My Female Molly

[rodd]

Hey.
I've just set up a new aquarium. 2ft long and a bit hight and a bit in depth etc if that matters at all. But yeh, i got a few fish just today, 10 neons, and 1 male molly and 1 female molly.
The neons seem to love my tank i have 1 nice rock (more to come soon) and a nice range of 4 differnt plants. They love it. My male molly seems to be nice and happy too even thought he seems to patrol the rocks for food. And yes, he does keep trying to get hold of the female molly every now and then as he should. :love:
BUT... my female molly doesnt seem happy when its not feeding time.
She just sits behind the heater and filter tryingt o hide i think.
I would like to know if this is normal or what
Maybe she is scared of everyone else in my tank
Maybe she likes being the same black colour of the heater parts or sumfing???
I really dont know. Please help me!!!  :grin:

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Shes just shy. If she's happy at feeding time and comes out to have a nibble then i doin't think there's much wrong with her.
Maybe when you have a few more plants n stufff she might be happyier :grin:

 

[rodd]

Ok now both my mollys are sitting by the heater and filter???
I just read on some site that they like a pH of 7.5 - 8.2
My pH is at 6.5 the neons are really happy. maybe the mollys dont like this pH level.
Should i change it?

 

[Rose]

Mollies need salt in their water to live a happy and healthy life. Most of the Mollies you get for freshwater you can actually find in saltwater or brackish water not in freshwater. They can live in fresh they just don't do as well as they can in brackish or saltwater.

Neons on the other hand don't like any level of salt in their water. If you do put some in it could lead to the neons death. Mollies and Neons are not good tank mates. Rose 8)

 

[rodd]

Well...
Before i start buying more fish, does anyone know how i can get a list of fish that would are good tank mates etc.
Maybe theres an site or sumthing that shows examples of what fish can all go together or sumthing.
Anybody know?

Thanks for your help aswell rose.

 

[AndyT]

Hi Rodd, I've had mollies and neons for a year or so now in the same tank, and they are usually active fish and live happily together.
Mollies do like a bit of salt but my tank has no salt added and a ph of 7.5 seems to suit them.

A ph of 6.5 is too low for mollies and many other fish, and is probably due to a build up of waste. Try cleaning half of the gravel (not more) and do a 20% water change asap.
You can also buy chemicals to increase and stabilise the ph at around 7.0, but do this slowly as major changes can shock the fish.

I'd also recommend that you get atleast 1 more female so that the male can share his amourous intententions between them. If the female is hiding its probably because she is fed up with the male.

You could also add a couple of small Cory's to the tank, they will help to clean the tank and are around 2UKP each.

Hope this helps

Andy

 

[Davy Reynolds]

I though about that once but it was to compicated to do on a website, for me anyway.

Theres a good Fish Index on this site Click Here I suggest once you find a fish you like look up the fish index (mine or others, theres plent on the internet) and use the information there to compair the fish. Just look for the water conditions of each fish, size and behaviour to see if there compatible in the first instance. Then the other information will help you get a little knowledge on them. Then if you think there right and you could even ask us, go get them. :grin: