kmsmith90

I bought a 30 gal tank with Mollies, tetras, cory cats and a pleco. The tank had been up and running for four years and we left a few inches of water in during transport so that the bacteria would not die off. Now 8 days later the silver molly is head-butting the black molly and chasing him around the tank ramming him in the side. The water is also a little cloudy today for the first time. The mollies both appear to be females. The male dalmation molly and other fish are acting normally. What could be wrong?

Hippiechick

Female mollies will do this. The dominant one will keep it up until she kills the other. I had 2 females and a male and between the male chasing both the females and the dominant female also chasing the other, the poor girl didn't stand a chance.

I would suggest that you keep an eye on the parameters of your water. Huge water changes (which is what having to move a tank basically entails) and the stirring up of all the stuff in the gravel could set off a mini-cycle. If you start to see a rise in ammonia or nitrites you'll need to do a 25-30% water change. The cloudyness makes me think that could be whats happening there, but without knowing the parameters I can't say for sure.
If you can test and post the results, I might be able to help you more.

kmsmith90

I changed about 10 gal of water and vaccumed the gravel since that post, water looks better. I think I will put one of the mollies in my 20 gal tank. Thanks for the input. I inherited a few tanks and I seem to be addicted. I am learning as I go.

Mike

Hey kmsmith - welcome to the fishlore forums!

As far as the cloudy water goes, it sounds like a bacterial cloud that is indicative of the "cycle" starting over. If you re-started the tank with all new filter media that is probably what is happening. Basically just echoing what Hippiechick just told ya. Keep a close eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels until the cycle completes and perform frequent small water changes so you don't lose any fish.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Mike

kmsmith90

no problems now, waters clear and Mollies separated. I think the black one is about to have babies, her belly is getting bigger and she is acting healthy so I don't think it' s an unhealthy swelling.
Thanks for the advice the other day

kmsmith90

Black Molly no longer swollen . I think I was overfeeding but she begs for food like a puppy. Do all mollies interact with people? She is very interested in anything outside the tank. I bought this tank secondhand, thinking it was empty, my husband brought it home full of baggies full of fish and 1/4 of orig water. Can u believe they have all survived and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate all 0ppm?

Mike

Congrats and good job on keeping your fish alive through that transition period. All of the Angelfish I've had have been like your molly. They always come up to the top front of the aquariums when I walk in the room.

fishfreak

I have two mollies one male and one female. My female mollie is chasing my male mollie around the tank when I thought it would be the other way around, what should i do?

Mike

I wouldn't worry too much unless you start to see some visible damage or the male stops eating. If that happens you could always separate them into different tanks or use a tank divider.