Hostile Molly

[Hiwatari]

I have a 10 gallon tank with two female mollies and four cherry barbs. (I bought the mollies yesterday.) One molly keeps chasing the other molly around and nips at any of the cherry barbs that happen to be nearby. It took a big chunk out of one of their tails.

I have a suspicion that the hostile molly is pregnant, she is noticably plumper than the other molly. I can't see a gravid spot because it's a black molly. I'm not sure if that has to do with her behavior or not.

Is the molly too crowded by the other fish (overstocked tank)?
Is it bad to have two female mollies together? (I don't have room for a third molly.)

I don't want to just return the hostile molly to the pet store because the other molly seems as though it wants companionship. So, I can either take both mollies back to the pet store or replace the hostile molly and hope that the new molly will get along with the other fish.

What should I do?

 

[Annastasia]

I'd say the space is what's making her aggressive. Do you have a bigger tank to move her to? Or she might be very pregnant, sometimes they can get aggressive when they are about to give birth. However, I'd still get her a bigger tank as they can get to 4-5", which is big for a 10 gallon.

And no, it's not bad to have 2 females. Any number of females together is fine, as long as there is room.

You could try returning it, but for the other one and another one, you'd still need to get a bigger tank. It's all up to you. Some Mollies are naturally more aggressive them others, and you might have gotten one. But if it's space, nothing you can do.

 

[Hiwatari]

The mollies I got are only supposed to get up to 2.5" maybe 3". I'm sure space is the problem though.

Thanks for the info

 

[Annastasia]

Unless they are Balloons, which get to 3-4", they won't. They were probably mis-marked.