Fish Not Getting Along?

[Kraabi]

I have a heavily planted, good filtered 10 gallon aquarium with 3 male platies and a male balloon molly. The male balloon molly was added today. Now the molly and two of the platies started chasing the other platy. He seems stressed right now. Will this stop eventually or should I move that platy to my 45 gallon community tank? Or will those fish chase him too?

I use aqadvisor to make sure my tank isn’t over capacity and has good filteration as advised by another group. The tank gets a 25% water change every week. All the levels are exactly where they are supposed to be.

 

[Byron]

A 10 gallon tank is not sufficient for a molly, so moving him to the 45g would be a good idea. I cannot say if he will or won't be "chased," but he is not going to do well in the 10g regardless so best to move him.

Water changes need to be larger, I would suggest at minimum half the tank volume once each week. There are several aspects of tank stocking beyond what programs like Aqadvisor can begin to evaluate. And more or larger filters do not really have much impact, unless the tank is stocked beyond capacity to begin with, and then the filter is not going to compensate for more swimming room anyway. Three platies in a 10g is pushing it as it is, they really should be in a 20g minimum, but there is certainly no room for more fish.

Another issue is water parameters, referring to hardness (GH) and pH. Platies must have moderately hard or harder water, and mollies need this even more. Also, the "balloon" variety is a malformed fish, and prone to problems with health. Many do not recommend purchasing these fish, so if things don't work out you might want to return it.

 

[Kraabi]

A 10 gallon tank is not sufficient for a molly, so moving him to the 45g would be a good idea. I cannot say if he will or won't be "chased," but he is not going to do well in the 10g regardless so best to move him.

Water changes need to be larger, I would suggest at minimum half the tank volume once each week. There are several aspects of tank stocking beyond what programs like Aqadvisor can begin to evaluate. And more or larger filters do not really have much impact, unless the tank is stocked beyond capacity to begin with, and then the filter is not going to compensate for more swimming room anyway. Three platies in a 10g is pushing it as it is, they really should be in a 20g minimum, but there is certainly no room for more fish.

Another issue is water parameters, referring to hardness (GH) and pH. Platies must have moderately hard or harder water, and mollies need this even more. Also, the "balloon" variety is a malformed fish, and prone to problems with health. Many do not recommend purchasing these fish, so if things don't work out you might want to return it.

So my best bet is either moving the balloon molly to the 45 gallon or returning him? Will the platies go back to normal and not chasing each other than? And okay! I’ll definitely change half the tank every week instead of 25% if that would be better! I have hard water, that’s why I initially choose platies.

 

[Byron]

So my best bet is either moving the balloon molly to the 45 gallon or returning him? Will the platies go back to normal and not chasing each other than? And okay! I’ll definitely change half the tank every week instead of 25% if that would be better! I have hard water, that’s why I initially choose platies.

OK, water is fine. And I would return the balloon molly only because we should not be encouraging such inhumane practices by purchasing these deliberately deformed fish. It needs a larger tank than the 10g no matter what.

 

[Kraabi]

OK, water is fine. And I would return the balloon molly only because we should not be encouraging such inhumane practices by purchasing these deliberately deformed fish. It needs a larger tank than the 10g no matter what.

I didn’t know they were interbred like that or malformed. Thank you for that info!

 

[Byron]

I didn’t know they were interbred like that or malformed. Thank you for that info!

The profile of the black molly on Seriously Fish (a highly reliable site run by ichthyologists) says:

There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque ‘balloon’ variety of this fish in which the body is malformed and rounded, giving a balloon-like appearance. This condition can cause swimbladder and digestive problems and may bring about premature death.​

This genetic malformation was seized upon by truly reprehensible and unscrupulous breeders and they developed this "balloon" form. Sadly it is being done with other species, like the blue ram. We have no way to really know, but those ichthyologists who do have knowledge of fish biology tell us this is likely very painful for the fish. Some people will do anything for money with no thought for the poor fish.

 

[Kraabi]

The profile of the black molly on Seriously Fish (a highly reliable site run by ichthyologists) says:

There also exists a (in our opinion) grotesque ‘balloon’ variety of this fish in which the body is malformed and rounded, giving a balloon-like appearance. This condition can cause swimbladder and digestive problems and may bring about premature death.​

This genetic malformation was seized upon by truly reprehensible and unscrupulous breeders and they developed this "balloon" form. Sadly it is being done with other species, like the blue ram. We have no way to really know, but those ichthyologists who do have knowledge of fish biology tell us this is likely very painful for the fish. Some people will do anything for money with no thought for the poor fish.

This is so sad! I didn’t know this at all!

 

[Byron]

This is so sad! I didn’t know this at all!

This is something else most fish stores don't want you to know, or may not themselves know to give them the benefit of doubt. Which may be more kind than they deserve.

 

[Kraabi]

This is something else most fish stores don't want you to know, or may not themselves know to give them the benefit of doubt. Which may be more kind than they deserve.

Platies are my favorite fish! I didn’t go to the store for another fish, but really liked how this balloon molly looked! Now this makes me sad..