Special Care For Mollies

[NoahFL]

I just got 4 Lyretail Mollies (2 Platinum, 2 Blacktail) for my birthday. In the past I haven't had such good luck with Mollies. They seem to die within 1-3 months. Does anyone have any helpful advice on Mollies? Do they require special care?

Currently, I have Guppies, 2 Pearl Gouramis, 2 Cory Cats, 1 Thomasi Pleco, 4 Platy's, 2 Sparkling Gourami's, 2 Gold White Clouds, 4 Zebra Danios, 2 Bleeding Hearts, and 4 Turqouise Danios. My tank is 55gal with an UG filter as well as a Whisper 40i internal filter. The temp. is kept at 78 degrees.

These are my current readings:

Nitrate 40 mg/L
Nitrite 0
Total Hardiness 75
Total Alkalinity 40
PH 6.2

My tank has been set up for 6 months as I just moved from FL to VA. All the fish seem to be happy and healthy with these readings.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[MegTheFish]

I've never had good luck with mollies, either. There's lots of conflicting advice out there-some people say to have no salt with them, a little salt, or full-blown salt water (they are often used to cycle saltwater tanks apparently).
Unfortunaltly, cories do not appreciate the salt so you shouldn't add it to your tank. Call up the petstore you got them from and ask if they had salt in their molly tanks, hopefully they didn't.

 

[dwarfgourami]

I had the same experience with mollies 30 years ago (so whatever it is, we're not talking modern inbreeding). Think in my case the water was too soft, lived up in the Swedish woods in those days. Maybe I should try again now that I'm on the white cliffs of England (my local ph is 8.4- ouch!).

 

[yvez9]

never had luck with mollies either. some people swear they are one of the toughest fish out there, but i was not able to keep them alive mroe than a month, while every other fish is pefectly healthy.

a year ago, i got 2 which dies after about 2 weeks. then about 2 months ago we decided to get more so we got like 5 for our 50 gallon tank.

within 1 month they had all died as well while every other fish was doing great.

we gave up on them now and keep platies instead

 

[Clairel]

This is very strange, as i have 6 black mollies (females) ive had them since they were very small, and they are HUGE now lol, had them for about 6 months, but recently i added 3 males (about 2 weeks ago), and 1 jumped into my filter and died, the 2nd one died for no apparant reason at all, when i got him, all he did was sit at the bottom of the tank, and the 3rd one died yesterday, he had a tumour I was wondering if these 3 mollies were already doomed when i got them, as they havnt lasted longer than 3 weeks, my water stats are perfect, no other problems with any of my other fish....So i dont know

Just to add, i NEVER put salt in my tanks, as i think mollies are well adapted nowadays not to need this, and my other fish would suffer with salt levels....

C x

 

[leafs]

I've also had bad luck with Mollies, although I recently had a batch of 14 fry that seem to be doing well. As for salt, a lot of people add it for their Mollies but I'm raising them without it. Sailfin Mollies seem to be hardier than regular Mollies.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Mollys need alot of vitamin and minerals in their diet, their diets are much more complex than other livebearers like platys and guppys. They need a good supply of fresh or dried veg based foods like blanched cucumber, algae wafers and peas as well as high protein foods(either freezedried or frozen but preferably frozen or both) like bloodworms, daphinia, krill and rivershrimp etc- these foods are far more important than average fish flakes, mollys also seem to gulp down dried fry foods alot as well which are good for them.

If you cannot have salt in your tank, which can't as you have quite a few salt intolerant fish, then i would seriously suggest using fish mineral/vitamin supliment liquids- these will also be good for your fish in general and help boost their general health and imune systems but also help prevent conditions like "the shimmies".

Mollys get a condition called the shimmies when they don't have enough salt in their diets, the best thing you can do is acclimatise the fish to a hospital tank with aquarium salt and make sure it is well fed and the fish will be better within a couple of days, the symtoms of shimmies includes the fish shaking its body(especially the head, it does this with little movement but very rapidly so is difficult to notice) and loss of weight and energy- the fish may also have clamped fins or get fungal or slime coat disorder related deseases as well etc.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Mollys need alot of vitamin and minerals in their diet, their diets are much more complex than other livebearers like platys and guppys. They need a good supply of fresh or dried veg based foods like blanched cucumber, algae wafers and peas as well as high protein foods(either freezedried or frozen but preferably frozen or both) like bloodworms, daphinia, krill and rivershrimp etc- these foods are far more important than average fish flakes, mollys also seem to gulp down dried fry foods alot as well which are good for them.

Gosh, why weren't you around to sort me out 30 years ago, Tokis? I hate to think of what I put those poor fish through. Mine didn't get the shimmies, but they were VERY ich-prone, no doubt their immune system was right down because I wasn't feeding them properly.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Yeah alot of people veiw mollys as beginner fish, i.e tough as nails easy to look after fish, but in actual fact they are quite difficult to look after with any long term success, they are very beautiful fish as well in my opinion and i have found much enjoyment in keeping my mollys over the years.
I use this multi-vitamin supliment brand for all my fish including my mollys and they have very vibrant color and good health and growth;

http/www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/957393.html

You should be able to get it at your lfs, if they don't have it im sure they will be able to order it for you and get it in stock if you ask them nicely .

 

[Ddraig Goch]

I use this multi-vitamin supliment brand for all my fish including my mollys and they have very vibrant color and good health and growth;

http/www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/957393.html

I've got some of this VITAZIN, is it best to add it the tank water or to their food?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I just add it to their tank and top it up when i do a water change, you can put it directly on food but i always get worried that the mollys will gulp down too much and overdose on vitamins in a single go- so i just add it to the water instead where it will get soaked up by the food gradually .