Black Molly Genetics

[ocminpin]

Years ago when I had my first 10g I got a Black Molly who had little black babies... I knew nothing and babies died within a week and the mother died within a month. When I first got my tank this last September I wanted Black Mollies, but wound up with Dalmatian. In the next weeks I added a Creamsicle, Silver, and then finally a Black... The black, Sophia, contracted Camallanus from my male Dalmatian and died... She was deep black and appeared healthy when I got her. She wound up dying within a month.
I got another Black one, Remi, and she got some sort of weird bacterial infection on her body and began to have gray patches on her side and died after 2 weeks.
Once again, (I'm DETERMINED HERE!!), I got a Black one, Vixen, for Christmas. She hasn't grown any and isn't very deep black. She eats and chases the others around... Only has her top fin up half the time... I'm probably just afraid of losing her and being a little hypochondriac.

Does anyone have an idea if Black Mollies have poor or weaker genes than other Mollies?


VIXEN:
View attachment 75562

 

[jpchin]

i will ask you the questions that most people want to know before giving advice. what are your water parameters? ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph? do you test your own tank and do you use liquid tests or strip tests?how many fish do you currently have in your 10 gal. tank? how often do you do water changes? these are facts we need before we can give any advice. i have 2 black sailfin mollies in my tank for the last 1 1/2 years. i really don't think the black ones are more sensitive than the others but maybe someone else has had problems.

 

[ocminpin]

i will ask you the questions that most people want to know before giving advice. what are your water parameters? ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and ph? do you test your own tank and do you use liquid tests or strip tests?how many fish do you currently have in your 10 gal. tank? how often do you do water changes? these are facts we need before we can give any advice. i have 2 black sailfin mollies in my tank for the last 1 1/2 years. i really don't think the black ones are more sensitive than the others but maybe someone else has had problems.

I'm sorry I didn't clarify in the beginning..
The tank in question was upgraded to a 29g and has been set up for 5 months.

API Liquid Test Kit:

Ph- 8.0
Ammo- 0 ppm
Nitrite- 0 ppm
Nitrate- 10 ppm

Weekly 50% PWC using Prime

--5 Female Mollies (2 Dalmatian, 1 Creamsicle, 1 Silver, 1 Black)
-- 1 Female Betta
-- 2 Otos

 

[Starka]

I heard from somewhere, don't quote me, but that black livebearers often have cancer or some form of it. I don't think that's what happened to yours, but it could mean that they are weaker then most? Or maybe it was the place you got them from?

This is the last one for me until I get home. Batteries are almost dead on my phone. Lol

 

[ocminpin]

I heard from somewhere, don't quote me, but that black livebearers often have cancer or some form of it. I don't think that's what happened to yours, but it could mean that they are weaker then most? Or maybe it was the place you got them from?

This is the last one for me until I get home. Batteries are almost dead on my phone. Lol

Ah I forgot to mention I got all 3 black mollies from 3 different stores...

 

[jpchin]

well since your new 29 gal. tank has only been set up for 5 months did you have the mollies in there while you were cycling? it is possible to do a fish in cycle but that can weaken the fish and make them more prone to disease or just kinda stresses them to death. don't know if that theory applies here.

 

[ocminpin]

well since your new 29 gal. tank has only been set up for 5 months did you have the mollies in there while you were cycling? it is possible to do a fish in cycle but that can weaken the fish and make them more prone to disease or just kinda stresses them to death. don't know if that theory applies here.

All the other mollies were in there for cycling and they've been healthy... Have actually had 12 batches born amongst the 4... With the exception of the black Molly. All 3 Blacks have been put in after it was cycled..

 

[jpchin]

well that's all i got. maybe just bad luck .

 

[Biosfear]

Good question...id like to see a solid answer.
I recently lost one of my mollies to some "infection". It was a cloudy spot on her side. The babies wouldn't stop picking at it.
I keep near perfect water conditions and don't contribute this to operator error. I too believe that there must be a genetic disposition to disease. Can somebody chime in with some knowledge?

 

[ocminpin]

Good question...id like to see a solid answer.
I recently lost one of my mollies to some "infection". It was a cloudy spot on her side. The babies wouldn't stop picking at it.
I keep near perfect water conditions and don't contribute this to operator error. I too believe that there must be a genetic disposition to disease. Can somebody chime in with some knowledge?

Was your Molly a black one too?

My other Mollies haven't had any problems and have been very hardy just like my Platies.
I'm so confuzzled

 

[Starka]

Do either of you use voogle?

I can't think of anything anything else :/

 

[Mogurako]

When I was Line breeding swordtails. I read an article that said black pigmentation was in fact cancerous I believe was the term they used. I will check it out when I get home.

However I don't believe that is what was killing you're fish because I had black swords that lasted years. I think that you just had a randomly bad luck with those fish. I would possibly see if there is an Aquarium society in your area and buy some fish from one of their members. Those fish will be allot healthier than store bought fish.

 

[Fish-For-Thought]

It could just be bad luck. Mollies in general are very inbred especially the black ones. Did you have aquarium salt in your tank? Although its by no means required it certainly helps with mollies if your cycling or they are in stress. Mollies are very sensitive to ammonia and nitrites and salt helps them get through it IME.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I seem to recall reading black mollies are more prone to bacterial infections such as columnaris. Don't quote me on that though.

 

[ocminpin]

You guys can see the pic of Vixen here... She looks okay to me.. Does she to you? She may just be small... ?

It seems to me Platies seem to have less problems than Mollies. Is this true??
My guy Meringue has been thru the wringer and never showed any signs of anything, just bright colors and perky personality...

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Black mollies are whats known as "Melanistic" which is the presence of dark or black pigmentation of the skin. Its kinda like the opposite of being albino. There has been studies of melanism being linked to some forms of cancer.

 

[Mogurako]

Black mollies are whats known as "Melanistic" which is the presence of dark or black pigmentation of the skin. Its kinda like the opposite of being albino. There has been studies of melanism being linked to some forms of cancer.

Yea that's it.

 

[Starka]

Black mollies are whats known as "Melanistic" which is the presence of dark or black pigmentation of the skin. Its kinda like the opposite of being albino. There has been studies of melanism being linked to some forms of cancer.

Do you think that would make them more susceptible to other diseases? Or just luck of the draw?

 

[ocminpin]

Hmmm...
I notice also that Black Mollies are leaner and velvety looking... Sooooo much smaller than my other mollies...

 

[HeatherW]

well I am definitely not an expert, but my black molly is doing just fine. got her on 4 jan, she had babies on 5 jan, and looks like she must have just had another batch this morning. I picked her intentionally because I thought she might be pregnant. she seems pretty hardy to me. but maybe I am just lucky. I will let you know how things continue...