if there is no choice then it doesnt matter to them.
Mollies are higher pH fish. they will be more at home if your water pH is 7+
if it is lower, then you should consider keeping some other type of fish.
temperature for then should ideally be above 75F, around 79F if you can. presence of salt and higher tropical temperature will ensure a healthy immune system in these tropical fish.
Diet should absolutely include spirulina algae. remember those two words if you want to keep and breed mollies. Spirulina Algae.aside from that they should be fed some blanched vegetables, with romaine lettuce and spinach being the most accepted. there should also be some treat foods, like freeze dried tubifex cubes, or frozen blood worms/freeze dried blood worms, even frozen mysis shrimp is a good nutritious food to give on occasion.
I cant think of anything else that you need to know, but if you have specific questions, not pertaining to the general info i gave, then feel free to ask.
EDIT: ok and now for the posts that i missed while i was typing my essay lol...
since you have otos, I recommend you do what youre doing and not use too much salt, or any salt at all.
They should be kept as a ratio of at least 3 females to every male. a male is not even necessary since most times the females you buy at the store are pregnant. this means that if you bought around 3 females, and if you care correctly for the fry that they will give birth to, you will eventually have a male resulting from the saved fry.
you are correct in thinking dalmation and black mollies can breed. all mollies can breed, no matter what their color is. they just prefer similar color individuals, but if there is no choice then it doesnt matter to them.
Mollies are higher pH fish. they will be more at home if your water pH is 7+
if it is lower, then you should consider keeping some other type of fish.
temperature for then should ideally be above 75F, around 79F if you can. presence of salt and higher tropical temperature will ensure a healthy immune system in these tropical fish.
Diet should absolutely include spirulina algae. remember those two words if you want to keep and breed mollies. Spirulina Algae.aside from that they should be fed some blanched vegetables, with romaine lettuce and spinach being the most accepted. there should also be some treat foods, like freeze dried tubifex cubes, or frozen blood worms/freeze dried blood worms, even frozen mysis shrimp is a good nutritious food to give on occasion.
I cant think of anything else that you need to know, but if you have specific questions, not pertaining to the general info i gave, then feel free to ask.
EDIT: ok and now for the posts that i missed while i was typing my essay lol...
since you have otos, I recommend you do what youre doing and not use too much salt, or any salt at all.
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Neither mollie appeared sick until the day they died and were really healthy eaters. I had them at least 3 months. They appeared full grown if 3 inches is any indication. It was just the last two days that the Dalmation started harassing them. I really don't want to do the salt thing because I kind of like the otos and was hoping to have the in both tanks eventually, but thanks for all the info. I was also actually asking if the platys and mollies would interbreed because one monitor on another website said they would, but I have seen no indication of any of that kind of activity.
mollies and platy cannot interbreed, especially not sucessfuly. they are of two different Genus of fish. here is how the breeding thing works with common live bearers:
Platy + Swordtail
Molly+Guppy
believe it or not those crosses will work, but they'll probably only happen under special conditions. for example I am breeding platy with swordtails. I made sure that i only put female swordtails in my tank and only a male platy. no male swordtail, no female platy. the male platy and female swordtail do breed to produce hybrid crosses.
about the salt, you do not have to if you do not want to. otos are cool.
the death of the fish being picked on by the dominant molly is likely because of stress. do you have enough cover in your tank for the fish being picked on to completely hide from the aggressor? sometimes though mollies can be so mean that death is unavoidable... I am sorry that happened to your fish.
Platy + Swordtail
Molly+Guppy
believe it or not those crosses will work, but they'll probably only happen under special conditions. for example I am breeding platy with swordtails. I made sure that i only put female swordtails in my tank and only a male platy. no male swordtail, no female platy. the male platy and female swordtail do breed to produce hybrid crosses.
about the salt, you do not have to if you do not want to. otos are cool.
the death of the fish being picked on by the dominant molly is likely because of stress. do you have enough cover in your tank for the fish being picked on to completely hide from the aggressor? sometimes though mollies can be so mean that death is unavoidable... I am sorry that happened to your fish.