My mollies

[Nepen]

Hi all,
So I've done some research on this and couldnt find the same situation so I'm hoping some of you might also have tropical fish tank and can help me out.

In my pond I had some tropical fish, 3 - 2 inches mollies (2 male one female it tuned out to be) and 6 guppies. The water temp in the pond were from 70-75, never higher since it's in the shade. My molly thrived and had couple sets of babies that survived.

Before the water gets below 70 I got my mollies and guppies in a 12 gallon tank inside (only for winter and planning on giving some away soon). Not a big tank but have many places to hide and lots of water plants and I put about 5 medium size water lettuces with longish roots in there.

I put my adults mollies (and one 0.5 inches baby) and all my guppies in the tank. Set the tank up using media / part of water from my pond. It's been a week and water test came out great - all 0, and water temp is 72 degree.

When I first put in the fish, all of them acted fine and they were not shy but three days ago all of my mollies went into hiding, both male and female (not the baby though). I checked my water and everything's great, but I did a 20% water change anyway but they are still hiding. The female is the more active of the three but the other two male will hide almost allday and night. I saw them out once in a while when feeding, they still eat.

Why do you think that is? I only heard female molly got chased into hiding but not the male molly too. (and for the record, I have 5 male and 1 female guppies, and they live together happily and see no chasing and the female is out and about with the whole group.) And my male molly doesnt chase the female, may be a little but most of the time they just live together.

It's just a weird behavior. I just think they might just not like human but it didnt happen before the and all of the sudden, they changed.

Any thought?

 

[HARO]

Are you aware that mollies like some salt in their water? I really don't think that would be the problem, since you used pond water, but it's the only thing that I can think of!
John

 

[fishin4cars]

As John said you might want to add a little salt ( Non-Iodized) make sure the PH is above 7.0 and higher would be better. Water Lettuce probably is going to die in an aquarium, you might look into plants more suited for an indoor aquarium. temp is still kind of low, Mollies and guppies really prefer upper 70's to lower 80's but 72 is not that low.

 

[Nepen]

Thanks

Yes I learn about the salt so I put more pond salt in the water, I'll check today how much salt is in the water...it's kind of funny when the pond salf instruction goes like 1 cup for 1000 (or what ever) gallon and my tank is a mare 12 gallon lol. I added half a table spoon and it didnt make any difference to the molly behavior

I'm hoping my water lettuce live!! I'm just dont want to have to buy more next year. I dont have light on all the time so hopefully I can keep it alive long enough - cross my fingers
Do you have a tip of how to keep water lettuce during winter?

I know molly and guppy are tropical but they seems to thrived (had babies) in my pond with cool water. I'm actually getting a heater and that's my next step, heat up the tank to at least 75 - 78 - I dont want it to be too warm since I'll put them back in the pond next summer and my pond doesnt get warm.

 

[JohnHuff]

My experience with mollies is that when they go into hiding, there is something wrong with the water. What are your water test results and what did you test them with?

 

[Nepen]

I test them with API pond test kit and all are 0. I did the 20% water change 2 days ago but before the water change the test was all 0 too.

pH is around 7.6 though.

Today they are still in hiding (the adults both male and female) and the baby is fine, swiming around with guppies.

Should I try water change again?

Is 72 F too low? The pond normally stay around this too so I didnt think it was any problem. I'm going to get the heater tomorrow and heat the tank up a bit.

Forgot to test for salt level again... but I put in like 2/3 table spoon for the 12 gallon tank.

just one thing, they are in hiding but they still come out to eat.

Can they be afraid of people and the dog?

 

[fishin4cars]

How are you testing for your salt content? If using a meter, .2-.3% is a good range for both the mollies and the guppies, PH is fine. Are they holding their fins up while in hiding or are they clamped down. Any signs of white spots-Ich? Yes they can be afraid of new surroundings including people and dogs, But they usually get past this pretty fast once they start feeding and realize that it's not a real threat.

 

[Nepen]

Thanks

I'll be using the salt testing kit (drops) I bought for the pond a few months ago. is it still the same level at .2-.3%?

No white spots, well, they are dalmatian mollies (the boys turned almost all black though) so there are some white but I dont think it's a different white than their normal one. I'll have to look more closely.

When they are in hiding it seems like most of the time their fins are down but not tight down but not up high either (only occational). It's been 4-5 days like this if I recall it right.

Hmm.. I'm hoping it's nothing and that they are just scared. it's just weird that all of them did the same thing thought (and not the baby and the guppies)

I'll test my water again today.

 

[fishin4cars]

Salt measurement will be the same for a tank as a pond. I've never seen a drop type kit for testing salt though. I've only seen hydrometers, and digital meters like the Koi Medic salt meter, and refractometers. Not saying they don't make them just never seen one. I would be interested in seeing what it is and how well it works.
Closed fins are a sign of stress or something wrong. If they are hiding still and they keep their fins clamped I would be worried it's still something your missing or not providing. I would try cranking up the heat some,

 

[Nepen]

This is what I got (bought a few months ago from Amazon.com but they no longer have there) http://www.petstore.com/pondcare-salt-level-test-kit-2-bottle-kit

and a little research came to this result http://www.newenglandkoi.com/PondCare/Aquarium-Pharmaceuticals-Salt-Test-Kit-p-351.html that it's no longer being manufactured!! oh well, it seems like it worked when I added salt to my pond and tested it.

The heater will arrive tomorrow and I'l try that. I know they love the pond with all the space and now they are cramp up in the little tank, but hopefully they get used to it and will get to go back to the pond next year! and I'll have to think of getting a bigger overwinter tank for next year too...

the weird thing is they were fine for 4-5 days then all of the sudden they were all hiding. Before the hiding I took one guppie out (not that hard) so I might've spooked them bad with that event.

 

[JohnHuff]

I think it's just the change in environment.

 

[Nepen]

Hopefully

 

[fishin4cars]

Very interesting about the salt test kit, My guess, It probably wasn't that accurate or may have given false reading if it's no longer being made. To cheap not to sell or pull of the shelf unless it just wasn't selling or there was problems with it. considering the price of the other alternatives I'm surprised more people didn't try it.

 

[Nepen]

it is weird. May be I'll do some test tonight to see if the salt test worked (use tab water to test instead of my fish tank ) If it's not then I might've put too much salt in my tank!! I hope it's accurate!

I tested my salt and it showed 0.04% right now. I added about a table spoon more before I tested the water. The mollies seems happy They came out more than yesterday but still go back in the hiding place. I checked and their fins are not clamps when in hiding.

The baby molly though, he nudged on both of the male when they came out, the male didnt seem bother by it. But everytime the male came out the baby will be right at their's belly trying to mate, I guess (looked like a baby cow trying to get milk from mama cow). But the male didnt swim away and just kinda let it be.

 

[Nepen]

Oh by the way, I put 3 new baby mollies into my nature pond so that they didnt get eaten by the goldfish and also to help with mosquito control. I planned on getting them out after a few days but I thought I lost them since I couldnt find them and the temp goes down to 50s lately.

Yesterday I got a surprise when I saw all of them alive and well (a lot bigger now) in the little pond which shoud've been way too cold for them at 50s in the low for a week now and that I have no pump / air going on what so ever.

I tried to catch them but they just went in the rocks I'll try to catch them again since I know they wont last a winter there.