First Post/ Molly landlord

[Whizkid]

Hey, In the past I have had guppies but I'm starting again...this time with Mollies. There are so many things I am just guessing (from having guppies) about..but am starting to realize there is a difference. So, not to overwhelm..any of you (or me)...with my baracade of questions...I'll start with simple ones: one or two at a time, and hope to get some good answers.

I have a ten gallon tank with a few mollies (black) and one silver/white..both larger than balloon. In the past few months, I bought them...brought them home, they all had babies..the babies died, and they died..too.

Question: #1...I'm OK with filtration, no live plants, good gravel. There is a product called "StressCoat"..what is your opinion on this product. Should it be used in a new tank (which I did)...and then with water changes?

Question: #2....How often should there be water changes? How much each time?

Thanks. This is a great site. I will learn alot...a little at a time!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Im guesing you have standard mollys or balloon mollys? For standard mollys which reach a max size of 3-4inchs and are very active fish, you could only fit 2 mollys of same gender in a 10gallon tank, a 15gallon is much better. If you have balloon mollys which grow to about 3inchs, you could fit about 3 in a 10gallon- either 1male and 2females or same gender.
Do you have a filter for the tank and what type?
Stresscoat is a dechlorinator just like AquaSafe and is vital to use dechlorinator and dechlorinate all your tank water and to also dechlorinate fresh tap water which replaces old water taken out in water changes.
For any tank whatever it holds, the minimum amount of water taken out in water changes is 20% per week, i would personally advise 30-40% per week though for a matured or newly cycled tank.
Do you already have the fish and do you know about cycling a new tank?

 

[Ddraig Goch]

I don't use stress coat myself, however it does remove the chlorine from tap water but you need to use a water conditioner as well to remove heavy metals from all of the water you put into your tank. Stress coat does have other benefits too and I think it is probably a good idea to use it.

I use bacterlife in my tank and it seems to work well................................................. ............................................'Bacterlife is a blend of those essential nitrifying and sludge digesting bacteria which are vital in all filtration systems. These helpful bacteria aid the breakdown of fish waste, uneaten food and plant debris and help to render them harmless.'

 

[aquagirl]

Water changes... for my ten gallon I do two gallons a week, sometimes a bit more, and the water is good. And I've never tried StressCoat.. so on that question I couldn't say.

 

[Whizkid]

Im guesing you have standard mollys or balloon mollys? For standard mollys which reach a max size of 3-4inchs and are very active fish, you could only fit 2 mollys of same gender in a 10gallon tank, a 15gallon is much better. If you have balloon mollys which grow to about 3inchs, you could fit about 3 in a 10gallon- either 1male and 2females or same gender.
Do you have a filter for the tank and what type?
Stresscoat is a dechlorinator just like AquaSafe and is vital to use dechlorinator and dechlorinate all your tank water and to also dechlorinate fresh tap water which replaces old water taken out in water changes.
For any tank whatever it holds, the minimum amount of water taken out in water changes is 20% per week, i would personally advise 30-40% per week though for a matured or newly cycled tank.
Do you already have the fish and do you know about cycling a new tank?

Well, my big fish died...and now I have 4 balloons, and they are doing great. I wonder why the standard mollies were so shy and hid behind rocks?
Tank cycling: which is my next question...I have 'StressEzme'( something like that)...which is suppose to mature new tanks quicker than...nature, I guess. Can you advise me on this chemical??? And I use StressCoat. Does it instantly dechlorinate the water? My filter is a Bio-Med Whisper for a 10 gallon tank. I have used the cartlidge it came with but i can see you can add your own carbon. (I can tell I'm going to need a 20 gallon real soon).

 

[Annastasia]

No product really works on speeding up tank cycling except Bio-Spira...and even that has special needs. See, the only thing that is going to speed up your tank cycling is adding the beneficial bacteria. This bacteria needs to be chilled to survive, and often when it is getting shipped or trucked places, it gets subjected to high temperatures, thus it dies. And your fish store also has to refrigerate it...

I, personally, never found them to work. It's best to just be patient, and in the end it will be rewarding!

 

[Whizkid]

I don't use stress coat myself, however it does remove the chlorine from tap water but you need to use a water conditioner as well to remove heavy metals from all of the water you put into your tank. Stress coat does have other benefits too and I think it is probably a good idea to use it.

I use bacterlife in my tank and it seems to work well................................................. ............................................'Bacterlife is a blend of those essential nitrifying and sludge digesting bacteria which are vital in all filtration systems. These helpful bacteria aid the breakdown of fish waste, uneaten food and plant debris and help to render them harmless.'

Please tell me what 'Bacterlife' life does again, opposed to StreeCoat. Do you use Bacterlife in addition to StressCoat...or alone? thank you so much.

 

[afireinside]

i also recromend putting Doc Wellfish Aquarium Salt in ur tank. at least one teaspoon per gallon for a molly tank, i remember reading it on http/www.liveaquaria.com and then some where in side the fresh water section, than mollies.

 

[Whizkid]

No product really works on speeding up tank cycling except Bio-Spira...and even that has special needs. See, the only thing that is going to speed up your tank cycling is adding the beneficial bacteria. This bacteria needs to be chilled to survive, and often when it is getting shipped or trucked places, it gets subjected to high temperatures, thus it dies. And your fish store also has to refrigerate it...

I, personally, never found them to work. It's best to just be patient, and in the end it will be rewarding!

Gee, I had no idea about the product keeping cool. Should I put (what i have) in the refridgerator now? I have only used very, very little. So, the cloudy water will eventually clear up? Thank you!!

Can you tell me a little about 'Bio-Spira'?

 

[Annastasia]

Well...unless it was refrigerated while trucking and shipping..it's probably no use putting in the in 'frige now, because the bacteria will already be dead.

The cloudy water should eventually clear up, it may be from the stuff you put in, or it may be from a bacterial bloom (normal).

Link for info: Bio Spira

 

[Whizkid]

Well...unless it was refrigerated while trucking and shipping..it's probably no use putting in the in 'frige now, because the bacteria will already be dead.

The cloudy water should eventually clear up, it may be from the stuff you put in, or it may be from a bacterial bloom (normal).

Link for info: Bio Spira

Thanks for the info!! The more products I know..the more I investigate them. I leave no stone unturned!!