So I am a beginner fish keeper but I am determined to do this right. At first I was a little anxious and not very knowledgeable. You can read all my set up and preparation or you can skip to the end for my questions, your call...
I received an 8 gallon BiOrb for Christmas 12/25. I rinsed everything and set it up properly, the only thing that did not go as directed was the filter at the bottle kept spinning when I turned it clockwise, whereas the directions said it should click into place... I began adding water and added about 6 gallons of tap water filtered through a Britta water filter and about 2 gallons of Poland Springs water. The box also included a package of organic rocks that covered the bottom that I rinsed before placing in the tank as well. The package came with a sample of Stress Coat and Stress Zyme. I added the stress Coat and let it run for 24 hours. I added the Stress Zyme on 12/26 and let it run knowing that I just had to "break the tank in" but not knowing about the
NO2 cycle.
On 12/28 I purchased my first fish since I was about 5 and had a
goldfish named Goldfish who promptly died on me. I bought three mollies as I liked their coloring, activity, they were good for beginners, and they are rather peaceful. I watched the ones I wanted for awhile to make sure they had no spots, looked healthy, and were about the same size. Each at about 1.5 inches I got a Silver Molly, Black Molly, and Dalmation Molly. I also bought: alarge ring plant (fake and designed for the BiOrb), a smaller standing plastic plant, a ceramic rock wall, box of aquarium salt and a large container of TetraMin, flakes.
I went home and rinsed all the accessories before placing them in the tank. The large plant is in the middle, and breaches the surface with plenty of places to hide, small plant is towards the front and I laced it to make a natural looking arch with the large plant, and the rock wall is in the back (back being where the wall is in respect to my orb). I added 1 and 1/4 tablespoons of aquarium salt as recommended. I then acclimated my fish in the bag (let it sit in the water for 15 minutes closed, opened it, scooped in some water bit by bit over about 50 minutes then let the fish swim out into their new home).
The next day I started to educate myself and get serious about taking care of them. I got some more Stress Coat and Zyme, some water testing strips, a suction tube to change the water, an algae sponge, a thermometer, and ordered a heater.
I tested the water 12/29 and 12/30 and it was as follows:
ammonia: 0ppm (Safe)
nitrate: ~10ppm (Safe)
nitrite: 0ppm (Safe)
chlorine: 0ppm (Safe)
Total Hardness: 150ppm (Hard)
alkalinity: 140ppm (Ideal)
pH: 7.6 (Slightly Alkaline)
Temp: 68* F
My tap water is hard with a little bit high salt content but everything else was safe when tested.
Assumptions based on what I've read:
Slightly salted water is healthier for the Mollies.
Hard water is more stable for pH and a slightly alkaline pH is better for the Mollies.
My Black Molly and Silver Molly are females (single rounded anal fin).
Temperature should be around 76*F but I'm waiting on my heater.
Change 25% of the water every 3 days for the first week, then biweekly each time adding appropriate amounts of Coat and Zyme and salt and letting it cycle before adding it (set it up 2 days before).
Feed them once a day, fast them on Sundays, alternate veggies every Saturday.
Questions:
1. Will my mollies be OK with a 68*F water temp for the next 3 days or so until my heater arrives?
2. My Dalmation Molly of unknown sex chases the Silver Molly around a lot but never the Black. It has a rounded anal fin but two wispy trailing fins on either side of its anal fin. I looked at pictures of males and their
gonopodium (great, fish porn) but it doesn't look the same, they are definitely fins and there's two. What's up with this? I'm assuming it's a female but why the extra fins?
3. The Dalmation also shimmies, it doesn't shimmy when I'm not up close watching it but it does whenever I'm nearby. Is that begging?
4. Is hard water OK? Should I use water conditioner to make it softer?
5. Anything else that I should know?
