voiceless_kat

These pics are posted to try to determine sex of all. I am having a lot of aggression from the little white mollies against the dalmation in particular. Alth9ugh the white one will also take after the big black sailfin sometimes too. I am not sure if this is play or what, but the dalmation and the small white pearl molly really get into it, with a lot of posturing, grabbing each others top fin etc. However, there are no signs of injury, no bites, rips or tears.

The best pics I took were too large to send, so hoping Chief Water Changer can cast some light on this predicament.

They truly all look like males to me....


I think I just got 2 pearl mollies who are too big for their britches - the four sailfins are three times their size.

Sailfins are Black - alpha fish
Dalmation
Marble & Gold.

Thanks, Val

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armadillo

Hi Val

If you have had these fish together less than a week, then I would let things settle. They're probably establishing their hierarchy.

You'll find that the black fish will end up being the alpha male (at least in theory) as they're supposed to be considered more dominant the more black they have in their patterns.

There is only a couple of fish on your pix where I wonder whether they could maybe be females: the two pale orange ones. For the rest, the dorsals are really well-developed, so males.

To calm things down, I'd have a really heavily planted area somewhere in your tank. Some tall plants in that mix is better, to break the line of sight. You can use fake plants.

I hope it works out. Let us know how you go.

voiceless_kat

Hi again! The "Two pale orange ones" are just one fish. That is a reflection. He is much smaller than the black ( Bogey) and the marble ( Rhett), but he is always very calm, stays to himself a lot, is rarely in the chase with the pearl molly.

I do have silk plants on the left side, a huge one, and will be putting live plants in it this coming week. I was thinking like you, maybe just getting the pecking order down.

I'll keep an eye on them.

armadillo

Oooops. I assure you I've not had a drink and started to see double!

I hope your'e right and things will settle. You definitely deserve it, as you're totally playing it by the rules in the tank stocking decisions you've taken.

voiceless_kat

Ya, Laure Anne I learned to play by the rules as a child....that lasted until I was 30.....well, way past that, now I am living life and loving it!!

I did find a dead red eye tetra today, no clue what that was about, but I will replace it asap.

That crazy molly was chasing Bogey ( alpha sailfin) all around today, I think he has a death wish. What a cocky little so and so. The only good thing about it was Bogey was displaying his beautiful sailfin a lot - wow, he is purrrty!

Val

Chief_waterchanger

Unless I missed something I think all are males. My favorite is the black one with the huge sailfin.

voiceless_kat

Ross ( I think that emoticon suits you!) The big black guy's name is Bogey - I may have told you already...he is a beauty for sure. He knows it too, always displaying that fin!

I am happy to hear you think they are all boys -- even the white devil spawn fish

I was going to send you the fish bonk..until I read this and you said they were boys!!

Thanks. Maybe devil spawn fish has "Little Fish Syndrome" cuz if you ask him, he is the biggest fish in the tank!!!

Val

Chief_waterchanger

That is too funny, but probably true.

Ross

capekate

Hi Val,
gorgeous fish there! Love what I can see of the tank. Great job!

From what I have seen of the sailfins is that the males do have a much higher showy dorsal fin than the females. So you may have all males there as Chief water changer said..
Sorry to hear that a tetra didnt make it. It just happens from time to time, without any apparent cause. I also heard that mollies can be little SOB's so who knows??
Good luck with the tank and please.. start a new thread with all tankmates and tank set up so that we can all see them! It sounds like a wonderful assortment of fish there!
~ kate

armadillo

Displaying their fins can be a really really really good sign. If they're not doing it to show off to a female (fat chance in your tank) or to fend off a male that is. But relaxed, random showing off of their dorsal fin is a sign of well-being in male sailfins.

voiceless_kat

Kate, email your way this evening, and I will post the pics on the forum, but some are too large, so will email to you. Just now I am out for a late birthday lunch with the girls. So watch for the message. And thanks for the ...LOl.

I am going to try to get a couple of tetras today, a couple of otos for Wink Jack Sparrows tank and the guppies will be going in tonight or tomorrow also.

Val