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So u think I could put 4 or 5 mollies in a 15 gal?

Depends on the mollies you get, really... I believe sailfin mollies grow to 4" but other mollies don't get much more than 2-3".

I personally don't have a 15 gallon, but my sister does. She has two mollies (not sailfin, she's had them for nine months and they haven't gotten past 2 1/2", a couple danios and a bunch of male guppies. (I wound up with males AND female guppies and got babies... she took the males while I have the females.)

It also depends on which "standard" size of 15 gallon you get. Most stores around here either don't stock 15 gallons or they stock the 15 gallon high, which is just like a tall ten gallon. Stupid, because there's not any more surface area than a ten, so it restricts your stocking levels. I had to go to three different stores to find a 15 long (like a short twenty gallon) for her, as her fish tank was a "welcome home for the summer" type present. It was decided that her dresser couldn't hold anything more than a 15 gallon, and since that was the only free space in her room... better 15 than 10, I guess. *shrugs*

I'd have to agree with not overstocking the tank... if you want something striking, I'd go for a school of small tetras (neons, maybe?) with a nice centerpiece fish, perhaps a dwarf gourami... Or, go for a bunch of male guppies or platties, so you don't have to deal with scads of fry. (Female livebearers can be bought pregnant and can have something like six drops after becoming pregnant! ) Maybe a bulldog plec if you can find one? I don't know how hard to come by they are in your area, but I believe they only get to be a couple inches long. Just keep in mind that plecs aren't nicknamed "poop machines" for nothing!

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

How about a school of 6-8 Cardinals, a couple of Otos and 3 Platys (2f/1m)? These are fish that you expressed interest in and won't overcrowd your tank. Throw in some live plants and you'll have a color tank -

Thanx so is there Tall & long? the 1 at my lfs was about 60 cm long, its width was about 30 cm & its hight was about 30 cm.
okay could I have 6 cardinals 2 otos 2 mollies?

(NOT sailfin)

Last edited by dude_dude at 05-Feb-2005 22:31

Long is always best Better Surface Area to Volume ratio.

I also think it would be better to get a larger tank. There isn't much you can do with a 15g.

Look in the paper/ classifieds. You can usually find good priced second hand ones. Thats how i bought my 115g.

There are several reasons why Mollies are not suited to small tanks. First of all, most mollies are very difficult to take care of, they are often sickly, and sometimes have inbred genetic problems (silver mollies, black mollies in particular). In fact, of all the people I have ever met who have had fish, other than sailfin mollies, the regular types never live much past a month.A lot of times Mollies need high levels of salt in their water just to keep them alive, and those levels of salt are often too high for any other species of fish to tolerate (guppies, neons, etc). Mollies also prefer a harder, more alkaline water, which most tropical fish do not prefer (such as tetras that really do prefer softer, more acidic low ph waters) I really wouldnt recommend mollies for beginners, nor for a smaller tank. They are a highly active fish, and need room to swim. The reason a fish that reaches 4 inches is not suitable for a tank that is approx. 20 inches long is that they need the space to swim. Larger fish require more space, more surface area, and water volume than smaller fish. Larger fish also produce much more waste products than smaller fish, and therefore the "inch per gallon" rule doesnt apply as that rule only really applies to small, relatively unmessy fish. There are lots of other fish that are suited to small tanks.
Heres a few suited to your size tank:
White Cloud Mountain Minnows
Neons
Black Neons
Harlequin Rasboras
Guppys
Platys (though platys usually reach 3 inches so be careful not to have too many)
Rummynose Tetras
Cardinal Tetras
Lemon Tetras
Silvertip Tetras
Bloodfin Tetras
Killifish
Threadfin Rainbowfish
Corydoras Pygmaeus
Ottos (but must have a serious crop of algae and an aged tank prior to adding them as they are very sensitive)
Dwarf Gourami (could have a breeding pair M/F)
Pencilfish
African Dwarf Frogs
Corydoras Hasbrosus
Bristlenose pleco -remember plecos are poop machines so frequent water changes and gravel vacs are a must.
There are lots of other fish more suited to your small tank than Mollies. I just know a lot of beginners buy mollies, and they are the first fish that die- mine did.


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Okay, thanx
Could glolite tetras go in a 15 gal tank?

Last edited by dude_dude at 06-Feb-2005 00:47

Sorry, I must disagree. Over the past 33 years I have kept and spawned thousands of mollies in 15-20 gallon tanks...show-quality fish that reached full size, and many of which exceeded 6, sometimes 8, years of age. Species included in this were: Poecillia velifera, Poecilia sphenops, Poecilia latipinna, Poecilia mexicana, Poecilia formosa, Poecilia vivipara, Poecilia teresae, and Poecilia orri.

I was aiming for humble in my IMHO :-) I'm no pro, so I was putting a disclaimer on my statement.

Sneaky Pete - why is 4" not good for a 15 gal (honest question - I'm not trying to be nasty) - I always assumed it would be Ok?

Dude - I can't comment on Au prices, but here in Auckland a 50g tank is going to cost a lot more than $60 (well, maybe they are/were cheaper outside Auckland) :-) , and since our two currencies are as you know rather similar, I wouldn't bet on your chances in Sydney, either. :-( :-(

You can get 15 gal glass tanks for $40 here, by way of comparison.

Last edited by geesloper at 05-Feb-2005 18:58

Last edited by geesloper at 05-Feb-2005 18:59

No....I think you could put a pair of latipinna or a trio of a smaller species in a 15.

No and probably 2 trios of guppies or 2 pairs of mollies, but you would need to remove fry to a seperate tank to grow them out, as that 15 would get seriously overcrowded in a hurry.

So 4 mollies?(i have a 5 gal for fry)

Last edited by dude_dude at 06-Feb-2005 02:17

4 mollies, but of one of the smaller species.

Last edited by Toirtis at 06-Feb-2005 04:18

Thanx I have a plan (tell me if theres anything wrong with it)I plan on getting 3 mollies, breeding them then selling them(the fry) 2 my lfs(my lfs said that they would pay me a dollar per molly)Then once I have enough money I could get the tank of my dreams,hmmm.
(any flaws in my plan)(should I make a new topic 4 this)Oh,well dont expect me to reply 2 soon I have 2 go out.

Last edited by dude_dude at 06-Feb-2005 14:10

Last edited by dude_dude at 06-Feb-2005 14:10

Can someone, like reply thanx

To be able to grow up the mollies to the size where they would pay you the money, you are going to need a larger tank for growout.

There are a few places that make their own, and they are pretty cheap, or you could just get a storage box, I use them for tanks when i run out of space You do need to filter it though!

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

THANX

Yes It was a BIG climate change!I miss cold weather so much
So could I put...
5 guppies, 2 Platys & 4 mollies?
or 5 mollies 2 platies
or 6 neon tetras & 4 mollies

Last edited by dude_dude at 05-Feb-2005 16:27

No and probably 2 trios of guppies or 2 pairs of mollies, but you would need to remove fry to a seperate tank to grow them out, as that 15 would get seriously overcrowded in a hurry.

Most tetras won't do well without a full school of their own species - 4 to 6 individuals minimum... They can get a tad cagey with just one or two.