Yummy...
- Thread starter wraxa
- Start date
There is no such thing as the "one inch per gallon" rule. In fact, true stocking levels are more related to square inch of surface area than to gallonage. A thirty gallon long is going to hold more fish than a thirty high and definately more than a thirty hex. That's why hex tanks, while stylish, really are not the best homes for fish unless they are wider than they are deep.
Also, black mollies and bettas perfer different water chemistries. In order to do their best and stay away from skin infections, black mollies should be in a more brackish environment than a betta.
Temperature wise, both mollies and bettas are tropical fish that ought to be at temps of 76oF to 78oF. It is quite difficult to keep a small tank like that stable temp wise, even with one of those water heater things (personally don't trust them myeslf). Bettas seem to handle the room temperatures better than the mollies in my experience.
Mollies, when kept individually, are also known to become very aggressive. That "one inch" molly this year will be a two inch molly next year, and you'll need to move the molly to a bigger tank anyway. Mollies are fish that need to be kept in a 2 female to 1 male ratio in order to reduce the aggression of males. Particularly big females will also become the most aggressive fish in the tank if they are allowed to throw their weight around without a molly challenger to keep them in their place. The molly may just harass the betta to death, then you wouldn't have to worry about having too many inches of fish in the tank.
The betta you see in the store is usually already at his full growth and is approximately one year old. He could be kept in two gallons his full livespan provided he is given the proper care.
I would go with surface aggitation, either from an airstone/airpump combo or a HOB filter, rather than a molly. But hey, its wraxa's tank, they can do what they want.
~~Colesea
Also, black mollies and bettas perfer different water chemistries. In order to do their best and stay away from skin infections, black mollies should be in a more brackish environment than a betta.
Temperature wise, both mollies and bettas are tropical fish that ought to be at temps of 76oF to 78oF. It is quite difficult to keep a small tank like that stable temp wise, even with one of those water heater things (personally don't trust them myeslf). Bettas seem to handle the room temperatures better than the mollies in my experience.
Mollies, when kept individually, are also known to become very aggressive. That "one inch" molly this year will be a two inch molly next year, and you'll need to move the molly to a bigger tank anyway. Mollies are fish that need to be kept in a 2 female to 1 male ratio in order to reduce the aggression of males. Particularly big females will also become the most aggressive fish in the tank if they are allowed to throw their weight around without a molly challenger to keep them in their place. The molly may just harass the betta to death, then you wouldn't have to worry about having too many inches of fish in the tank.
The betta you see in the store is usually already at his full growth and is approximately one year old. He could be kept in two gallons his full livespan provided he is given the proper care.
I would go with surface aggitation, either from an airstone/airpump combo or a HOB filter, rather than a molly. But hey, its wraxa's tank, they can do what they want.
~~Colesea