How Many Mollies/platys Can I Have In A 60L Tank?

[Fishcakes]

I currently have 2 male mollies and 1 female platy. One molly is orange and the other is a dalmation. The orange is very dominant and bullies the other two at feeding times, dislikes the other molly and tries to chase him away often, however will happily swim around the tank with the platy as a pair (and will occasionally tolerate the dalmation near).

I know that mollies are best kept 2-3 females to each male, and that platys are similar but 2 to each male. I'm currently going through a fish-in cycle and doing daily water changes of 90% or more.

How many of each, considering my current stock, can I reasonably expect to keep? Currently living in an flat, definately no room for another tank. However, I'm only expecting to live here for a year (all being well) before moving somewhere bigger, where I want to get a much bigger tank.

And no, I am not going to buy fish until my tank's cycled.

 

[ripil]

i'd go with around 15/20 depending on what else is in the tank. like plants, shipwreck, bogwood. the more stuff you put in the less fish i'd get. gotta allow for the fry you'll get too

 

[eli3000]

whoa cool it with the water changes, 50% is plenty. In my opinion, mollies are a little big for a tank like that. but you can have like 5 platties maybe 6 in that tank. Watch out cause they breed like crazy and eventually youll be overwhelmed with babies.

 

[Fishcakes]

Had to do 90% the last 2 days because I've had a sudden spike of nitrites. Normally I have been doing 50% every other day/every day depending on results, but recently it's become necessary to do such big changes.

In my tank I have a fake log that the fish can swim inside with silk "plant" leaves on top, and then 3 standing fake plants spaced around the tank. 2 of them don't stretch very far (just below the surface) and are rigid upwards, the other one spreads out at the top giving some cover near the surface

I'd like to have a shoal of platys and would like them to breed, and either let nature take its course and keep a few surviving/take them to my LFS.

 

[OldMan47]

You should be able to get away with about 6 fish the size of a molly or a platy once your tank has cycled. Until then, no more fish and keep up the huge water changes.

 

[Fishcakes]

You should be able to get away with about 6 fish the size of a molly or a platy once your tank has cycled. Until then, no more fish and keep up the huge water changes.

So if I want to add female mollies I'll have to remove a male, as there is no way I can support enough females to keep both males happy without them turning on each other.

So basically, I have to either return one of the males and then have 1 male, 2 female mollies and then have a similar ration of platys (1 male, 2 female) or I can keep the 2 males I have, and have 4 platys. Am I correct? I'm trying to plan ahead, and if I'm going to have issues with having 2 male molleis I need to know sooner rather than later, as there is a limited time period I can return them to my LFS.

 

[OldMan47]

You have many options as long as you keep your initial stocking at about 6 fish. You could accommodate a few more in the long term, after the tank has matured some, but you will need that space for fry, not more adults.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

Platys are active. If you have too many it takes away from their room to swim. If you keep it at 1 inch of fish per gallon, you are looking at no more that 4 or 5 platys. Then you have to allow for breeding. Keep your ratio of 1 male to 2 females. If you want to keep fry, I suggest a bigger tank, or a separate fry tank. Do not put bogwood in the tank as it lowers the pH. Platys prefer a pH of 7.2- 7.6. I have 5 adults and 10 juvies in a 40gallon tank and I am pushing close to stock.

 

[Fishcakes]

Platys are active. If you have too many it takes away from their room to swim. If you keep it at 1 inch of fish per gallon, you are looking at no more that 4 or 5 platys. Then you have to allow for breeding. Keep your ratio of 1 male to 2 females. If you want to keep fry, I suggest a bigger tank, or a separate fry tank. Do not put bogwood in the tank as it lowers the pH. Platys prefer a pH of 7.2- 7.6. I have 5 adults and 10 juvies in a 40gallon tank and I am pushing close to stock.

Ok, I have heard that once the tank is cycled you shouldn't just double the amount of fish you have straight-away if you did a fish-in cycle. So, I already have mollies = 2m and platys= 1f.

When it's cycled, should I go and purchase 2f platys (so I then have 3f) and then buy a male later? (after giving the tank time to adjust) Or should I get 1m and 1f, and then add another female later?

Also, if I only have 3 platys - 1m, 2f (so when I next get fish I purchase 1m 1f) would that be ok and would I also then be able to get another breed of fish?

Want to know what my broadest range of options are.

 

[Dieses Madchen]

60L is roughly 16g. You really dont want more that 4 or five total, considering each of those fish is about 4 inches.

 

[Sizzal]

Had to do 90% the last 2 days because I've had a sudden spike of nitrites. Normally I have been doing 50% every other day/every day depending on results, but recently it's become necessary to do such big changes.

In my tank I have a fake log that the fish can swim inside with silk "plant" leaves on top, and then 3 standing fake plants spaced around the tank. 2 of them don't stretch very far (just below the surface) and are rigid upwards, the other one spreads out at the top giving some cover near the surface

I'd like to have a shoal of platys and would like them to breed, and either let nature take its course and keep a few surviving/take them to my LFS.

WOAH! you been basically taking out 100% of the water every 2 days.... you are not giving the nitrogen cycle a chance. You are basing your results on 1 day each time you do a test.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

WOAH! you been basically taking out 100% of the water every 2 days.... you are not giving the nitrogen cycle a chance. You are basing your results on 1 day each time you do a test.

Sorry and there's some misinformation here.

Remember that any beneficial bacteria are resident on surfaces in the tank, be it filter media, the glass walls or the wood and ornaments...even the plants. Given that nitrites (and ammonia) are toxic to fish, you'd be right in diluting them with water changes...PROVIDED you use adequate water conditioners, without fail, with every water change.

I currently have 2 male mollies and 1 female platy. One molly is orange and the other is a dalmation. The orange is very dominant and bullies the other two at feeding times, dislikes the other molly and tries to chase him away often, however will happily swim around the tank with the platy as a pair (and will occasionally tolerate the dalmation near).

I know that mollies are best kept 2-3 females to each male, and that platys are similar but 2 to each male. I'm currently going through a fish-in cycle and doing daily water changes of 90% or more.

How many of each, considering my current stock, can I reasonably expect to keep? Currently living in an flat, definately no room for another tank. However, I'm only expecting to live here for a year (all being well) before moving somewhere bigger, where I want to get a much bigger tank.

And no, I am not going to buy fish until my tank's cycled.

Live plants would also enhance your cycling process and you might even consider adding aeration, through an air pump-driven air stone or two.

To answer your stocking question and just focussing on the mollies, 'cos they're the biggest, your tank could safely hold 4-5...assuming your tank is cycled. This takes into account their potential for breeding and gives you some wriggle room if things go bad. (If you pack as many in as you could theoretically fit in, you lose that and if things go wrong, then it'll be catastrophic, rather than simply troublesome).

 

[Essjay]

I doubt the OP will see these last messages - the thread is 10 years old and the OP has not been on the forum for the last 8 years......

 

[Myraan]

Haha - I am not the only one who failed to notice.

I feel slightly better about my own overstocking seeing how many breeding platies are suggested to start off in a tank only slightly larger than mine. Not to mention mollies; a 4-5 inch mollie is massive; and I'm just going by pictures and youtube - I bet they look even bigger in real life.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Haha - I am not the only one who failed to notice.

I feel slightly better about my own overstocking seeing how many breeding platies are suggested to start off in a tank only slightly larger than mine. Not to mention mollies; a 4-5 inch mollie is massive; and I'm just going by pictures and youtube - I bet they look even bigger in real life.

I really think mollies don't belong in a tank that size either. The ones I've kept get absolutely huge, easily 4 inches, and mollies are strong, active swimmers too. They're often kept in way too cramped conditions and don't live nearly as long as they should

Miss these ones of mine! My original trio, they used every inch of the 57g they lived in!

To compare the size, next to adult guppy, adult platy, and an adult yellow molly. These mollies were more than 6 years old when they passed, might have even be 7-8 years.
I still have one of their daughters because I want to keep the line going.