Mollies

[Germanhoney]

Ok..I'm at a loss so I'm writing here in hopes of getting an answer. I have a 10gal tank with 1 Pleco, 1 Black Molly and 1 Mickey Mouse Platy. No...I didn't buy them like that. I do know they are schooling fish. Their "friends" passed away this morning (long story & not related to this post).

So I decided to get some new "friends" for my Molly and Platy...I bought 3 Mollys and 3 Platys. I specifically asked the guy at the pet store if my Molly would have a problem with the new ones...he/she (i don't know what it is) is much bigger than the new ones...probably twice their size. He told me no...Mollys and Platys all get along with each other regardless of size.

After bringing them home, letting them float in the water for a while I finally put them into the tank...and IMMEDIATELY my Molly starts attacking the new Mollys...UGH

Will this change or will my Molly keep attacking them until it kills them??? What can I do?

 

[Aces11]

Actually I don't think platys and mollys are schooling fish. I'm not sure about the aggression though. Maybe your original molly is a male and the new ones are females? Do you know what gender they are?

 

[aqua_chem]

First off, your tank is severely overstocked. Four platies in a 10 is fully stocked. Four mollies in a tank is overstocked. A pleco in a ten is overstocked. All together is a hazardous, severely overstocked tank. The cramped space is causing your fish to become aggressive. Most or all of the mollies and the pleco should go.

 

[Germanhoney]

Yes I've been told that it's overstocked but before today I had much more in the tank and all was fine...not to mention it's only a temporary tank.

How do I tell if they are male or female?

 

[Aces11]

Their fins will look like this

 

[mwomack]

They're not schoolers, so no need to worry. They like each others company, but not necessary. We got an extremely aggressive male that we ended up returning. You just get that every now and then. Typically they will not bully each other. Just bad luck, but the store may take your mean one for you.

 

[Germanhoney]

Thanks Aces...looking at the pics and at my Black Molly - it's a HE. The White Balloon Molly he's attacking is also Male.

 

[Aces11]

That could be why. They're both males so that may be the cause of aggression.