Molly or Guppy question?

reignman40

AC Members
Jun 15, 2005
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Spokane, WA, USA
Hello all. I am working on a black and white themed 10 gallon and I already have 4 Panda Cories in there. I was thinking of getting either guppies or mollies to add to it. However I notice on this site it lists them both as brackish water. Will it be possible to put either in with my Cories? Would I have to add any salt to the water or will they simply adjust to full freshwater?

Thanks all,
Curtis
 
I don't know about the guppies, but the mollies will live in freshwater. It makes them more prone to pop-eye, fungus and finrot. I would imagine that it shortens their lives.

Kim
 
I always heard of mollies prefering brackish water, but it is not necessary at all. However, I think that guppies are perfectly fine in freshwater, though I may be wrong.
 
Either would be fine without salt, but I would go with guppys simply b/c the mollys should really be kept in larger than a 10g.
 
Most live bearers really do not need to be kept in brackish water today.
This article will explain things.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55043

But I would not choose Mollies for a 10. Mollies are very active fish and tend to get large. I do not keep them in anything less than a 29 gallon tank.
 
Mollies are found in dainage ditches in florida with just freshwater. Sometimes they get washed out to sea and live in the brackish waters of a river delta but they are primarily a freshwater fish. Its really a myth that mollies and other livebearers need salt. People put them in small tanks and overcrowd them. Its been found that in such cases adding salt prolongs their miserable lives because it wards of the fungus and other diseases the mollies would get under such conditions. Mollies really should have a larger tank than a 10 gallon, at leats a 20. A 29 gallon is good. I'd do a few guppies in the 10 gallon.
 
I have guppies in my 37 gallon and do not use salt, they do fine. I believe cory cats do not do well with long term salt use, so you need to figure that in since you already have them and they can live for 10+ years.
 
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