Mollies are great Freshwater Tropical Fish for the
home Aquarium
Lee Dobbins
Mollies are part of the livebearers collection of fish,
including Guppies, Platies and Swordtails. They are very easy
to breed and it is fairly easy to distinguish the males from
the females.
Most of the colors of Mollies are a result of specialized
breeding practices from the people who raise them.
It is recommended that Mollies be placed in aquariums
containing at least 15 gallons of water, a maximum of ¼ inch of
gravel, and a heater that keeps the temperature of the water
between 78 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit. As with Guppies and other
livebearers, you should put 1 tablespoon of aquarium salt per 5
gallons of water to help them survive better in fresh water
environments. Unique to the Mollies species of fish, they can
actually live quite well in complete salt water aquariums as
well. Since Mollies have this flexibility, they are a versatile
fish that could be compatible in many different aquarium set
ups.
Once considered a difficult fish to care for, the Mollies are
now being seen as indicator fish as they will be the first fish
to provide signs that the aquarium is unbalanced or the water is
contaminated. Mollies kept in freshwater tanks require frequent
water changes to remain healthy, while Mollies in reef
aquariums rarely need a water change.
The best diet for Mollies includes feeding them floating flake
food and freeze dried bloodworms on a daily basis, with a few
Black Worms fed every other day.
Keep more female Mollies than male Mollies for the best
results. The list of compatible fish is fairly long and Mollies
can share the tank with several varieties of fish. The best tank
mates include Platies and Swordtails, Angel Fish, a single
Plecostomus, Corydoras Catfish, or larger Tetras including Red
Serpaes, Silver Tips and Black Skirts.
As with any fish, you will need to have adequate room in the
tank as well as a good filtration system. Proper lighting is
also important for the health of your fish. When introducing
Mollies to your tank, be sure you keep them in the bag that you
received them and and float that in the fish tank for about 20
minutes to let the water temperature slowly match that of the
tank. Then open the bag and mix a small amount of tank water in
- let that sit for about 5 minutes. Repeat this last step a few
times so that your fish can become acclimate to the water in
it's new home before you release them into the tank.
Mollies tend to live an average of 4 or 5 years and reach a
size of 5" in length.
Lee Dobbins writes for
http://www.fish-tank-guide.com
where you can learn more about
keeping a fish tank including which freshwater tropical fish
are best for your aquarium.
