I have been keeping fish in aquariums for a long time. I have many aquariums, including one for mollyfish. Through this long experience, I have learned how to take care of molly fish. From experience, I can say that molly fish are peaceful and adaptable, making them very easy and enjoyable to care for—perfect for both new and experienced aquarium lovers.
I will share my real-life experience here so that beginners can learn how to care for mollyfish based on real experience and apply these tips to their own mollyfish care.
Molly Fish Tank Size:
An adult molly can grow up to 4.5 inches in length. Four mollies require a minimum of 12 gallons of water, with an additional 3 gallons for each extra mollyfish.
Selection of Substrate and Plants:
Sand: Mollies are comfortable in soft bedding, so sand is the perfect substrate for them. Sand is soft and comfortable for the fish. Live plants can also grow well in sand, which provides additional oxygen for mollyfish. Using sand prevents waste from accumulating easily and makes it easier to keep the tank water clean.
Nutrient-Rich Substrate: If you have many aquatic plants in your tank, you should use a nutrient-rich substrate to nourish them. This helps the plant roots grow and improves the overall health of the tank.
Plants: Since mollyfish are omnivores, when selecting plants for a mollyfish tank, it’s important to choose tall-growing plants. Otherwise, they may eat the leaves, stunting the plant’s growth.
Mate Selection for Molly Fish:
Mollyfish are very peaceful and do not like disturbances, but they do prefer living in groups or slightly crowded tanks. When selecting tank mates, it’s important to choose fish that are similarly peaceful, such as guppies, platies, and danios. Some non-fish tank mates, such as snails, algae-eating crabs, and shrimp, can also be kept with mollyfish.
Maintaining Tank Water Quality:
Water Change: 25-30% of the water should be changed every week. Before adding new water, it must be dechlorinated. Care should be taken to ensure that the temperature of the water in the tank and the new water are the same.
Maintaining Water Temperature and Other Parameters:
- Mollies are tropical fish that require their water temperature to be kept between 75°-80°F (24°-26.7°C). Use a heater to regulate the temperature of the tank.
- Suitable pH: 7.5 to 8.5. If it is lower or higher, take the necessary precautions.
- Water hardness: 15-30 dGH.
- Ammonia and nitrite should be 0, as high ammonia and nitrite levels are very harmful to fish. Take necessary measures if these values increase.
- Nitrate should be between 20-40 ppm. High nitrate levels are only slightly harmful but should be controlled with regular water changes.
Note: Use test kits to determine these values.
Choosing the Right Food:
Choosing the right food for mollyfish is very important, as it affects their health and growth. Mollyfish are generally omnivores, so a variety of food should be provided for them. Here is a discussion on the proper diet of mollyfish:
Flake food: Specially formulated flake food is available in the market for molly fish. This type of food contains protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Pellets: Pellets are also good food for molly fish as they are easy to feed and provide the necessary nutrients.
Live food: Brine shrimp, daphnia, and freshwater bloodworms are preferred foods for mollyfish, meeting their protein needs.
Frozen food: If live food is not available, frozen food such as freshwater bloodworms or daphnia can be used. However, frozen food should be soaked before feeding and served as regular food.
Vegetables: Mollies are omnivores, so they like to eat vegetables like spinach, zucchini, and carrots, which can be thinly sliced.
Algae: Mollies like to eat algae, and if you add some to their tank, they will readily accept it as part of their diet.
Note of Caution: Mollyfish should be fed dry food only after soaking it well. Feeding dry food directly can cause digestive problems in fish.
Food Quantity and Schedule:
Amount: The amount of food for mollyfish depends on their size and number. Observe their behavior while feeding and give them as much as they can eat. Generally, they should be fed the amount of food they can eat in 2-3 minutes, as overfeeding can lead to poor water quality.
Schedule: Generally, two meals should be given each day, in the morning and afternoon, so that the fish get enough time to digest.
Light and Environment Control:
Light: Mollyfish prefer medium to bright light. They should generally receive 10-12 hours of daily light. Fluorescent or LED lights can be used, as they provide consistent light in the tank and help algae grow.
Maintaining the Cycle: Turn the lights on and off at the same time every day. This helps maintain the fish’s normal life cycle.
Quiet Environment: Mollyfish are peaceful and do not like noise. They may jump or feel stressed in a noisy environment, so keep their tank in a quiet, stable space.
Air Pump: An air pump can be used to supply additional oxygen to mollyfish. It helps mix the water and ensures there is no oxygen shortage.
Tank and Decoration Cleaning:
Tank Cleaning: Remove 20-30% of the water from the tank with a gravel vacuum. The use of sand in the substrate prevents waste from accumulating easily, as it mixes with decomposed sand. The accumulated waste is removed when vacuuming the gravel. Before adding new water, make sure the temperature matches that of the tank, and add a de-chlorinator because tap water contains chlorine, which is harmful to fish.
Clean the Decor: Remove the decor from the tank and clean it separately by submerging it in lukewarm water and scrubbing with a soft brush. After cleaning, dry it thoroughly before placing it back in the tank. Do not use any chemicals or soaps, as they can be toxic to fish.
Clean Plants: If there are dead or rotten leaves, remove them regularly. If left unchecked, they will decompose and produce ammonia, which is harmful to fish.
Substrate Cleaning: Use a gravel vacuum to carefully clean the substrate. Be gentle, as the substrate contains nutrients necessary for plant growth, which could be lost if over-purified.
Cleaning the Filter:
Filter Media: Gently rinse the filter media thoroughly with tank water, cleaning carefully so as not to kill the beneficial bacteria.
Motor or Other Parts of the Filter: If these are clogged with dirt, clean them, but be careful not to damage the filter.
Note: Filters should be cleaned according to the cleaning method on the product packet, as not all filter cleaning methods are equal.
Molly Fish Health Test:
Mollyfish need to be monitored regularly to protect their health. While mollies can easily adapt to peaceful fish, they can suffer from some health problems. If there is any problem with their body or behavior, it should be identified quickly, and necessary measures should be taken.
Some of the common symptoms and possible diseases are discussed below:
1. Velvet
Velvet disease in mollyfish is a common parasitic disease caused by a type of protozoa called Oodinium. The disease causes a golden or dull-colored coating on the skin of the fish, which looks like velvet. This disease can be fatal to mollyfish if not treated quickly.
Symptoms:
Gold or gray coating on the skin of the fish: The main symptom of velvet disease is a dirty or golden coating on the body of the fish, which spreads over the skin.
Fin decay: Affected fish may lose fins.
Abnormal behavior: Fish become irritable or tired when near water and often rub their bodies.
Respiratory distress: Fish may suffer from respiratory distress, as the parasite may attack their gills.
Reluctance to feed: Fish may stop feeding, or their feed intake may decrease.
Causes of Infection:
Deterioration of water quality: Impure water and high levels of ammonia or nitrates in water are among the causes of velvet disease infection.
Addition of new fish: If new fish are not properly quarantined after introduction, the risk of infection increases.
Changes in water temperature: Sudden changes in water temperature can weaken the fish’s immune system, which facilitates the spread of Oodinium parasites.
Remedies and Treatment:
Maintaining water quality: Regular water changes and controlling ammonia and nitrate levels are essential for maintaining good water quality.
Increase in temperature: The water temperature for affected fish should be slightly increased to 28-32°C, as Oodinium parasites are weakened at higher temperatures.
Medication: Copper-based medications are commonly used to treat velvet disease. However, before using the medicine, a qualified veterinarian should be consulted.
Keeping the lights off: Oodinium parasites thrive in light, so aquarium lights can be kept off for a while.
Use of Quarantine Tank: It is best to treat affected fish in a separate quarantine tank.
2. Ich (Ich) or white spot disease
- Symptoms: Small white spots on the body, sticking fins, loss of appetite, lethargy, rubbing against rocks or tank material.
- Possible causes: low water quality, sudden temperature changes, and stressed fish
- Remedy: Increase water temperature a little. Use anti-inflammatory medication.
3. Fin Rot
- Symptoms: Black, red, or white tip of fins, loss of fins. Fin color change, fish behavior change, etc.
- Possible causes: bacterial or fungal infection, water quality.
- Treatment: Clean water regularly, and use antibiotics or antifungal medication.
