Salt, Mollies, Other Species...

[JollieMollie]

I have a thirty gallon aquarium with the recommended one tablespoon of salt per five gallons in it, which is also whaat PetsMart tells me they keep all their tanks at. Their fishes are all healthy, all species, so I decided to get (actually let a friend buy for me; she's so sweet) some mollies and do the salt thing at the level specified above. I'm a little curious though if that is enough salt or if they really need more. I also have two guppies, who I know are fine with some salt, but also a betta, two cherries, and a frog. (yes, I know bettas aren't recommended with guppies, yes I watch them for long periods of time frequently, no there aren't any problems, thanks for asking :grin: ) I would like to have some corydorases later, which I hear don't like salt too much. But again, if they are that healthy at those levels at PetsMart (they always have very healthy fish), I don't see the problem.... thoughts, or better yet, actual personal experience in the matter?



Finally, I'm just curious if any of you know more about molly genetics than I do... I have two black and one silver females, and one "24k gold" male which is half gold, half black. What would the babies look like from each pairing, if you know?

Thanks (-:



Oh. One more. Would my african dwarf frog eat ghost shrimp?

 

[helterskelter]

Frogs hate salt, same with cory's and betta's

if they are that healthy at those levels at PetsMart

LOL they may look healthy ATM but believe me avoid these larger stores and stick to specialists shops....
Here in the UK their terrible and healthy fish do not need salt in the water unless their brackish fish.

Salt lower's stress on the internale organs of the fish and helps stress full time for short periods.

The black and silver mollys will cross and you'll get a mix of fry. but the 24K is a different species of molly and would not cross easily.

 

[JollieMollie]

Actually I go frequently and they rarely have dead fish (unlike icky places like Wal-Mart) and I have been keeping fish for many years (my new tank is recent but I've had them before) and fish from PetsMart are essentially always healthy and live long lives with no problems. In store even fish like neons have great color, same with cherries, even though if they were not feeling well their color would fade. So I understand your concern, because some pet stores are no good, but my two stores (the other is PetCo) I've had great sucess with and they take good care of their animals. (-:


I assumed the 24k was just another color and everyone keeps saying color doesn't matter.... now I'm sad /

 

[three-fingers]

one tablespoon of salt per five gallons in it

That amount of salt is going to make little to no difference . Stop putting it in and you wont even notice a difference to your fish, but you will save money.
Fish like corys and bettas wont really be affected by this little salt, dunno about frogs though....
However corys and bettas do like soft acidic water, and your livebearers don't, so test your water and decide which you are going to keep.
What mollies really need is proper brackish water or at least hard water with an alkaline pH and good water conditions .
I frequently see mollies in marine tanks too, looking much more healthy than in freshwater tanks (and much larger).

 

[helterskelter]

I assumed the 24k was just another color and everyone keeps saying color doesn't matter.... now I'm sad yay.gif/

Thier are two main types of mollies the sail fin or Peocilia velifera
The other which has a smaller dorsal fin which is Peocilia lapipinna

I'm sure the two cross though, but it's more difficualt between species

 

[JollieMollie]

: - /


Okay, I have issues with this. I have a total of five mollies and three guppies now and I have trouble getting them to breed. I know, I know...


Okay. So. First we had one male and one female guppy. Male shows no interest in female. Turns out female is pregnant. Okay, no problem. We get another female guppy, on the samll side and no gravid spot. Male shows no interest whatsoever. What's wrong with him? Sheesh.


Mollies: I got two female black mollies, one silver sail fin molly, and one 24k molly. No breeding, chasing occour. Someone says 24k won't breed with others. Disappointment. I go buy a dalmation, sail fin, lyre tail molly. He chases female silver sail fin all over creation, won't let her rest, totally ignores black mollies. Argh!

If the important factor is the sail fin or not, why won't 24k show interest in either normal blacks or sail fin silver? If it's something abotu the color, surely damations are just as closely related to silvers as to blacks? I really don't want to fill up my entire tank with mollies before htey even breed just trying to get a combination that will breed and no one is getting harassed! : - P What's the deal, and what should I do? I have a 29 gallon btw.






- Why won't my male guppy show interest in either female?

- Why will my male molly onnly breed with the silver?

- Should I get another silver or another dalmation molly in your opinion, or will the male show interest in the blacks after the silver is prenant?



:sniffle: They aren't working out simply like they have for me before. They are being so complicated....


Everyone looks really healthy though and they are all very active. I didn't really realize how incredibly active mollies are compared to... everything else, basically! Even barbs and neons look lethargic next to them...



EDIT: Since this is a new topic I think I should have created a new thread. (-: Coming up.