New Molly/aquarium Owner Questions

[peymommy07]

I currently have a small 3 gallon tank. We've had several mollies die after being in our tank, I do not know any of the water parameters, but know they were probably off. I am going this Thursday to get a 10 gallon after finally convincing my husband we have too many fish in a small 3 gallon. We have 2 creamsicle mollies and a sucker fish right now but yesterday we had 5 mollies and 1 sucker fish. 2 of the mollies died yesterday so we are for sure we are getting a 10 gall and like I said I know our tank was too small. I want to know everything I can about mollies. Our 1 male sadly died yesterday too so we will need to get another male because I would like to breed them. Is there anything I should know about setting up the 10 gall? What temp should it be, I have been feeding them just flakes but want to feed them something else, what is best?

 

[attibones]

If you can get larger than a ten, that would be better. Mollies need thirty gallons. What kind of sucker fish have you got? Sounds like your tank is not cycled. Do a very large water change and have a read over the cycling section of the forum.

 

[peymommy07]

Not sure it's a smaller suckerfish, I will take pictures soon

 

[Byron]

I agree.  Mollies attain (or should) 3 inches (males) and 4-5 inches (females) or more.  Please don't have mollies in smaller than 30g as they will not be healthy.  And if you do get a 30g for mollies, you want one male with two or three females; males can be rough on females and having more allows some respite.  But recognize that you will have fry, lots of fry, 50+ every month roughly, and they will have to go somewhere.
 
I also concur on the cycling issues.  Mollies are highly susceptible to ammonia poisoning and should never be placed in a tank that is not fully cycled and established.
 
Another thing about mollies is that they require moderately hard or harder water.  This is crucial as a lack of sufficient hard minerals will result in poor health, disease and early demise.  Your tap water may be OK here, just mentioning so you know.  Check the GH and pH with the water supply folks.
 
Byron.