New fish

[jmkgreen]

Hi,

My Rekord 70 has been running little over a month now with 5x Zebra Danios. Today I decided to introduce some variety.

I fed the Danios, turned off the light and slowly introduced 3x Silver Mollys. Now, the Mollys were clearly stressed judging by the "poop-o-meter", and I added some API Stress Coat.

Now the Danios are shoaling at the very top of the tank, while the Mollys are sucking on the gravel at the bottom. It is the Danios who are now pooping lots. The Mollys are a good 4-5cm long, the Danios about 3cm. There is a clear size difference.

Am I likely to be okay with this..? Is there a major stress problem looming, or this is normal "new kids" behaviour? There is no interaction between the species yet.

 

[modernhamlet]

Hi,

My Rekord 70 has been running little over a month now with 5x Zebra Danios. Today I decided to introduce some variety.

I fed the Danios, turned off the light and slowly introduced 3x Silver Mollys. Now, the Mollys were clearly stressed judging by the "poop-o-meter", and I added some API Stress Coat.

Now the Danios are shoaling at the very top of the tank, while the Mollys are sucking on the gravel at the bottom. It is the Danios who are now pooping lots. The Mollys are a good 4-5cm long, the Danios about 3cm. There is a clear size difference.

Am I likely to be okay with this..? Is there a major stress problem looming, or this is normal "new kids" behaviour? There is no interaction between the species yet.

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Sounds like the danios are doing what danios should be doing... shoaling at the top of the tank.

It's the mollys I'd be worried about. What are your water parameters?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I take it the tank hasn't been set up long? Do you know about cycling tanks?

 

[jmkgreen]

Hi - I did a fishless cycle prior to the Danios being introduced. They are once again flying around the tank merrily, the Mollys doing what Mollys do - eating and pooping. Feeding and behavour back to normal after 24 hrs, so I'll put that down to experience.

 

[Durbkat]

wait a minute. Aren't mollies brackish water fish? If so what are they doing in a freshwater tank?

 

[rixy]

my mollies lived for years in normal freshwater,no probs at all.my lfs(very knowledgeable)has all their mollies in freshwater and i'm sure they always have done.

 

[sylvia]

Mollies are one of the few fish that, though they appreciate brackish water, can do equaly well in freshwater and can even live happily in full marine conditions. Unfortunately, these qualities don't make me like them much more (yes, they're cute... and quite hardy - but, oh what a pain ). I'm just biased though cause I love gouramies and mollies don't