Delinquent Molly or Just in Lust??

I have 4 sailfin mollies in my 55 gallon (black; gold; dalmation and black with blue ( amazing) . Also since I couldn't find a large white sailfin, I got 3 pearly mollies, just the regulars. I thought they were all male, ( yes, I spent 1/2 hr checking for "gonopodium" ( a great word), however, now I am not so sure. They all look the same to me.

So when we introduced them into the tank ( all on the same day) one of the little pearl mollies started chasing a dwarf gourami. ( One of 4 ) It was freaking me out, since this is new to me, I have no clue what was right or wrong. Finally, a larger dwarf gourami, put himself between the two of them faced off with the pearl, and the pearl molly backed off. ( how cool is that??)

So yesterday, I see a pearl white molly ( has to be a male ) chasing the dalmation molly. Just now, I was watching and the dalmation molly was chasing the pearl molly. Now I am beginning to think this is some version of playing hard to get - they would stop and kinda face off, grab at each other's fins - it was again freaking me out. Sure didn't look live love or lust, but really, I have nothing to compare it to I read that they will cross breed, but man, this is brutal! The kribensis , Thor, swam up to see what was going on - he is the "sheriff" of the tank, keeping everyone in order. :-[ I was thinking I should take the pearl out, and suddenly they just broke apart, witht he dalmation swimming into the very big floating silk plant, and the pearl swimming off to do whatever it is he does - smooth his scales; adjust his fins;have a smoke..LOL

No one has any tears, or bites or rips. I didn't actually see any kind of "connection" if you get my drift, but I was so stunned I could have missed something. I have been reading other posts, and see other cases of aggressive mollies. Very interesting indeed!

My tank is not over crowded, with just 5 red eye tetras other than those above. Man, I researched for weeks to find a combination of fish with similar needs and temperments, thinking that the mollies would be so sweet.........ha!

So, anyone have any ideas, advice?? Delinquent or in Lust??

Oh and I forgot, the delinquent pearl molly always swims with his top fin up.........show off! They actually look like miniature sailfins!

Thanks, Val

 

All of the above can now be ignored - I just went to check on them, and found a pearl molly on the filter intake, with no eyes and only part of a tail. Thor was seen leaving the scene. So I must have missed an all and out fight.

Now there is a pearl molly chasing a black sailfin. What the h--- is going on?? Mollies on crack or something???

Very weird.

 

Sounds like Lust to me all right Sorry you lost the one. Do you think he invaded Thors territory?
Carol

 

Sounds like Lust to me all right Sorry you lost the one. Do you think he invaded Thors territory?
Carol

No, Thor is actually pretty calm. He cruises back and forth at the bottom of the tank, and if anyone tries to get into his "ship" ( he claimed it )- he chases them away. But nothing scary. I am thinking there was a fight, the pearl molly lost and got stuck to the intake, and Thor, shall we say, took advantage of the situation ( ie) food????

I have been out there beside them for a couple hours, and these pearl mollies are just looking for trouble. they are kind of bugging everyone but each other, but particularly the sailfins. I saw one of the sailfins do this elaborate tail sweep back and forth and then chase the pearl away. Geez - If my imagination got out of control here, I would think I was in a sci-fI movie! It was almost like the betta dance, but in slow motion, and more exxagerated. Interesting if the outcome wasn't so sad.

It sounds cold to say, but I am trying to keep my emotional distance until the 7 days of Bio Spira is up - know what I mean??

I hope this will be the only loss.

Val

 

Hopefully that's the only one you will lose. Just keep an eye out. Keep us posted please.
Carol

 

Thanks Carol, again, with new fish and a more species, I find it amazing all of the new things to learn! Every species has their unique characteristics - just like humans.

I put a slice of cucumber into the tank on a vegie clip, and all of the mollies, and later the gouramis were pecking at it. Another wonderful experience for me to get to watch. Life is so full of tiny miracles and wonder!

They seem more settled now, one pearl molly was still sticking his nose in everyone else's business, but not like earlier. I hope I don't lose anymore either. Usually it is only several days that I can stay unattached, but now that they respond when food is coming, or follow my finger - forget - I am a goner!!

Look at all these amazing little creatures...for sure " God Don't Make No Junk"!

Val

 

Look at all these amazing little creatures...for sure " God Don't Make No Junk"!

Val

your exactly right Val! Although he does make some a bit more spunky than others and sometimes it gets them into trouble. Tell that pearl to watch its nose
I get attached so easy too! My little Clown Loaches I got a couple of months ago are starting to eat out of my fingers like their dearly departed cousins and I am such a sucker for fish nibbling at my fingers
Carol

 

Sorry to hear you lost one Val. I told myself a while back that if I was to have 2 community tanks I have to stay detatched from them, not an easy thing to do though!

 

Sorry to hear you lost one Val. I told myself a while back that if I was to have 2 community tanks I have to stay detatched from them, not an easy thing to do though!

Thanks Michelle, I would have been more upset if it was one of the sailfins. They are so beautiful, all look so different, but after watching the dalmation facing off with the pearl and doing that tail swaying - wow - wish I knew what it all meant!

The pearls have been misbehaivin' since they moved here, the little ingrates!> They are the smallest fish in the tank, ( & have the biggest attitude) and the guppies will go in when Quarantine is over, so the pearls better be over themselves by then! Cuz no one gets to hurt the guppies - I adore them! ( Again, they were learning fish, teaching me lots about feeding, water parameters, love) ( of course, the naughty little bugger). I know I keep saying it, but who knew - they are fish!!:-[ But ya know, ya just never know who they really could be or what you will do your next life as.....


I thought I wouldn't be naming the community tank fish, however, first I named Thor, cuz he just needed a name - he is so awesome; then I thought the rest of them all looked the same, but after you watch them, they aren't ( well, the bigger ones anyway) I find once they are named and start responding to me personally - game over.

I'll keep you posted, I must say I am surprised by the number of threads that deal with aggressive mollies, though!

Val

 

I have one Cherry barb named ' Big Bertha'!! She has always been big and the other 2 girls are catching up!! My male shrimp in the asbo tank is called 'Ugly' and one of my 2 female shrimps in the other tank is called 'Lightening' because of the speed she shot out of the lfs bag.

I think from my own guppies and watching live-bearers in stores eating their own dead that they are little sods on the quiet!!

I'm glad you are exploring new fish, isn't it FAB!!!! I saw the cutest Ballon Mollie I have EVERY seen yesterday so may go down that route in the future. Who knows, the worlds my 'lobster'!!hehe

 

Well, this morning, I noticed yet another of the pearl mollies going after the sailfins. Later, the sailfin was after it! They were going from one end of the tank to the other, the red eye tetras are usually at the middle to further end of the tank, and when the chase went straight through their school - you should have seen the scattering. I am sure someone would have been airborn if there wasn't a canopy. Part of me is amused, but part of me is horrified!! Wish I knew what was going on. Gentle mollies my a--!!!! They are predatory bullying stalkers !!! >( This is the little pearl ones). Otherwise the tank is like the United Nations, with everyone seemingly working out their territories quietly.

I got home late last night and had been gone all day, so they hadn't been fed and I had left the light out. When I turned the light on all of the gouramis and the sailfins were sitting on separate branches in this large bamboo-ee (??) floating plant.:;a2 :;a2 The brats were huddled with the tetras, and Thor poked his head out of his ship to see what the fuss was. It really cracked me up!.

 

I have 2 community tanks as you know and so funny. Ma and I thoughtthe asbos had eaten 'ugly' the shrimp before but he's still alive and ugly!!

 

What is an asbo?? I just learned what a kribensis is...LOL

 

hehe.....

ASBO over here is an ' ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ORDER' that people get against them for being horrid *"!^$ being pests where they live. An asbo against your name is BAD!

My first tank set up I was told that Cherry barbs were LOL 'peaceful community fish' Had them first then minnows then 3 guppies.
One morn came down, one guppy dead, one dying and one ( Billy) hiding. The barbs were attacking the poor dying one. Such a horrid sight. Got him out, he died a few hours later and got billy out, ran out to buy a small tank to TRY to save him.

Billy did live but only for a few months ( he loved surfing the bubbles from the airstone...LOVED him) Hence the Billy memorial tank I have.

The Barb tank all got asbo's against them that day!! So the asbo tank!!

Hope that explains but what the BLEEP is a kribensis?

 

hehe.....

ASBO over here is an ' ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ORDER' that people get against them for being horrid *"!^$ being pests where they live. An asbo against your name is BAD!

The Barb tank all got asbo's against them that day!! So the asbo tank!!

Hope that explains but what the BLEEP is a kribensis?

Michelle, you crack me up!! Anyway, that is exactly what my pearl mollies are....well they aren't killers ( yet)> but they chase relentlessly. I spent a half hour straight trying to decide if I had a boy/girl mix -- which I am sure I do not. It was not successful, cuz I still don't know. All the mollies look the same to me. So, asbos against pearl mollies that live in my tank.!!!

Chief WaterChanger told me about kribensis ( his name is Thor), and when I was in the fish store in Minnesota, low and behold they had one. He is a peaceful cichlid ( LOL - I just learned how to pronounce that) . :-[ I will send that pic via email. He is handsome, about 3 inches (adult I think) and he chose the ship to live in, and patrols the bottom of the tank. Sometimes he cruises up to the top, and since I am still within my 7 day Bio Sprira cycle, I freak out, cuz I think he is sick - well, I freak out a lot ( all by myself - you could call it over reacting....since there is no need for it. ) But until I figure out what is right and wrong behaviour for all these guys it will happen. He allows no shenanigans on the bottom of the tank, they can look, but just keep swimming. It is so funny, if two of the sailfin mollies are cruising together and he is coming towards them, they split into a v shape, one goes under, one goes over. I am thinking they know where the bear s--- in the buckwheat!!

Anyway, a month ago I didn't know about him, and now he is my favourite fish. ( Well, in the community tank) He doesn't get a mate, cuz apparently he would be crazy territorial!! So he is cursed with celibacy, but a cushey life of pampering!:;qu

 

Val,

Perhaps if you post pics of all of your mollies we could determine gender for you?

The flashy tail movements and flared dorsal fin could be a breeding dance. Once I read into guppy breeding, back when I was first starting, I was amazed to read that breeding dances are very common. Humans do the whole romantic things of dinner, wine (or hard liquor) and then try for it. Whereas fish have very specific dances (as many of us like to call them.) Guppies will do very tense looking jerking body motions and sometimes if you watch closely enough the males will shape their body like an 'S' while breeding.

I've not studied into the mollies much (as far as text book reading goes), but often times aggression in the fish kingdom is one of three things.

-Related to breeding or breeding dance
-Territory dispute
-Guarding of fry

With livebearers you get less of the second and third.

Sorry you lost the one, but if a fish dies lots of times you find them without eyes and/or their stomachs have been eatten. Eyes are the softest tissue, so much like carrion birds, other fish will eat the easiest first. And the stomach contains nutrient rich foods...

Hope that helps somehow.

 

Val I guess crazy fish and crazy people go hand in hand or hand to fin!!