Bullying Balloon Molly

[fourthtimelucky]

I recently added two female balloon mollies to my semi-planted 30g guppy tank (10 male guppies, one apple snail).

I was only planning on getting one (yellow) but the woman in the store convinced me to get two on the grounds that with another molly to interact with she would be less likely to pick on the guppies.

Neither molly has been at all aggressive to the guppies and were fine together for the first couple of days but now one (dalmation) seems to be bullying the other (yellow), chasing it away whenever it attempts to feed. The yellow molly has spent all day hiding on top of the filter as a result.

Should I remove the dalmation molly & try and take her back, leaving the yellow one with the run of the tank?
Or add another female to spread the aggression?
Or would adding a male make more sense? I don't really want to be overrun with fry but understand that this is less of a problem with balloon mollies than with normal ones due to their body shape.

Any ideas?

 

[bucksgill]

My moonshine mollies do the same. Both female. The one being picked on looks healthy and doesnt hide it just swims away when the other one goes for it. It only used to be at feeding but its more often now Im going to get more of the same fish, it may prevent it when it has other fish around it, i hope so anyway.

 

[fourthtimelucky]

The one getting picked on is definitely hiding. She is hanging out on top of the filter, the other one is swimming around like she owns the place! They did both get some food at lunchtime though. I guess I will just watch and wait for a few days before making a decision. Just a bit worried as I will be away for part of the weekend... might set up a "naughty tank" for the bully and see if a few days without harassment helps the shy one.

 

[bucksgill]

If you are worried seperating would be good. I have thought about doing it to my molly but as no actual damage has been done and my fish is acting pretty much fine ive left it.

 

[omega59]

i recently made a post with the same situation with my female platies. after she was beeing tormented, chased and poked all day long by the other female, eventually she died. anyhow, i got a replacement (same type of platy) and it appears to happen again but not as bad. I think when fish are pregnant or have given birth they get weak and the other fish can sense this so they pick on the weak one

i just seperated my new platy into the fry tank for now, i'm sure she will be better off and will strive alone
none the less she might be pregnant as well LOL.

good luck to you, i suggest seperating them asap don't wait or that new fishes will become scared and hide all the time! good luck!

 

[fourthtimelucky]

Thanks for your replies!

Well, I was all ready to separate them this morning but they seem to have reached some sort of truce. Alison (yellow) still spends a lot of time in the corners of the tank but she is venturing out a lot more. Barbara (dalmation) is not interfering with her at feeding time at all and I have only seen them have one small tussle this morning. I have also examined them both and there is absolutely no physical damage to either fish.

I think I am going to risk leaving them in together for now since they seem to be reaching some sort of equilibrium.

It is possible that one or both are pregnant (they were in a mixed tank at the shop) but being practically spherical anyway it's quite hard to tell! I'm sure i would be able to see a gravid spot on the yellow one if there was one there though (her belly is practically white), and there isn't.