Started a new livebearer tank

[FishyKyle]

I started a new livebearer tank today. I have a 29 gallon tank with a penguin filter that is big enough and a top fin heater, two air rocks. I have right now and I know that the numbers will go up, 5 mollies between one inch and one and a half I think 2 silver females, 1 orange female, 1 maybe preggy dalmation female, and one black sailfin male), two cory catfish less than and inch (Corydoras sterbai), and one 4 inch pleco. I love mollies and have had them before. I am just looking for some advice on them about anything really. I also have three plants in my tank and 3 large river rocks that have been washed and already cycled in a tank. So any experience or comments on a live bearer tank would be appreciated.

[Ken]

Sounds like you've got a fine fish factory.

You might want to put a mesh or sponge cover over the filter uptake if you plan on raising fry in the tank with the adults, and maybe some java moss, unless the plants you have offer lots of hiding places.

My 55 was a livebearer tank for about a year. I dipped out the fry and kept two ten-gallon grow-out tanks full at all times, and traded in lot of fish in at my lfs.

[Aqualung]

Did you fishless cycle the tank before adding all of those fish? If not, you could run into water quality problems.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, I recommend reading the Cycling sticky at the top of the newbie forum. Lots of useful info there.

*Edit - Oh yeah, do you know which species of pleco you have? If it is a common pleco, I would return it ASAP. They get very big and are huge polluters (produce lots of waste).

[fishpoor]

If the tank isn't cycled, water changes every other day is going to be necessary until the filter gets established. Probably 30%. The pleco isn't going to be a problem as long as you make sure its getting enough to eat. With a 29 gallon tank, when (if) he outgrows it, sell him . Just don't wait until he gets huge , its harder to find a home for a 18" pleco. Meanwhile, he'll take care of the algae and not bother the babies as long as you don't starve him. They eat usually algae wafers, or most veggies. Put into the tank after liglhts out for the pleco and before for the other fish.

[Aqualung]

Well - if the tank actually is not cycled, then I think the pleco could in fact be a problem (besides outgrowing the tank eventually). The additional waste (which is a lot, even for a small pleco) will complicate matters. Even if the tank were cycled, I would recommend returning it - unless it happens to be one of the smaller pleco species.

[FishyKyle]

Thanks for the info guys. I will do water changes everyother day because I dont think I gave ample cycle time. I do have a common pleco and I thank you for the knowlege I will look for a smaller pleco but I didnt know there were other types if you can tell me names of them I would be greatfull. I do however give him Hikari Alge wafers. He gets plenty to eat. I will look for a smaller one. I have some grass in the tank that is a dwarf something, it looks like breading grass. I also have a dalmation mollie that I think is preggy. She is staying away from the rest of the community above a plant and has a large belly. I do not know when pregnecy took place, any suggestions. I am thinking of starting a small growout tank next week for the mollies and it looks like I will need it from what eveyone says. I am very appreciative of all the advice so keep it coming. Thanks

[Ken]

I would say forget the pleco and get about three cories and maybe the same number of ottos (after your tank is completely cycled, in about four to six weeks).

Mollies are tough, and if you do water changes every three days or so until you build up nitrifying bacteria (four to six weeks, on average), I think they will make it. If you can borrow a little gravel or filter media from an established tank, it will speed things up.

A couple of big java ferns can also help keep amonia and nitrate levels down.

Cutting back on lighting can also help get the good bacteria to get established.

Get some kind of test kit. Your lfs or Walmart should have some fairly inexpensive ones to choose from. I suggest getting the type that tests multiple parameters, rather than just a nitrate or ammonia test.

Watch your ammonia and nitrITES. If you see any ammonia, do a water change.

I made the same mistake when I started out, but my mollies lived through it.

Eventually you could add two or three hatchetfish, giving you fish at all levels of your tank, and you would have a little mini South American biotope (not counting the java fern).

Some people may tell you that you need to use salt with mollies, but I never gave mine salt and they were tough, healthy, baby producing machines.

As far as you mollie's pregnancy, livebearers can have fry for month after month from a single mating.

[FishyKyle]

I dont know if I said it or not but my tank was already set up for like 2 months and I changes almost all of the water but I left the gravel wet. I have the gravel wich should have a good bacterial base for my cycleing wich should speed it up and a sesoned biowheel in my filter so I think I am off to a pretty good start. i am thinking about getting rid of the pleco and getting another corry so I will have three. Thanks and plese keep posting.
Do I have to take the fry out or is it ok to leave them in there if I dont mind if none of them make it. I have given theme ample hiding room with caves and plants. Not trying to be cruel but I am just saying.

[Harlock]

Noneed to take them out then, if you don't mind them being "free" food.

[Ken]

If you put some java moss and rocks on the bottom you will still have a lot of fry make it.

You don't even have to cover your filter uptake.

I raised a lot of fry in my community tank.

Here's what I noticed: At first, when I just had the adults, they would chase any fry that appeared.

Then, after some of the fry got too big to eat, the adults stopped paying attention to any new fry.

[FishyKyle]

Okay so my fish are doin great, well all except one more I added and he is ok he just needs to get used to it. I love my little corry catfish they are so amusing to watch. My dalmation mollie that is preggy I call her tango is starting to swim around a certin plant and nip at all the others when they come close I think this is her nest area for when she has her babies. I added a red dalmation male to the tank so I have four females and two male mollies now I heard you need two females for every male. Tango really seems to be over the tank right now even my big sailfin black male, she pushes him around if he gets to close. I think I have some dwarf hairgrass around a rock in my tank I thought it looked like good breading grass. I love mollies is there any advice on takeing care of them any one has.

[Harlock]

They're pretty easy to care for. I have hard, alkaline water and mine do very well. No clamped fins, lots of activity, swim all over the tank. If you don't have hard, alkaline water, a litle salt can help, but your cories may not be too appreciative of it. Fry are pretty simple to take care of too. Crush some flake food up in a baggie until it is powder. Using the end of a toothpick like a spoon, drop in a little of the powder 3-4 taimes a day. The toothpick is a good method because a pinch is just way too much and your fingers will grab much more than a tiny toothpick will. Once they are a little bigger, the other fish will leave them alone. Usually about two weeks give them enough size for the other fish to start ignoring them. BEst of luck