Molly aggression?

[jfwilson]

We have a happy 20 gal planted community tank with good water parameters, but this morning poppa molly became very aggressive toward momma molly. I do not mean the romantic chasing that occurs from time to time and accounts for her pregnancy (probably still a few weeks to go), I mean streaking across the aquarium and nasty biting, leading her to look stressed and try to find places to hide. Is this normal, what could cause it? If it goes on, we'll probably separate her.

 

[LondonGman]

Your story is familiar to me.
I had an aggressive female molly who kept on picking on the male and every other fish in my tank. When she had babies, I had to give them all away, but kept the male for his own safety.
The person I gave the female and baby mollies to, has already complained about the aggression between them all. Do not know why, but it seems common.

 

[Terry]

jfwilson, Welcome to Aquarium Advice:

This is one of the joys of keeping fish, you never know whats going on in there heads.
It could possibly be that because your female is pregnant, and the male isn't getting any joy on the breeding side and he is frustrated and getting agressive.
This is one of the things about live bearers, the female don't need the male that much so he gets frustrated.

 

[myriam]

Welcome, jfwilson.

Do you have only one male and one female? I do believe a 3:1 female:male ratio works best for livebearers. That way the male has 3 females to bug and none of them would hopefully get too stressed out from his aggression.

 

[William]

jfwilson, Welcome to Aquarium Advice:

the female don't need the male that much so he gets frustrated.

So humans and live bearers have the same problems?

 

[oscarbreeder]

william,
I liked that last post...lol
That sounds WAY to familiar.

 

[LondonGman]

Do you have only one male and one female? I do believe a 3:1 female:male ratio works best for livebearers. That way the male has 3 females to bug and none of them would hopefully get too stressed out from his aggression.

this would work for me too.

 

[jfwilson]

re: Molly aggression

Thanks everybody. Yes, we have just one male and one female molly. They got along fine for months, then just today, this aggression. Should we just sweat it out, or do you think we should separate them? She looks freaked.

 

[myriam]

LondonGman, LMAO!

jfwilson, I have heard of female fish getting so stressed out from the male's aggression/attention that they get very sick or even (gulp) die. I don't know if I'd sweat it. If you have room in your tank, I'd add a couple more mollies.

 

[jfwilson]

In this continuing saga: This morning she was floating on her side and looking dead among some floating plants. When poppa took a few swats at her, she moved a bit, so I quickly set up quarantine fish bowl and now she's safe and happy in her battered wife shelter.

Any female aquarists out there with an opinion on what to do other than grow the harem?

 

[Scottw68TN]

Grow the harem is the only answer! or get rid of the male. Jail time perhaps, for the domestic battery.

 

[Tigerlily]

Unfortunately, I think Scott is right. Mollies have never heard of women's lib!

 

[robertmarda]

I have about 13 or so mollies right now. 1 is male and the others are female. I started with one male and one female and everything was fine. Soon afterwards they had babies. Once the babies were large enough to not be eaten by any of the other fish I kept them with their parents. I've given a lot away and some have died (I think the mom died of old age). The only time I have noticed aggression with mollies is when two males were fighting for dominance. The looser became exiled and I had to remove him from the tank to avoid him getting harmed.

 

[platylover]

I have 2 female black lyre tail mollies in my tank. The larger of the two will bully every other fish in the tank. My family jokes around and calls her the "alpha female" of the tank. She doesn't do it all the time, but when she gets mad, the other fish know to stay out of her way.

I agree with Scott68TN about increasing the harem. That will be the only salvation for your poor female.

 

[Scottw68TN]

Unfortunately, I think Scott is right. Mollies have never heard of women's lib!

I could take that 2 ways. I will just assume its unfortunate for the female fish.

 

[Tigerlily]

Erm, sure. Yeah, that's what I meant! 8)

 

[LondonGman]

Hi jfwilson, in your tank, it is the male that is aggressive whilst in my case and platylover, it was the female that the aggressor. Either way apart form robertmarda, who has many mollies in a tank, aggression among mollies does not seem to surprise anyone.

Therefore I cautiously conclude that the solution is you get more mollies or like I did get rid of the aggressor, male or female. Does anyone have better advice

 

[Scottw68TN]

Here, Here! More mollies! Just get more females to be safe. There will then be a school and no one fish gets picked on too much. OR maybe the female wont stop running her mouth and they all pick on her.