Mollies fighting?

I bought a 30 gal tank with Mollies, tetras, cory cats and a pleco. The tank had been up and running for four years and we left a few inches of water in during transport so that the bacteria would not die off. Now 8 days later the silver molly is head-butting the black molly and chasing him around the tank ramming him in the side. The water is also a little cloudy today for the first time. The mollies both appear to be females. The male dalmation molly and other fish are acting normally. What could be wrong?

 

Female mollies will do this. The dominant one will keep it up until she kills the other. I had 2 females and a male and between the male chasing both the females and the dominant female also chasing the other, the poor girl didn't stand a chance.

I would suggest that you keep an eye on the parameters of your water. Huge water changes (which is what having to move a tank basically entails) and the stirring up of all the stuff in the gravel could set off a mini-cycle. If you start to see a rise in ammonia or nitrites you'll need to do a 25-30% water change. The cloudyness makes me think that could be what's happening there, but without knowing the parameters I can't say for sure.
If you can test and post the results, I might be able to help you more.

 

I changed about 10 gal of water and vaccumed the gravel since that post, water looks better. I think I will put one of the mollies in my 20 gal tank. Thanks for the input. I inherited a few tanks and I seem to be addicted. I am learning as I go.

 

Hey kmsmith - welcome to the fishlore forums!

As far as the cloudy water goes, it sounds like a bacterial cloud that is indicative of the "cycle" starting over. If you re-started the tank with all new filter media that is probably what is happening. Basically just echoing what Hippiechick just told ya. Keep a close eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels until the cycle completes and perform frequent small water changes so you don't lose any fish.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.
Mike

 

no problems now, waters clear and Mollies separated. I think the black one is about to have babies, her belly is getting bigger and she is acting healthy so I don't think it' s an unhealthy swelling.
Thanks for the advice the other day

 

Black Molly no longer swollen . I think I was overfeeding but she begs for food like a puppy. Do all mollies interact with people? She is very interested in anything outside the tank. I bought this tank secondhand, thinking it was empty, my husband brought it home full of baggies full of fish and 1/4 of orig water. Can u believe they have all survived and ammonia/nitrite/nitrate all 0ppm?

 

Congrats and good job on keeping your fish alive through that transition period. All of the Angelfish I've had have been like your molly. They always come up to the top front of the aquariums when I walk in the room.

 

I have two mollies one male and one female. My female mollie is chasing my male mollie around the tank when I thought it would be the other way around, what should I do? ???

 

I wouldn't worry too much unless you start to see some visible damage or the male stops eating. If that happens you could always separate them into different tanks or use a tank divider.

 

My mollies fight like no other. They used to get along peacefully, but as they grow, they get more aggressive towards each other. They pretty much chase each other all the time, one always sticking their nose at the base of the other's tail. They also flare their fins at each other, and have started whipping each other with their tails. They are also both missing chunks out of their dorsal fins, which I can only assume are from each other. The puffers are completely peaceful towards the other fish, except maybe when they are trying to steal food from them. But even then there's no damage done. I think the mollies could be trying to show each other up or something, because they are both males and seem to be showing off. I just hope that this doesn't end up with one of them dead. I'd miss JimI and Janis if they were gone.

 

I have had a similar experience with one of my guppies who is always flaring and trying to fight the other one. (the smallest one against the biggest one ). Sometimes the others fight, but this one is the most aggressive of the bunch. I would suggest, if you can still fit them in the tank without overstocking, getting another male molie, and hope they get distracted. (they are boys, and will not stop fighting if that is their personality, but if there is one or two more there won't be the 1 to 1 stress).

 

I think my tank is pretty full as is. But I'm not sure. I have a 20 gallon with two baby GSPs, the two mollies, and one rubberlip pleco. I don't think I could fit anymore in there. But I do want them to stop pushing each other to death.

 

Can anyone help me figure this one out? I have no idea about the size of the pleco and puffers???


I also wanted to point out (someone correct me if I am wrong) but I think that catfishes and plecos are not brackish, and don't do well in saltish water.

 

The puffers are just under 2" each, and the pleco is about 3 I'd say

 

I'm thinking about the bioload of the fully grown fishes...

 

Oh, well I'm going to move the puffers into their own larger tank when they get older. And the pleco will get about 5".

 

I'm also going to lower the salinity when the puffers move out.

 

I believe you would have room if it is a 20 gallon... what concerns me now is the pleco, as I said he really shouldnt be in salty water.

 

I was wondering if I get a 10 gallon for my betta if the pleco would do well in there? I don't know if they're compatible. I'm hitting all the places I can think of online looking for good deals on the tank.

 

Depending on the size of the pleco... I don't think there would be enough room though. (Let me ask for expert advice)

 

I think it's a matter of numbers. Two mollies will likely pick at each other, trying to one-up each other. They're kind of like wolves in that they need to have a pecking order. However, with only two, there's no room for more than "alpha" and "omega," and the omega will constantly be testing the alpha, and the alpha will constantly be forced to beat the omega down. With more members in the school, the beatings will be spread out over a larger number of fish, and the squabbles will be fewer.

One possibility is to get a breeder net, though, and separate them for a day or so, then reintroduce them. This sometimes "resets" their aggression.

Edit: Yes, a pleco and a betta have the potential to get along, but a pleco, even a small one like a rubberlip or bristlenose, gets too big and produces too much waste for a 10g, in my opinion.

 

Hey there, I have two female juvenile dalmatian Mollies in my aquarium. One of them has been in the tank for a few months, and the other one I just got today. The one that has already been in the tank for a while is chasing/nipping at the new Mollie. The new one is a tiny bit smaller, but not much. Will this harassment stop? Or do I have to take action.

 

I would completely rearrange all your decor, that could help

 

I would completely rearrange all your decor, that could help

I did that about two days ago. . . just so the new fish wouldnt be strangers

 

I would completely rearrange all your decor, that could help

That might work with territorial fish, but mollies just don't care.

Nathaneto2 Are the two mollys male or female?
If the one being aggressive is a male and the other one if female, then its best to either add one more female to spread out the harassment, or return the female.

 

Tank size? They could be fighting for space

 

I had some when I first started my tank out and they would fight like that too, perhaps depending on tank size get a few more, mine in my kids tank had stopped fighting when I added 1 male and left two females. good luck!

 

That might work with territorial fish, but mollies just don't care.

Nathaneto2 Are the two mollys male or female?
If the one being aggressive is a male and the other one if female, then its best to either add one more female to spread out the harassment, or return the female.

they are both female. I MADE SURE

I had some when I first started my tank out and they would fight like that too, perhaps depending on tank size get a few more, mine in my kids tank had stopped fighting when I added 1 male and left two females. good luck!

I don't want to add more because I am already slightly overstocked

Tank size? They could be fighting for space

 

So I have a 29 gallon tank and I have 2 powder blue dwarf gouramis, 2 Cory Catfish, 1 Clown pleco, and I have 3 male mollies. Anyways at first I only had the one male black Molly but it was always picking on the Cory Catfish so I got two more male mollies so now I have 3. But when I released them the black Molly attacked them non stop. He was hitting them with his tail and swimming under them nipping at them.
What do I do I'm scared that he might kill them.

 

I would separate the Molly. I've had fish die from this behaviour. If something was wrong with all the fish I would assume its a tank problem but since this one molly is affecting the other two by being too aggressive, it's better to separate it.

 

I would separate the Molly. I've had fish die from this behaviour. If something was wrong with all the fish I would assume its a tank problem but since this one molly is affecting the other two by being too aggressive, it's better to separate it.

Sadly I don't have another tank to put it right now, but do you think like temporarily separating like in a pitcher of the aquarium water would work?

 

Go on

 

I have had jerk face aggressive mollies in the past as well, they were so darn pretty, but I had to take them back to the store. Hopefully your store will take them back , they do not all take fish back. there is always the craigslist options. But first call the store were you got him, then try every pet store you are willing to drive to.

I do not like to put any fish in an un heated or un filter tank/container. But if you have to do it to save your fish, you have to do it. I would use the largest thing you can find. a gallon jug filled 1 half of the way maybe.

I sugest that the next fish you get are 4-6 more of the same species of corie cats, they are social animals.