Questions about Molly Fish

Hi, I am the proud new owner of 2 Molly females. I have a couple of questions that the store wasn't able to answer. my current setup for the 2 females is a 10-gallon tank with a 90 GPH filter.

So here are my questions...

1. Is the filter too strong they are always on the other side of the tank?

2. How long should I leave the tank light on for?

3. How often should I feed them? on the bottle, it says 3 times a day but to me,

that seems to often.

Thanks For the Help!

Also, I have another couple of questions...

4. How many Molly could I put into the tank?

5Is putting a live plant in there bad?

 

HI and welcome.
1-the filter is not too strong
2-Unless you have plants in the tank that need the light or you need it for viewing, you can leave it off. However, I would only leave it on a few hours and that will help prevent algae growth.
3-I fed my mollies (in a community tank) lightly one time a day and with two, a couple of flakes each would be plenty. Or one pellet each daily.
4-Truthfully, Molly are really, really dirty little fish and I would not keep any in a ten gallon. However, if they are young they would be alright for a while but I would not add any.
5-I would put live plants in there if it were me as the molly waste would be reduced as the plant would take it up. I would get low light plants including some floating plants-you will know if they are not getting enough light as they will yellow and start to die. Just remember that even though you bought females, if they were exposed to males you can easily end up with a population explosion and once they start...
Good luck with your tank.

 

1. No, they could just enjoy where the water is a little calmer, are they staying at the top?
2. I leave my lights on from when wake to when I go to sleep.
3. I feed mine once a day, but you could do three times, many people feed twice a day.
4. 0, they need a 29+
5. Live plants are great, Anubis and anarchis are easy to grow.
You should really return the females, if you want livebearers you could have three platies or give guppies. I do not recommend females as they are usually pregnant and if they've been with a male in the at least the last six months they are pregnant. A ten is really only suited for nano fish a few non schooling fish.

 

If you have LED lighting you can leave it on for up to 16 hours. If you have florescent lighting 10 hours max. Feed 1 time a day. Plants are always a good idea, they keep the nitrate down. Filter is good. Don't add any more fish.

 

Hello Neck...

The pet store should have told you or you could have researched a few things about Mollies before you got them. They don't like small tanks, small tanks get crowded quickly when you keep livebearing fish. This will stress Mollies and they can become aggressive. Mollies are the most sensitive of the livebearers to changes in their water and the water in small tanks can change faster than the water in much larger tanks. Mollies require a specific diet high in vegetable matter. They aren't recommended for beginners.

I'd take the Mollies back and get a really small fish, since you have a really small tank. Neon Tetras are very small and a dozen would work in 10 gallons of water.

You'll need to remove and replace half the water in the tank every 3 to 4 days to keep the fish healthy.

Good luck.

Old

 

Hello Neck...

The pet store should have told you or you could have researched a few things about Mollies before you got them. They don't like small tanks, small tanks get crowded quickly when you keep livebearing fish. This will stress Mollies and they can become aggressive. Mollies are the most sensitive of the livebearers to changes in their water and the water in small tanks can change faster than the water in much larger tanks. Mollies require a specific diet high in vegetable matter. They aren't recommended for beginners.

I'd take the Mollies back and get a really small fish, since you have a really small tank. Neon Tetras are very small and a dozen would work in 10 gallons of water.

You'll need to remove and replace half the water in the tank every 3 to 4 days to keep the fish healthy.

Good luck.

Old

There going t be in the tank for r only a week. My old 20 gallon was dropped and cracked.

 

Hello Neck...

The pet store should have told you or you could have researched a few things about Mollies before you got them. They don't like small tanks, small tanks get crowded quickly when you keep livebearing fish. This will stress Mollies and they can become aggressive. Mollies are the most sensitive of the livebearers to changes in their water and the water in small tanks can change faster than the water in much larger tanks. Mollies require a specific diet high in vegetable matter. They aren't recommended for beginners.

I'd take the Mollies back and get a really small fish, since you have a really small tank. Neon Tetras are very small and a dozen would work in 10 gallons of water.

You'll need to remove and replace half the water in the tank every 3 to 4 days to keep the fish healthy.

Good luck.

Old

Actually neons wouldn't work, especially a dozen. Only nano schoolers should be the only schooling fish in a ten.

 

There going t be in the tank for r only a week. My old 20 gallon was dropped and cracked.

I see that you're in the US. If you are in need of a new tank and you have a Petco near you, they are having their dollar-per-gallon sale right now.

 

I am upgrading them to a 20 gallon

that's where I got my new one!

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

I am upgrading them to a 20 gallon

Know I said this in another thread, but just want to make sure you see it. Mollies need a 29+, I suggest looking on Craigslist or eBay for one.
Just saw you got a tank from Petco, I take a while to type haha.

 

I'm moving them to a 29 gallon Any advice on that?

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

I am upgrading them to a 29 gallon tank

Ok I wasn't sure, the 9 is to close the 0. Almost every time I type 10g, I have to correct it from 19g.
Here's my reply on your other thread-

Actually it's a 29g, that's minimum for mollies since they get large. Well let's say you already have the stand and tank, along with hood and lights. You'd need these things-
Heater
Filter
Substrate(I suggest PFS or BDBS)
Plants and decor
First you'd start with the substrate, put that in. Fill it up with water add the new filter and heater. Put in decor and plants. Then let is cycled, you can buy TSS to have it cycle faster. Next you'd put the mollies and the ten gallon filter in the 29g(to keep it cycled).

If have any other questions let me know.

 

Should I do 2 hiding spots for each?

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

Should I do 2 hiding spots for each?

Sure the more hiding spots the better, I suggest a heavily planted tank, gives them enough room to swim and hide. I suggest going for natural, as most of the time it ends up cheaper than the fake plants and decor, it's also better for the tank. For hiding spots you can use some regular clay pots after they are treated. Just make sure the hole is big enough for the fish to swim through, or way to small for them to even try. Also, once you get them to the bigger tank, any aggression should die down.

 

I was planning on doing live plants to help with cleaning

 

I was planning on doing live plants to help with cleaning

Yep, they help to keep your nitrates down. and they are better for the fish since they can't hurt them like plastic plants can.

 

sorry I meant 29 accidentally clicked 0 instead of 9

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

sorry I meant 29 accidentally clicked 0 instead of 9

Don't worry about it, do it all the time, except I always it the 9 instead. I don't like having to type 10 when I'm trying to type fast haha.

 

Hello Platy...

These are very peaceful fish and grow to no more than an inch. Toss in a floating plant like Water sprite and Neons would be fine in a 10 G. Reputable online fish sources, like liveaquaria recommend Tetras for very small tanks.

Old

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

Hello Platy...

These are very peaceful fish and grow to no more than an inch. Toss in a floating plant like Water sprite and Neons would be fine in a 10 G. Reputable online fish sources, like liveaquaria recommend Tetras for very small tanks.

Old

Where we talking about neon tetras? I must have forgotten sorry. I only use liveaqauria for quick info that can't be trusted, basically the very starting point sometimes in research(when I'm looking at getting a type of fish). Liveaqauria doesn't have the best information, they are better than some, but not great. Not like seriously fish or some articles on here. Neons need 5+, preferably 6, that's why they aren't suitable for a 10g.
Edit: saw that we have talked about them,

 

Where we talking about neon tetras? I must have forgotten sorry. I only use liveaqauria for quick info that can't be trusted, basically the very starting point sometimes in research(when I'm looking at getting a type of fish). Liveaqauria doesn't have the best information, they are better than some, but not great. Not like seriously fish or some articles on here. Neons need 5+, preferably 6, that's why they aren't suitable for a 10g.
Edit: saw that we have talked about them,

Do you think I could put in any more fish besides the 2 molly that I already have in the 29 gallon?

 

Questions about Molly Fiah

Do you think I could put in any more fish besides the 2 molly that I already have in the 29 gallon?

Oh yeah, you can defiantly have more fish. I'd steer away from neons though just because they tend to like cooler temps. What about-
2 mollies
6cories(one species, make sure they are temp compatible)
6 cherry barbs
Or
12 ember tetras/CPD's
You might have some room left.

 

Oh yeah, you can defiantly have more fish. I'd steer away from neons though just because they tend to like cooler temps. What about-
2 mollies
6cories(one species, make sure they are temp compatible)
6 cherry barbs
Or
12 ember tetras/CPD's
You might have some room left.

79- 75The current temp I am running is

 

79- 75The current temp I am running is

Yeah that should be fine for neons, I got the temp confused. Forget the CPD, the rest will be fine to together, I'd keep the temp around 76.

 

Yeah that should be fine for neons, I got the temp confused. Forget the CPD, the rest will be fine to together, I'd keep the temp around 76.

in stead of doing the cherry barbs could I do albino cherry barbs? the temp matches my current tank.

 

in stead of doing the cherry barbs could I do albino cherry barbs? the temp matches my current tank.

Yeah that would be fine, that stock was just a suggestion.

 

Yeah that would be fine, that stock was just a suggestion.

You also recommended cory so could I do corry catfish?

 

You also recommended cory so could I do corry catfish?

Yep, just make sure you get a temp compatible.

 

Albino corys will work

 

Yep, just make sure you get a temp compatible.

How many do you think I should do of the cory catfish?

 

How many do you think I should do of the cory catfish?

You could do around 6-8, or 12 Pygmy cories.

 

You could do around 6-8, or 12 Pygmy cories.

6 of the corry catfish in a 29?

 

6 of the corry catfish in a 29?

Yeah, they need at least 5. If your worried about tank space you could try 6 Pygmy cories instead.

 

Oh yeah, you can defiantly have more fish. I'd steer away from neons though just because they tend to like cooler temps. What about-
2 mollies
6cories(one species, make sure they are temp compatible)
6 cherry barbs
Or
12 ember tetras/CPD's
You might have some room left.

What would a good replacement for the barbs be?

 

What would a good replacement for the barbs be?

Hmm... Well if you want a tank that looks very lively with large schools you could do 12 ember tetras or another nano schooler(make sure compatible). You could do neons or cardinals 6. You've got quite a few options in a 20gz There will be others that have more info on that question. What direction are you thinking? Small fish with large schools or larger fish with small schools, or another direction?

 

Hmm... Well if you want a tank that looks very lively with large schools you could do 12 ember tetras or another nano schooler(make sure compatible). You could do neons or cardinals 6. You've got quite a few options in a 20gz There will be others that have more info on that question. What direction are you thinking? Small fish with large schools or larger fish with small schools, or another direction?

I was hoping to do smaller groups with more variety

 

I was hoping to do smaller groups with more variety

Ok in that case what about this-
6 cory cats
6 cherry barbs /neons/cardinals
1 bn
2 mollies
Maybe a bn pleco TexasDomer, do you think this could work?
Edit re-read what you said

 

Ok in that case what about this-
6 cory cats
6 cherry barbs /neons/cardinals
1 bn
2 mollies
Maybe a bn pleco @TexasDomer, do you think this could work?
Edit re-read what you said

What do you mean by BN

 

Short for bristle nose

 

Short for bristle nose

Thank you