aj_1992

Yo, i'm just wondering how big balloon mollys grow to be cuz i plan on getting some soon. and is it really necessary to put in salt to keep the mollys in tip-top shape ? last question is how big of a tank would I need if i were to keep six of them? thanks for the advices!

atmmachine816

They usually get 4-6" and yes they perfer salt though you can keep them in FW, just more disease suseptible. I would advise a 40gallon tank, though I don't know for sure.

schiz

I keep three balloon mollies in my 55G community tank and I must say they are one of my favorite fish, very inquisitive and very aware of anything happening outside the tank. I have seen them top out size-wise in varying lengths I believe due to the fact that some are crossed with other types of mollies. I have had some with sailfins and some with lyretails, and various colors. Most I have seen full grown have been in the 2.5 to 3 inch range, though I have seen one or two at almost 4 inches. They have some extra mass due to thier large bellies and I have come to discover are rather dirty fish. For six you might could get away with somewhere between 25-30G just make sure you keep on top of the water changes and watch the parameters. I do not use salt in my main tank but I have noticed they seem to appreciate it more than the other lifebearers. I had to raise the temp on my tank since the mollies seemed to get ich pretty regularly. Since raising the temp I have had no such problems, and when I do quarantine them for something I do use salt for them it seems to help them recover faster with it.

I do hope you purchase some I really enjoy the ones I have.

armadillo

Balloon mollies' bellies are not bigger than other mollies. It's just that their spine us curved. Just like pot-bellied pigs which are in fact not pot-bellied at all. Anyway...

As far as mine is concerned, they are definitely voracious eaters, though!

Am a little torn on balloon mollies as they are adorable, with indeed very inquisitive temperament, and (at least mine) has never showed any aggression. The other fish tend to leave it alone most of the time too, even the aggressive ones.

I am a little torn, as I would love a tank full of them given their really endearing nature, but they are the result of very cruel selection for a back problem called scoliosis. As a result, it has been observed that their lifespan is reduced. Their morphology is also not ideal for swimming, but I have to say mine seems completely fine.