I have 5 potbellied Mollies 1 male 4 female in a 10 gallon tank. I just got them Saturday. The male is constantly chasing the females and nipping at them. Is this normal. Would adding another male potbellied mollie help? I was going to add my male betta to the tank, but these guys seem super nippy so I think I will leave him by himself. Any suggestions
2007-05-15 15:32:54 · 5 answers · asked by Momof1 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
A larger tank is not an option.
2007-05-15 15:42:18 · update #1
He is really biting and stalking all of the females!!! I got 5 because I was told that was a reasonable ammount.
2007-05-15 16:05:59 · update #2
MM is right,it's what they do,if a larger tank is not an option,then add plants and other hiding places. Another male would just add to the nipping.More females might help,but you are about at capacity for a 10 gallon tank.Too many more fish and you will have to start doing twice weekly water changes instead of just one.
2007-05-15 16:44:17 · answer #1 · answered by PeeTee 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most fishes are covered with a mucous layer.Guppies and mollies for some reason seem to eat it off other fish (may be because the mucous gathers some algae). When you see them nipping it is actually sucking up this mucous. Just observe your molly when he does nip,: if his lips are open and curled backwards, it lets him suck the mucous. If it was nipping he would close his lips after he has bitten his victims. You can test this by dipping you finger in a fresh raw egg white and then dip the finger in your tank and feel the sucking feeling rather than the bite(nipping).
Another cause is the new environment. Some male mollies get aggressive when moved and of course they need lots of room to swim. I'm not quite sure why you bought 5 for a 10 gallon tank though. They need 10 gallons for 1 and 20 gallons for up to 6. Overcrowding is also a cause of aggression.
2007-05-15 22:58:55 · answer #2 · answered by Barb R 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's pretty much normal molly behavior. Adding additional males would only mean more males to chase the females. You have a reasonable mix, but if you waned to add more I would suggest any new mollys you add be females.
MM
2007-05-15 22:46:26 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As a golden rule, for every male there should be 2 females. In a way, this helps the social balance of the fish.
2007-05-17 07:50:36 · answer #4 · answered by NCConfederate13 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ummm he might need a bigger tank.
2007-05-15 22:36:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋