Uh Oh! Mollies

[tim_s]

Hi,

So my girlfriend stuck in some Mollies in my tetra tank.

She was told to get 2 females and 1 male because she wanted to see some breeding and I do not think it is panning out.

Soon as I found Mollies in the tank I did what my limited knowledge led me to do is get some float plants.

The Mollies where introduced friday however being sunday one female is missing.

I think because one female went to the top left of the tank and the other top right that maybe the male might of killed the closest one?

I have no idea what species in my tank (being the Mollies are the biggest by far) would of done this other then a Mollie.

I have done a water change as I am sure as the Mollie died and was eaten by tetra etc as I can't find a dead fish.

So I guess I am faced with 2 options to solve this problem ... 1 goto big als with the sale on mollies and pump the tank full of 10 mollies to create the proper environment ... or re-home the Mollies I have.

Because I have one Female Mollie sitting at the top of the tank almost motionless and the male hiding in the Log (which did house my pleco and the pleco moved home)

[Melody]

By their behaviour I'd say they're either ill or something in the environment is stressing them.  The males won't kill anything.  They can harass a female to a point that she is stressed and therefore open to disease/parasites, but it wouldn't happen that quickly. 

Can you tell us a little more about the tank?  Size?  Parameters?  What is your maintenance schedule (water changes, etc)?  Filtration? 

Mollies require pristine conditions to thrive, as a rule.  Most Tetras are much tougher and far more tolerant of acidic conditions.

You may also want to consider picking up a quarantine tank so you can keep new fish away from your main tank(s) until you're sure they're not sick.

[tim_s]

Ok that maybe it then ...

I thought Mollies where fairly tough ... tougher then tetra's.

It is a 75 Gallon tank that has been running for almost 2 months that is using 50% water and used filters from a tank that has been running for 3 years. Water tests have been very good so far but obviously anything could change.

The females seem to be acting strange from the start but I am told that the 2 females came from a tank with 15 males and one other female being a very bad ratio.

The females where sitting at the top being motionless from the start and the male has been somewhat active while he appeared to know where the female is ... now I am pretty sure he is not sure of her location and he has taken cover within a log for some reason and does not come out.

Tank mates: rummy nose tetras, penguin tetras, neon tetras, pleco, shrimp and snails.

I am worried that my girlfriend didn't account for the fact that they have went straight from brackish or salt right into fresh.