I have a ten-gallon aquarium that I just got fish for. Yesterday I got one male dalmation molly to test the water and make sure it would survive. Today I got the rest of my fish: two dwarf gouramis, two green cory catfish, and another dalmation molly to keep the original company. However, ever since I put the new fish in this afternoon, the original molly has been constantly harrassing the new one, chasing it around and nipping at its tail. Does anybody know what the problem is, and if there is anything I should do?
2006-09-13 10:36:53 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
part of it is a territorial thing.
the old molly was in there first, so it has claimed the area. to remedy this, try moving the plants/rocks around in the tank. it messes the fish up and they think they're in a new surrounding (dumb, aren't they?) then they both feel like they were there first and they don't have any issues.
if it doesn't stop, then it probably has to do with a big/small issue or one is just especially agressive
my roomate had two zebra danios and one CONSTANTLY chased the other one around the tank. the littler one hid behind the filter all day and she had to feed him especially cause the big one would eat all the food. the littler one ended up dying a lot sooner than the bigger.
also, i had a tank of neon tetras and i introduced 3 red-skirted tetras and they chased the neons around all the time cause they were so much bigger. i ended up taking them back cause it wasn't worth my old fishs' sanity.
if moving around the tank objects doesn't work, i would just take the new molly back. molly's are ok by themselves and one will be just fine.
part of your problem could be the tank size. at adult size, you should only have one inch of fish per gallon - so collectively, your fish should only be 10 inches all together when they're adults. if they are more than 10, then they're going to have territorial issues even as adults, and this could result in a problem.
bottom line: move around the tank objects today, leave it for 2 days, if that doesnt work, take the new molly back.
2006-09-13 10:48:13 · answer #1 · answered by K 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Add some plants/decorations and an aquarium background to relieve stress. I would also add some salt for freshwater aquariums to prevent infections/parasites and reduce water toxicity problems since you add too many fish too quickly. Other then that, let them work it out.
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2006-09-14 03:08:06 · answer #2 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your always gonna have one fish that is more agressive than the others, ecspecially in a small tank like that, everytime i go to the fish store they say they are compatible but are not, eventually your fish will learn to hide and deal with the other fish in a few weeks if they arent killed first
2006-09-13 10:47:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try taking them all out now that you know the water is safe and add them all in together at the same time.
2006-09-14 14:55:04 · answer #4 · answered by 90 civic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you got another male molly, that could be the problem.
2006-09-13 10:40:03 · answer #5 · answered by bjsuno 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
na the new one want to have it for dinner and he will eat it hole muahah i love my shark he a great pet i have ever had ill bring it to your fish tank so they can meet and than my shark can have them for dinner i never let him down i swam with him and he never bite me ever bc he love me
2006-09-13 11:02:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
they both might be males, and he is showing the other one who is boss
2006-09-13 10:55:08 · answer #7 · answered by melinda.mama 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It probably wants to mate....
2006-09-13 10:48:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
try to it to another aquarium...
2006-09-13 15:41:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋