Molly compatibility issue

[unknown_7]

Basically I have a tank, 20 gallons, that right now has 1 silver molly, 2 white cloud minnows, 2 ottos, and 3 black skirt tetras. I have noticed is that one of the white clouds is vigourously harassing the other white cloud, and the silver molly is vigourously and violently chasing the black skirts. WHat should I do? Should I remove the molly for a day and then try to reintroduce it?

 

[HannahJ]

The problem you have is that mollies and white cloud minnows are schooling fish, which need at least 3 (and preferably 5 or more) fellow members of their species to be comfortable. The problems you have named are common for when you have two few of a schooling fish. If the fish you listed above are all you have in that tank, and it is a 20 gallon long, you could get away with adding 3 or so more mollies, 2 or 3 more minnows, and maybe another black skirt or otto while you're at it, since those are both schooling fish, as well. If your tank is a 20 gallon tall, then that would likely be overcrowding the tank a bit, and you should instead think about finding a new home for either the molly or the minnows, and getting more of the remaining fish. In fact, you might even consider doing that anyway, even if the tank is a 20 gallon long--you just have too many kinds of schooling fish in too small of a tank to comfortable house decent size schools for all of them.

 

[Guest]

I have a 20 gal high with mollies and danios.

i keep a school of 5 danios, and 3 mollies in there. 2 females and a male for the mollies. be careful with this... if you have a male, you really need more than one female.if not, he will oversex the female.

they are quite comfortable in the 20 high, i just have to up my water changes a bit, 2 x a week, min 50% change.


also, the aggression you are seeing may be a female molly ready to birth. they often come pregnant from the store and will carry fertilized eggs for months, giving birth several times.

hope this helps.

 

[unknown_7]

Thanks for the replies.

I don't think my molly is pregnant because it has been in the tank since its mother gave birth to it (and then passed away right after) and has never encountered another molly in its life. I have yet to dterine its sex but will do a quick search to figure this out. I had about 3 or 4 white clouds in there before but when I came back home for my summer break I noticed that there were only 2 left (Im pretty possible there is a male and a female). Once I determine the gender of my molly I will try to go to the store this week and get the appropriate molly gender (if male then 2 females and if female i guess more females or maybe a male and a female) and I will also try to get 2 or 3 more white clouds. Thanks.

 

[unknown_7]

Well, I haven't bought the new fish yet. However, I have been doing some research and I have noticed that a lot of owners have kept mollies by themselves without any problems. I am pretty curious to know why this is, because I am unsure about buying two new mollies that could be pregnant females that could a) contribute to tensions already existing in my tank or b) have ridiculous amounts of fry in my tank which I don't think I am ready for yet. Is would it be possible to substitute the new mollies with platies, guppies (male) or something? Also, I still haven't accounted for the aggressiveness amount the 3 black skirts that I have in my tank.

 

[Puriti]

My female mollies were attacking my black skirt tetras when I first got them too. I played the "I'm dominant game" by taking the fish out for a little while, keeping the blackskirts in the main tank and then I put the mollies back in later that day so they had their space first and the mollies had to find their social status.... didn't have any problems after that ^^; kind of an unorthadox method I think though lol

 

[unknown_7]

Oh really? That sounds great, I think I will try that with my molly. Did you experience any aggression among the black skirts too that you were able to solve? Lol. Thanks for your reply.

 

[unknown_7]

Well, I removed my molly from the tank and I reintroduced my molly and I still see aggression. I just want to make sure if there is any other way to solve this aggression problem with my molly and black skirts other than by adding more mollies (don't want to do cause 1+ mollies usually = babies). There are more than enough hiding places in my tank and my molly is not pregnant, still haven't determined gender but I'm guessing female (100% that she is a virgin), so now I am wondering if there is anything else I can do.


Thanks to all of the previous replies posted.


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