Do Mollies Need Salt? Or Can They Stay In Fresh Water?

[beginner]

Hey folks, nmonks states that Mollies need salt while in the brackish forum , CFC states in his list of common brackish fishes that Mollie and Sailfin Mollie can also be housed in Fresh Water. I am confused as I am a beginner!!!!! Can the experts please clarify.

 

[phishy07]

Confused me too as pets at home didnt mention this and fish book failed to mention it too
Thanks

 

[lilfishie]

they can live in fresh water but will get diseases much easier, they thrive more in slight brackish conditions

 

[sourzzon]

i keep 1blackmolly and 1silvermolly for 3month.i never add any salt and they r still doing pretty good.

 

[theotheragentm]

They are naturally found in brackish water, but when you get them at fish stores, they are normally acclimated to freshwater conditions already. The salt in the water helps reduce the effects of nitrates, which cause illness in the fish. If you do not want to use salt, make sure to keep your water immaculately clean to keep disease from occurring. Salt is not good for invertebrates or plants. Keep that in mind if they are already in the tank.

 

[scooterchick]

My mollies were in freshwater a good few months. Slowly I started to add sea salt to the water, I also raised the temperature and within weeks I had my first batch of fry. So my mollies def seem to prefer salt!

 

[afishdude]

My mollies were in freshwater a good few months. Slowly I started to add sea salt to the water, I also raised the temperature and within weeks I had my first batch of fry. So my mollies def seem to prefer salt!

do you realize that mollies give birth every 3-4 weeks? i hope they had fry "within weeks"

 

[scooterchick]

Yes, every 3-4 weeks. My point was that for months I had no fry, it was only when I made the tank slightly brackish that they started to reproduce. Before that they just died every couple of months. Of my original mollies that I got in Feb I have none left. Got 6 healthy, happy mollies now and fry!

 

[targa66]

I've wondered this myself - does it mean mollies aren't compatible with other common (non-brackish) fish? that is, if your tank is brackish enough to keep the mollies happy, can't that hurt your other fish? should mollies only be kept in a tank with fish that like slightly brackish conditions?
thanks.

 

[scooterchick]

I've wondered this myself - does it mean mollies aren't compatible with other common (non-brackish) fish? that is, if your tank is brackish enough to keep the mollies happy, can't that hurt your other fish? should mollies only be kept in a tank with fish that like slightly brackish conditions?
thanks.

Basically yes. I hae a community tank and a smaller species only tank in which I keep my mollies. I've got a couple of guppies in with the mollies, they don't mind the salt.

 

[LauraFrog]

I have platies, mollies, live plants and a shellfish in a clean freshwater aquarium dosed with marine salt 1/2 gram/litre and they are all happy, healthy and reproducing. Like flies. I have something like fifty baby fish lying around my room in various containers, and that's only the fry I managed to rescue!