Are my mollies playing or fighting?

[cactusboat]

my water parameters are fine (ammonia: 0ppm, nitrite: 0ppm, nitrate: 5ppm), but i've noticed my gold dust lyretail molly chasing my black molly around the tank. it is 29 gallons, they are both females, and they are the only fish in the tank right now. i haven't seen any fin or scale damage on the one being chased, but i'm just concerned that she might be under too much stress.

 

[PlantedCommunityTank132]

Some fish species are aggressive if they don't have enough "Friends" In the tank. Not sure if that's the case tho.

 

[jkkgron2]

I would either rehome one of the mollies (and get a different species of fish. Maybe a group of hardy tetras?) or get some more mollies to help spread out the aggression. Right now It sounds like the gold dust Molly is the dominant fish and is bullying the other Molly.

 

[cactusboat]

I would either rehome one of the mollies (and get a different species of fish. Maybe a group of hardy tetras?) or get some more mollies to help spread out the aggression. Right now It sounds like the gold dust Molly is the dominant fish and is bullying the other Molly.

thank you for the advice! do you think that 2 more female mollies would be enough to lessen the bullying? i really do love my gold dust molly and would like to avoid rehoming her unless it is 100% necessary.

 

[jkkgron2]

thank you for the advice! do you think that 2 more female mollies would be enough to lessen the bullying? i really do love my gold dust molly and would like to avoid rehoming her unless it is 100% necessary.

I would get 3 more. Adding in some more decorations or plants might also help to reduce aggression once you get more, It should make it harder for the two original mollies to bully the others because it’ll be a ‘new’ environment for them too.

 

[Jonahtheplecolvr]

when I had 1 male and one female molly the male alway chased her around. I would get 2-4 more (female) mollies.

 

[Debbie1986]

I have 4 mollies, 3 always hang out and 1 is usually the lone odd ball. But they will occasionally swim together. I also have guppies and the mollies swim with guppies around 75% of the time.

I think upping your numbers would help or add a companion fish.

it's worked for me mollie/guppies and my neon/black neons; the number can be less than perfect because the companion fish is there ( i.e. safety/survival feelings fish get).

 

[jkkgron2]

I have 4 mollies, 3 always hang out and 1 is usually the lone odd ball. But they will occasionally swim together. I also have guppies and the mollies swim with guppies around 75% of the time.

I think upping your numbers would help or add a companion fish.

it's worked for me mollie/guppies and my neon/black neons; the number can be less than perfect because the companion fish is there ( i.e. safety/survival feelings fish get).

I agree with adding more mollies, but IMO adding a companion fish that’s a different species than the mollies to help them feel safe isn’t going to work out. They might get along, but I don’t think it’ll necessarily make them feel more safe. For some shy species of fish it’d work, but mollies are pretty outgoing.