I've had the pleasure of keeping mollies in my aquarium for a while now, and I must say, they're one of the most entertaining and rewarding fish to care for.
A pregnant female and a male chasing her.
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Photo 3.
Photo 4.The black beauty, with black fins - she's a stunning sight.
Mollies come in all shapes and sizes: veil-tail, sailfin, standard, and even ones with gill plates.
And don't even get me started on the colors - there are black ones, dalmatian-patterned ones, orange ones, and even snowflake-patterned ones.
But for me, it's all about the classic black beauty.
These livebearers give birth to live, healthy fry.
These fish are always on the move, never hiding in one spot for too long.
They're incredibly active and resilient, but they do have some specific needs that you should keep in mind - do some research online to learn more.
From my experience, I didn't encounter any major issues with their care.
My oldest mollies have been alive for 2.5 years, and I've read that they can live up to 5-6 years.
Let's see how long mine will last.
Watching them is pure entertainment - they're always on the lookout for their next meal or exploring their surroundings.
Care and maintenance is a breeze, but mollies do require some specific conditions.
They're relatively large fish, but I've had up to 6-7 of them in a 50-liter tank.
Of course, it might be a bit cramped, but they're not stunted in their growth, and they can live for a long time.
A good filter, a compressor, and some live plants are a must - and don't forget to add some floating plants so the newly born fry can hide.
Clean water is the key to success for healthy pets.
I change the water about once a week, but sometimes it's more like every 10 days - no big deal.
I also make sure they get enough light, which is around 8-12 hours a day.
This is important for both plants and fish.
My mollies don't do well in dirty water, let's just say.
Diseases in fish: unfortunately, any fish can get sick, and I've had my fair share of issues.
Since I love feeding live foods, my fish have gotten ichthyophthiriasis ('ich') a few times, but it's easily treatable.
I bought some medications from Neolife and treated them for a week, and they're all healthy and thriving.
There are some diseases that can be tricky to diagnose, but you can try posting a photo on social media groups and see if anyone can identify the issue.
There are plenty of groups on VK, for example.
Compatibility with other fish species:
My mollies get along with a variety of other peaceful fish, like neon tetras, anabantoids, danios, and more.
Mollies are super friendly and non-aggressive, but they do like to chase each other around and establish a pecking order.
Feeding time - the best part:
Feeding is essential, but don't overdo it, or you'll end up with algae blooms and other issues.
I feed mine live foods, like brine shrimp, which they love.
If I don't have brine shrimp, I'll give them bloodworms, but I prefer the brine shrimp - they're cleaner and more fun to watch.
My mollies have an insatiable appetite and are always on the lookout for their next meal.
They love eating dry foods too, but live foods seem to make them grow faster and healthier.
After a meal, they're always busy with their, ahem, 'conjugal duties'.
Reproduction in mollies: this is actually one of the most entertaining things to watch - they reproduce non-stop!
Male mollies are like love-struck donjuans, chasing after the females and trying to mate with them.
The females, on the other hand, are a bit more cautious and try to hide in the plants, but the males will find them eventually.
So, it's generally a good idea to have more females than males.
You can easily tell the difference between males and females by looking at their anal fins.
A male's anal fin is cone-shaped and can be used for mating, while a female's is triangular and normal-looking.
Male:
The anal fin is curled up in a cone-shaped form.
This organ is used for transferring milt to the female.
Female:
The anal fin has a normal, triangular shape.
Breeding: I've noticed that female mollies are always pregnant every month, giving birth to endless litters.
To breed them, you need to isolate them in a separate container, add some Java moss or Anacharis, and wait for the fry to appear.
Be quick, though - female mollies often eat their own young if they're not separated in time.
These fish don't care about their offspring, so cannibalism is a common occurrence.
If a male mollie has mated with a female, she'll always be pregnant.
However, the males are notorious for their promiscuity, constantly chasing and harassing the females.
How to determine pregnancy in a female? It's quite simple - her belly will become rounded and saggy, taking on a concave shape.
If you notice that a female has suddenly become larger, isolate her and observe her.
Fry, offspring, care, and maintenance: When the fry hatch, some of them might sink to the bottom, but don't worry - they can still resurface at a later time.
The fry can be either partially developed or fully dead.
They grow relatively quickly, especially when fed live foods.
If live foods are not available, you can use dry foods like Tetra Baby Min - it's an excellent choice for young mollies, and most of them will thrive on it.
This fine powder disperses throughout the aquarium, and the fry will eagerly devour it.
Regular water changes and cleaning of the breeding tank are also necessary.
The fry require light and a few live plants for optimal growth.
Watching them is quite entertaining - they're tiny and agile.
Where to rehome them?
Avtovaz, pet store, or you can give them away for free - it's up to you.
Molly the Black - an interesting, hardy, active, affordable, and low-maintenance fish that still requires proper care - minimal and good.
This beautiful fish will captivate your attention.
These lovely mollies will make your aquarium come alive and brighten up your dull days.
They also enjoy following your finger and keeping an eye on it, especially when you're feeding them.
However, there's one major issue: they reproduce very frequently - the problem is where to put all these little ones.
One of my favorite aquarium fish.
I hope you enjoyed the review 😊, thank you for your attention.