Molly Advice Needed

[AQUAKING]

You may see many of my posts on these forums, And think i am just posting to anoy people and waste time. Nothing could be further from the truth. I am quite a newbie and not sure what i want. I have 3 tanks and am not sure what to get bettas or saltwater hence all the posts.

Anyway back to mollys, Can you keep ballon mollys in freshwater or is salt water a must? They look so cool and i have a bit of experience line breeding livebarers.

Thanks

AQUAKING

 

[Annastasia]

You can keeping them in freshwater, but it's slightly cruel in my opinion, since most Mollies do a ton better in brackish.

And I wouldn't advise line-breeding Balloons, goodness knows they are inbred enough!!

 

[AQUAKING]

Thanks Annastasia, you replyed so quickly. I will set up a 10 gallon brackish tank with a 1m 2f balloon molly ratio and i was also wondering if i could keep a pair of saflin mollys in there 2.

Thanks

AQUAKING

 

[Annastasia]

10 gallon is a bit on the small side, but I suppose if you only have those three fish, it'd be okay. Do you have a plan for fry?

No on the Sailfins, I'm afraid...they can easily reach 6".

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Well you can breed swortails, guppies, or endlers. They are easy to breed and breed large amounts if treated with much care. 8) 8)

 

[AQUAKING]

Breeding guppies has become a bit of a bor, i may try sword tails will they fit into a 10 gallon either 3girls and 1 male or 4 girls and 2 males.

AQUAKING

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Well it is best to keep one male to lower aggression. Also you have to keep about 3 females for every male swordtail. So I would go for 3 female swordtails and 1 male swordtail. I have 1 male and 1 female swordtail in my 10 gallon and they have been there for close to a year and they are fine so I would say it is ok. As long as they are healthie and happy. Mine are

 

[Annastasia]

I would not recommend keeping Swordies in a 10g, it's a bit squished for them. Males can easily reach 7" with their tails, and that's pushing it. Plus, there is not much room for the females to get away when the males are chasing them. I'd say No.

RD - You should get another female, otherwise this one will be stressed out by the male continually chasing her and trying to mate with her. I know they've been "fine" for a year, etc, etc, but the female may not actually be as "fine" as she looks.

 

[Rafael Dilone]

I would not recommend keeping Swordies in a 10g, it's a bit squished for them. Males can easily reach 7" with their tails, and that's pushing it. Plus, there is not much room for the females to get away when the males are chasing them. I'd say No.

RD - You should get another female, otherwise this one will be stressed out by the male continually chasing her and trying to mate with her. I know they've been "fine" for a year, etc, etc, but the female may not actually be as "fine" as she looks.

Well I had 3 female swordtail 2 weeks ago but sold 2 of them. Since I have some swordtail fry that are 1 month old, I will release 2 female swordtail in my 10 gallon in a few weeks and that should satisfy my male swordtail .

 

[Annastasia]

Ah, okay, sounds good. Out of curiosity, how big is your male?

 

[Rafael Dilone]

Ah, okay, sounds good. Out of curiosity, how big is your male?

My male is 2.5 inches including its tail. But I dont worry him bother the female until I get the other 2 females in because the female I got is not one who will get bothered. She killed one of my male guppies. I feel bad because that was the only death that I could not prevent. I had ich once and cured it fast. But rather than the guppie dieing I bought a sick Austrailian Rainbow(notice days after I bought it that it had hole in head) and it died days after I bought it. I could not identify the deisease because the tank were I bought it had no lighting. But the other 2 Austrailian Rainbows are ok. I got all 3 of them for $5.11.