Normal for dalmation mollys to eat plants?

Question

My tank has 9 dalmation mollys. It also HAD :P a few different types of plants in it, which over the course of a month have been devoured by the fish.

The plant eating aside, I would have guessed if anything I was over feeding them. But, taking their devouring of my plants, am I somehow underfeeding them, and this is causing them to eat the plants? Or are they just "grazers" and prone to eating whatever they can?

Now that those plants are mostly gone, they have taken to nibbling at the heater, and filter intake and air tubes (or more likely, whatever is growing on those surfaces?).

If anyone is curious, I have discovered that they don't eat that Lucky Bamboo stuff, which is doing quite well in the tank.

Answer 1

Dalmation mollies love plants, but mostly they prefer green algae and will constantly peck at your decorations and plants to get the green algae off. The plant that I have had the most success with in molly aquariums is the basic sword plants you can buy at most pet stores. They have broad long leaves and grow pretty tall. Java moss is a molly favorite, I wouldn't even bother trying to keep that in the aquarium. You also might try a flake food high in plant matter, or adding a couple algae wafers broken into pieces once or twice a week. All else fails, leave your aquarium light on a little longer so there is more green algae for them to pick at, and maybe they'll leave your plants alone.

Answer 2

it is normal for almost any fish to eat plants, and they do it mostly because of the tiny algae that grow on them, you are not overfeeding, they just like your choise of plants.

Answer 3

yes it is normal they are ominivores