I am new to Mollies. I have a 30 gallon gold fish tank and 4 very health goldfish I have had for many year. Last year I got a 2.5 gallon aquarium and a betta as a gift. I put it on my beside nightstand and watched my fish everynight until I feel asleep. My betta died. I was told not to put another fish with the betta but a snail would be fine. So I bought a snail. The snail is still doing great. After the betta died, I went to the local pet store and asked what kind of fish I could get besides a betta for such a small tank. The sales associate I delt with told me that mollies and guppies would be fine. So, I left the store with one male orange striped bubble molly, one dalmation bubble molly, one male guppy, one female guppy and four baby guppies who somehow got caught in the net when the guy was fishing out the guppies I had chosen. I knew that the chances of the babies not being eaten were slim. Sure enough, I only have one baby left. After getting them home and in the tank, I was not so sure about that many fish in such a small tank but I took the guys word for it. He seemed so confident that this would be okay. A few days later, I noticed the male guppy had ick. I started treatment immedialty. I am using Ich Attack so I don't hurt my snail. The male guppy died. I still have ick after 5 days of treatment but that is not my main concern at this point. My male molly is VERY aggressive towards my female molly. He oes not eem to be hurting her but he does run into her and chaces her when ever I fee them. I feel so sorry for her. She hides all the time. I have been told that adding another female will take the pressure off of her but I am very hesitant to put another fish is this tank. Especialy, until the ick is under control. I am currently down to two bubble mollies, one female guppy, one snail and a baby guppy. What suggestions do you have?
Aggresive Male Molly
- Thread starter beachpaws
- Start date
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FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
The male wants to mate with the female, normally when people keep mollies they keep them with the ratio of 3:1 or 2:1 Females to Males. This will make it so the female gets less stressed out and the male more of a selection.
If I were you, I would take your guppies or your mollies baack (depends on what one you want to keep), and get the right number of males and females.
If I were you, I would take your guppies or your mollies baack (depends on what one you want to keep), and get the right number of males and females.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
I agree with everything FishCrszy says except if it were me i would go back to the store and give all the fish back. Then i would get a different kind of fish like a few endlers (2-3 males) or a tiny (3-4)school of neon tetras. Or maybe just get another betta. Your choice.
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
It's a 2.5 Gallon dude, you might be able to get the neons, but no endlers. They like longer tanks because they love swimming.
To be honest, I would just change this 2.5 Gallon into a planted shrimp tank, but to make it easy, I suggest either what I said earlier or, get another betta, or a couple killifish.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh i thought you were suggesting taking the mollies back and getting the right ratio of them then puting the mollies in the 2.5g tank. IMO i thing a few 1" endlers in a 2.5g is fine.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
BTW: welcome to the sight!!! 
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
That tank is too small for endlers. I told you this, they might not get big, but they need more swimming room. I was told to get a 20gallon long to keep a pair because they like long tanks for swimming.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
kkk. Guese i just learned something new.
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well this is what the forum is for .
For stocking suggestions:
Few ghost shrimp and maybe a pair of killis and you should be set.
.For stocking suggestions:
Few ghost shrimp and maybe a pair of killis and you should be set.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
Sounds good to me. Whay do you think beachpaws?
Wow! Okay, I don't even know what an endler is but I don't think I am going to get one. I would like to keep the fish I have since I have become attached to them but if I need to take one back I would take out the problem child. However, he is gorgeous. Do you think he will ever stop pestering the female? I only have 3 fish in the tank. Well, four if you count the baby.
By the way, has anyone used Ich Attack? Does it work? I am in my 4th day of treatment and the two spots on each of my mollies are still there.
By the way, has anyone used Ich Attack? Does it work? I am in my 4th day of treatment and the two spots on each of my mollies are still there.
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
Just keep treating till all spots are gone. The male will never some pestering the female until he dies. They will want to mate all the time and thats why you should have 2-3 females per your 1 male.
Like I said stay away from endlers until you get a bigger tank.
Like I said stay away from endlers until you get a bigger tank.
FishCrazyBenBOMB
Aquarium Advice Addict
I don't really know about it, but i've used 3 different ich medicines and they have all worked well, I just keep dosing till it's all gone.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ouch. With all those fish in a 2.5g (with or without the male) its going to be a tough journey. My biggest advice would be for you to get a 10g or larger aquarium for yourself as a christmas present.... But if any then i would suggest getting rid of the male. FishCrazy hit the target dead on in saying the male will always be mating with the female until either he or she dies.
Uhh for an ick away medicine i just use wardley ick away. its cheap and its sold a walmart. But i'm not sure if its snail safe i would ask FishCrazy that. Or you can just raise the temp in your tank (only about 1 or 2 degrees per every 12 hours) to the mid 80's.
Oh and just so you know your female mollie (and guppy) will have babies once a month. Even after the male is taken away the female can still have babies for up to 6 months.
Uhh for an ick away medicine i just use wardley ick away. its cheap and its sold a walmart. But i'm not sure if its snail safe i would ask FishCrazy that. Or you can just raise the temp in your tank (only about 1 or 2 degrees per every 12 hours) to the mid 80's.
Oh and just so you know your female mollie (and guppy) will have babies once a month. Even after the male is taken away the female can still have babies for up to 6 months.
Mike,
Thanks for the advise. I would buy myself a larger aquarium for Hanukkah but I already have one. As a matter of a fact, I have two 10 gallons not in use. My point was to be able to keep the 2.5 as a lamp for my beside at night. I have been watching these guys all evening. The male does not seem to be bothering the female at all now. It is mostly during feeding. I agree that this tank is two small for three fish. I should have known not to trust the pet store associate. I also, know about the baby situation. The pet store told me they would take any and all babies my fish had. The ich med you mentioned will kill my snail but maybe I will take the snail out and treat the tank without him. I really appreciate all the advise you have provided.
Thanks again!
Thanks for the advise. I would buy myself a larger aquarium for Hanukkah but I already have one. As a matter of a fact, I have two 10 gallons not in use. My point was to be able to keep the 2.5 as a lamp for my beside at night. I have been watching these guys all evening. The male does not seem to be bothering the female at all now. It is mostly during feeding. I agree that this tank is two small for three fish. I should have known not to trust the pet store associate. I also, know about the baby situation. The pet store told me they would take any and all babies my fish had. The ich med you mentioned will kill my snail but maybe I will take the snail out and treat the tank without him. I really appreciate all the advise you have provided.
Thanks again!
Nyquil Junkie
Aquarium Advice Regular
- Joined
- Dec 21, 2008
- Messages
- 82
An interesting and entertaining trick that sometimes works is to get a small mirror and hang it in the tank just below the waterline.
A frustrated male molly will (well some do... Ive had some that ignore it and others that get obsessed with it) find it and think its another molly and keep going back to butt heads with his reflection.
Some do it, others don't.
If nothing else, it keeps him busy so the female can go have a rest somewhere.
A frustrated male molly will (well some do... Ive had some that ignore it and others that get obsessed with it) find it and think its another molly and keep going back to butt heads with his reflection.
Some do it, others don't.
If nothing else, it keeps him busy so the female can go have a rest somewhere.
Thank you so much for the advise. I have tried that already and it only works for a short while but it does work. Here is another trick I thought of in my frustrated state of mind. I put one of those decorative glass fish in the tank. It hangs from a floating glass bubble from the top of the tank. It floats around from the water flow. Whats really funny about this it that he was the only one who showed any attention to it! The female molly and guppy just looked at it like it was no big deal. The male molly however, would not get close to it. I am sure this is just a temporary fix. He will soon realize that this fish is not real.
Thanks for the advise. Does everyone agree that getting another female for this small tank is out of the question?
Thanks for the advise. Does everyone agree that getting another female for this small tank is out of the question?
SLITZ
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I agree. another female for that small of a tank is out of the question.
mike47517
Aquarium Advice Addict
Your welcome. I'm pretty surprised the male has laid off on the female. Usually they go nuts. I keep one male with one female in my 10 gallon. And the male is almost always underneath the female. Just to be safe i usually put a net breeder in the tank and put the male in it just to give the female some rest
. And yeah for the snail i would just take him outand treat the tank. And i would wait a week or 2 after your fish are cured and stuff before putting him back in. Just to be safe. Yeah i agree with SLITZ another female is out of the question. It would be too much on your bio load. And your ammonia and stuff would build up quick. So i have to agree dont get another female.
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