Is this normal?

alex7ktrc

alex7ktrc

Is there more to life than fish?
Jul 30, 2004
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Cocoa, FL
www.livejournal.com
I just bought some fish yesterday and was wondering about their behavior, my levels are:
Ph: 6.8 - 7.2
Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 0

I bought:
1 sailfin molly
1 dalmation molly(mexican pacific?)
1 lyretail mollie
1 platy

Now the lyretail and the platy are acting normal, but the other two mollies are staying about an inch under water, right at the top. The are all about 2 inches long and I think maybe they are a bit shy of my other fish:

2 balas- 3-4"
1 dojo loach- 5-6"
5 red serpues- 1-1.5"
3 oto's- 2"
2 neons- 1.5"

My main question is: Are these just top feeder fish and they'll just stay at the top, or are they intimidated, or do they just need a week or so to adjust to a new environment?

By the way its a 45gal tank 3'wide x 2'tall x 1' deep ,just thgouht you might need to know that!

Thanks alot for all your time!!!
- Alex
 
Also, while I'm still thinking about it, would it help to buy some more of each species so that they have some buddies? Although the sailfin and the dalmation molly seem to love eachothers company, they've been hangin around eachother since I got them. But maybe get some more lyretails and platys, they're all alone :sad
 
well, the balas will grow out of that tank- did you know they can grow up to a foot long!!! not to mention the fact that they need to be in a school of at LEAST four, six is better- so that would require about a 300 g. tank!!! your other specs look fine, if i were you i would exchange the sharks for store credit and up the mollies to create a school of five or so- then watch the fun begin as they breed away and play all day...also get you neons some more buddies, they will definalty show you their appreciation by displaying their true behavior when they are in school of at least six.
 
First off, how long has your tank been set up?

Your bala's will outgrow your tank. The sepra tetras are nippy, but will keep the aggression to their own kind in larger group. The neons need about 6-8 friends. Give the platy about 5 friends and they will be more active. The dojo also need a few friends. I am not sure about the mollies, someone else will chime in on this one.

But, the bala's will be more comfortable in a schoal of 4-6. They will require a much larger tank. My niece has 4 balas that is about 10-12 inches long. She has had them for about 2 years. I gave them to her because they had outgrown my 75g. I would suggest at least a 180g tank for them. If you took them back to the store, you could probably trade them in for other fish.

HTH
Dorothy
 
alex7ktrc said:
My main question is: Are these just top feeder fish and they'll just stay at the top, or are they intimidated, or do they just need a week or so to adjust to a new environment?

By the way its a 45gal tank 3'wide x 2'tall x 1' deep ,just thgouht you might need to know that!

Thanks alot for all your time!!!
- Alex
Click to expand...
oh yeah, i think hat they will get used to the surrounding, you will have to just wait and see. are they eating normally?
 
Yes they are eating fine,

And I know about the balas but the balas ARE NOT my question. They are about a year old, and they seem to be eating fine, they get mostly flake but sometimes brine and ghost shrimp, and they do eat the ghost, I know they'l out grow the tank but I already have plans for them...

PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC, this happens in every post for like the last 5 post!!!!!

So I suppose you guys think the mollies are fine, probly buy some more mollies and neons and I'll be set?
- Thanks
 
And yes, I know the balas will outgrow the tank, I know they get a foot long, I know they like the temp between 72 and 77, I know they like 6.5 - 7.0 ph, I know that they are active fish, good jumpers, breed in really big tanks, the females have a rounder body shape of the bottom of the fish, I have bred them for a long time and feel totally comfortable keeping them in a 45 unti lthey get big, thanks for your concerns though.
 
alex7ktrc said:
Yes they are eating fine,

And I know about the balas but the balas ARE NOT my question. They are about a year old, and they seem to be eating fine, they get mostly flake but sometimes brine and ghost shrimp, and they do eat the ghost, I know they'l out grow the tank but I already have plans for them...

PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC, this happens in every post for like the last 5 post!!!!!

So I suppose you guys think the mollies are fine, probly buy some more mollies and neons and I'll be set?
- Thanks
Click to expand...

Ok, then I wont help.
 
alex7ktrc said:
PLEASE STAY ON TOPIC, this happens in every post for like the last 5 post!!!!!
Click to expand...
It's going to happen, don't be upset by it, and please don't shout. Your questions related to fish behaviour/interaction with one another, and whether or not some of the fish needed to be in a group to be happy. For Balas to thrive, they need to be in a group, but no one would suggest buying more Balas for a tank your size. It's natural for people to want to share information about their adult size, in case the poster is unaware.
:OT:
I'm going to go way off topic. This isn't to upset you, just to let you know:
Nitrite = NO2
Nitrate = NO3
Ammonia = NH3
It's important to know - Ni is actually Nickel, Na is actually Sodium. There are quite a few chem buffs here, it's important not to get things confused or you may get responses that aren't what you'd hoped for :)
 
To your original question, my mollys always hung out near the top of the tank, they are probably fine, just keep an eye on them since they're new additions!
 
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