Are Mollies And Swordtails Hardy?

[Michelleuk]

8) I have just cycled an new tank, and put my danios in.

Do you think it would be safe to add the mollies (x2) and swordtails (X10 ish) to the new tank?

 

[xostrawberryox]

What are your water stats? Id say they are quite hardy, is this the 60gal?

 

[Michelleuk]

yes 210 litres.

ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 40

 

[dwarfgourami]

Mollies are hardy under the right conditions: hard alkaline water and preferably a bit of salt. In the wrong conditions (soft and acid) I found them the sickliest fish I have ever kept. Also, like with all livebearers, sex ratios are important- 2-3 females per male or all females.

Swordtails seem a little more adaptable. For a peaceful tank, get all females or 1 male and a harem of females.

 

[nmonks]

I'm with dwarfgourami on this. "Hardiness" depends a lot on water conditions. In brackish to marine water, mollies are virtually indestructible. They're very nitrite and ammonium resistant, and used to mature marine aquaria. In soft water or water without a bit of salt, they're not particularly hardy, and this is very true for the more inbred forms, things like balloon mollies. Half of them do okay in freshwater, the other half get finrot and fungus.

In freshwater, I'd say swordtails are a bit more adaptable. They prefer hard, alkaline water but they'll adapt to neutral water conditions too. Like most livebearers, they don't like soft, acid water. On the other hand, male swordtails can be pretty belligerent.

Personally, I'd go for a moderately hard, pH 7.5 freshwater system for the swordtails and danios and forget about mollies.

Cheers,

Neale