Hiding Fish - Clueless What To Do

HI All.
My first post here and I'm quite new to the aquarium world myself.

I've got a Juwel Diamond 60 Aquarium with the following configuration:
1. Juwel heater. Water constantly at 25.7-25.9 C
2. JBL CristalProfI 401 external filter
3. Simple airpump with a small air stone
4, The Juwel's stock halogen light + 1 extra LED light tube

NO3 and NO2 are at 0, PH at 7.5 (home kit tests,

Now I have 4 red swordtail fish (1 male, 3 female; male seems to be rather adult, female - junior), 1 white male molly and 1 (I think male) black molly that is the only survivor of the fry (and the black molly dynasty in the tank)... The tank has 3 life plants and 2 rocky places to hide in.
Now to the problem:
The white molly has been acting strange for last 2-3 months - usually sitting in a corner without much activity. During the last month he just hides inside the cave, gets out to eat and back to his spot.
The black one used to be quite active but for the last 3 weeks or so is constantly hiding as well (prefers to hide under the leaves). He is eating well etc, but I notice his gills move rather quickly sometimes.
The swordfish behave normal most of the time but after the evening food they sort of disappear and the aquarium seems empty...
I feed them all jbl flakes and ones a week dry shrimp.

From what I understand this behaviour is completely unusual for the fish but I have no idea how to fix it...
Thanks a lot!

 

Helloooo and welcome to the fish hobby! First did you cycle the tank? If I read correctly you just added fish without cycling. Second having two males with 3 females isn’t good. Add one or two more females to keep the females from being chased constantly. Third, if gills are moving quite rapidly, then that means either ammonia poisoning or not enough oxygen in the tank. Do you have an API master test kit? Have any brine shrimp? They love those little suckers. Freeze dried. Mollies are always out if nothing is wrong with them. Check your water parameters .

 

HI Sarah, thanks for your comment.

The Aquarium is about 6 months old and fully cycled. As I've mentioned the water is as good as it gets with 0 NO2 and NO3 readings. There is plenty of surface movement + the air stone delivering oxygen from the bottom.
I wish the Molly would chase anyone but he's constantly hiding.

I was thinking of adding few female Mollies or some small fish to swim around to attract them but I'm afraid it will be to crowded for this size of aquarium... I don't mind cleaning it more often (currently ones a week) but would there be other problems?

 

You have a 60 gallon tank right? That’s not overcrowding at all hun. Do you have an apI mater test kit? It the most reliable test.

 

I wish for 60 galon - it's 60 liters (16 galon).
Don't have API here at all, I'm using JBL - my understanding was it's quite reliable as well.

 

Yeah that’s way too many mollies. You should only have 1-2 mollies in a 16 gallon tank. Sounds like they are hiding because it’s too crowded.

 

Well, that’s what I have feared. Thanks to the “honest” and “responsible” sales ppl in the pet shop.
What should be the reasonable tank size for 3-4 mollies and 4 swordfish?

And most importantly- what do I do now until I can get a bigger aquarium and migrate them?

 

40 gallon at least. But as you go bigger you could add other fish to. I really don’t know what you can do until you get a bigger tank. I’d say add another filter to help with the poop, keeping the water clean, doing water changes, and not feeding them to much.

 

Got bad news today - one of the swordfish has died with no visible dmg or illness. Similar thing has happened about 3 weeks ago to a swordfish as well.
I have re-checked the water again. pH is at 7.4. Ammonia and no2/no3 are close to 0 and all in a green zone (have checked 3 times using jbl lab kit).
Now doing water changes of about 50% daily just in case but not sure what was the reason behind it’s death and/or how to prevent it going forward. Can attach the picture of the dead fishy if that would help...

 

Got bad news today - one of the swordfish has died with no visible dmg or illness. Similar thing has happened about 3 weeks ago to a swordfish as well.
I have re-checked the water again. pH is at 7.4. Ammonia and no2/no3 are close to 0 and all in a green zone (have checked 3 times using jbl lab kit).
Now doing water changes of about 50% daily just in case but not sure what was the reason behind it’s death and/or how to prevent it going forward. Can attach the picture of the dead fishy if that would help...

Was he lying down dead or floating dead?

 

Lying down, same as previous one.

 

Ok did he ever scratch against your plants and decor? Did you see anything on your fishies body or fins? Clamped fins ?

 

They like to be close to plants, but no obvious scratching. Nothing on fins/gils/body.
I did have Ich about 2 months back and thought I got rid of it. I did have rotten fins when just started the aquarium so know the symptoms - not that either.

PS: thanks a lot for your help!

 

They like to be close to plants, but no obvious scratching. Nothing on fins/gils/body.
I did have Ich about 2 months back and thought I got rid of it. I did have rotten fins when just started the aquarium so know the symptoms - not that either.

PS: thanks a lot for your help!

Your very welcome! It wouldn’t have been ich if you didn’t notice white spots on the fish. Just sounds like he was too stressed and had enough so he gave up.

 

The female molly is just hiding because she's scared and doesn't want to be chased by the male. Only 2 mollies isn't really enough and having a 1:1 male to female ratio is going to result in him chasing her. Since you're already tight on space, I suggest either bringing all the swords back and getting one more molly or bringing back the mollies.

 

I do feel it’s stress as well but can’t think of a cause.
The hiding molly is a male, so obviously not being chased, swordfish are 1:2 atm.

 

Do you have a pond or something that is bigger?

 

I wish, but no, that’s the biggest thing with water I have around.

 

And some new observations: the small molly has started loosing color - the black on part of the body seems to be less "shiny". One of the swortail's head seem to be whitening a bit.
And seems like mollies are getting worse...

 

And some new observations: the small molly has started loosing color - the black on part of the body seems to be less "shiny". One of the swortail's head seem to be whitening a bit.
And seems like mollies are getting worse...

Stress is the problem. This is gonna continue until there are only one or two mollies left.

 

So the little black molly is gone...
The white one (male) surprisingly got out of his hide place and was swimming around a bit now. Surprisingly the female swordfish are kind of attacking him on the sides from time to time...
Will see how things will evolve now, but I'm really puzzled with this stress thing...

 

You have too many fish in too little of a tank. It’s like having 7 people in a normal apartment. Way to crowded.

 

Now its 1 molly and 3 swordfish left, and I'm not betting on the molly to make it...
Population wise would this be ok for the size of the tank?

 

Nope. Sword tails get 5 inches long. You can try though