I'm A Newb!

[C & D]

hello evry1, i am totally new to the fishkeeping scene and found this site. Just today I got my 1st fish into my small 35l tank. I spoke to the assistant in the shop and aftr alot of ummming and ahhhing decided on 2 neon blue dwarf gourami and 2 dalamation mollies. Everything seems to be fine apart from the 2 molies seem 2 b very active in comparison to the gourami and there is a lot of fin-nipping going on (by the mollies to the gourami). Will they calm dwn as they get used to ech other or is this a problem? 8) wb Thanx

 

[rabbut]

It may or may not. Hard to say realy. Keep an eye on things, and if they don't carm down, or if the gorami are getting stressed, remove the mollies. They will most likely give you too many fry (baby fish) to cope with, on top of the bullying. Do you know about cycling? [topic="224306"]cycling information link[/topic] I have given you a guide to fish-in cycling, but if possible, it would be best for you fish to take them back and run a fishless cycle, see the link within the link above. Sorry to dissapoint, but there is a high chance that they will poison themselves to death in an uncycled tank. If returning isn't an option, look through [topic="150631"]this thread[/topic] to find a member with mature media spare near you. It will reduce your work-load while the tank gets up and running, and reduces the stress upon your fish. Do you have a test kit? If not, I would advise you to get a liquid drop test kit to help us help you in future. It is also required during the cycling process

to the forum, and good luck with your new hobby
Rabbut

 

[C & D]

Yes i knw about the cycling and had my water checked at my local shop, my levels r fine. Do u recommend checking thm again? Could it be the water causing the aggressiveness? I think I am going to have to remove the mollies as it is a constant barrage of attacks as soon as the gourami make themselves visible. Shall i remove bth of the mollies tho as it is only th 1 tht seems to be agressive. 8)

 

[adamgreen240]

welcome to TFF

 

[rabbut]

Yes i knw about the cycling and had my water checked at my local shop, my levels r fine. Do u recommend checking thm again? Could it be the water causing the aggressiveness? I think I am going to have to remove the mollies as it is a constant barrage of attacks as soon as the gourami make themselves visible. Shall i remove bth of the mollies tho as it is only th 1 tht seems to be agressive. 8)

Good to know that you know about cycling I assume the lfs informed you of this? If so, what did they tell you?

If just one molly is being aggressive, then just take that one back. They are usualy quite placid, but it would seem that you have a "rouge" fish, that forgot to read and learn abouts its behavior in the fish books It happens from time to time. Very unfortunate for you realy, as normaly they are wonderful fish and very well behaved .

I would highly advise you to get the water re-tested, and this time ask for actual values for everything, rather than just asking if it's fine. Don't just take their word for it, as I have seen too many people loose fish through taking an lfs's advice at face value. If ever in doubt, wait and ask a fish keeping friend, or someone on here, to verify the advise. LFS staff often lie to make extra sales , so don't trust them untill they have proven their worth. Doing a water test before adding your first fish is IMO pointless, as nothing is in the tank to foul the water. I could tell you without a test that so long as your water board don't use chloramines in the water supply, then everything is fine, without testing. Leaving the tank for a week would get rid of ammonia from chloramine, again leading to me knowing the levels in the tank are fisn without a water test. It's during a fishless cycle, or after adding fish for a fish-in one, that tests are required. An lfs advising you to test before fish is often an indicator that they are more interested in sales than giving good advise, as they are selling you stuff that isn't needed

HTH
Rabbut

 

[C & D]

Well i used an additive to get rid of the chloramines so the levels are only fine due to tht from what you have said. I'll get a water-testing kit tomorrow and i think i'll return bth mollies aswell as it wouldn't be fair to leave just one in with the gourami would it? the information on cycling was actually very vague frm my lfs so i've been doing some research online and im pretty familiar with the nitrogen cycle as im doin a-level biol atm, in fact keeping fish has been good revision so far.lol. thankyou for your help n i think im gna b a regular on here frm nw on. 8) p.s we have jus turnd th light off 4 th nyt n th aggressiveness has stopped almost, coincedence or nt?