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Hi,

My planted tanks have this oily scum on the surface due to the lack of surface agitation (I don't have CO2 injected, so I've reduced the flow on the Aquaclear filters). I've heard that molly can help get rid of the surface scum and is a pretty good algae eater to boot. Has anyone had experience with them to confirm/deny this? What type(s) of algae do mollies eat?

Also, is it ok to keep just a single molly in a 23g community tank, and will it get too big for the tank?

Thanks a lot!

-P

Hi,
The surface scum you mention comes from the following:
The room the tank is in. Cigarette smoke, cooking foods,
and dust. It also comes from the fish oils in the food
that you feed the fish. Lastly it comes from the break
down of some of the organic compounds within the tank.

You can remove the scum by surface agitation. That rolls
the particles into larger particles that settle to the
bottom where they are removed with regular water changes
and gravel cleaning.
You can also remove the scum by placing a paper towel on
the surface. Let the towel dampen and then remove the
towel and the scum.

Mollies prefer soft leafed plants. Some will nibble on
the algae, but by no means can you consider them as
algae eaters. One other thing to think of... Mollies
are a brackish water fish. They live in areas where
the salty ocean water meets the outflowing freshwater.
They will actually live in a salt water aquarium.

They require enough salt in their tank water so that
the specific gravity is over a 1. That is more than
most freshwater tropicals will tolerate for long periods.
I would not put mollies in a community tank that also
houses tropical, freshwater, fish.

I don't know of any fish that eats the scum, and
only a few are truly algae eaters.

Here is a link to a site that will describe the various
types of algae, their causes, and how to eliminate them:

http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html

Frank


Last edited by FRANK at 07-Oct-2005 01:22

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks, Frank. I will try the paper towel trick.
I might look into the Aquaclear surface skimmer too.
I just thought the Molly might help with the hair algae, since my SAE is a bit useless.

-P

I have always kept a small crew (3) of mollies in my tank.
They will help with the surface scum and they seem to do a decent enough job with plant cleaning. Can't say for sure how much algae they actually eat as I rarely have any. But they rival the Ottos for their attention to the plants. Always picking away at something. When they're not attending to the plants thy're skimming the water surface.

Without sparking a debate on their salt requirements (everybody has their own view on this) I've kept them in my tank with zero salt for over 2 years now with no problems. Being as they breed so easily I'm sure there is not a single wild caught molly on the market and I doubt very much if any of them have ever been in contact with any kind of saltwater in their life.

If you try them, go for a same sex group otherwise you will end up with a pile of fry. They'll breed at the drop of a hat. Put a glass of whiskey in their hand and they could be Irish

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Thanks, Bernard. What type(s) of molly do you have, and do they really get as big as 10cm as the profile here says? I'm thinking of having just one (male?) in my 23g.

-P

Just plain 'ol female Black Mollies. Nevr seen one get to that size. Sailfins get pretty big. Mine seem to top out at about 2 ".

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

I have to aggree with Bernard.
They are effective algae eaters and surface skimming fish.
I also keep mine in freshwater, for 3 years now with no problems. I have sailfin/dalmation mollies,


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Thanks much!

-P

Hi,
Regardless of what we do or can do, the mollie is a
brackish water fish. That means that it can migrate between
the three environments (salt water, brackish water, and
freshwater). However, they are found primarily in brackish,
tidal waters.

As far as eating or not eating algae, they are herbivores
and love soft leafed plants. They will also nibble at the
algae, but to put them in a tank for the sole purpose of
controlling algae is a mistake. That nich is better filled
with types of catfish, and other fish. The American Flag
Fish is another fish that "eats algae" but should not be
"stuck" in a tank with nothing else to eat.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Frank,
I have heard of a lot of Mollies being caught and found wild in rivers and lakes far far inland, no way these fish are travelling hundreds of miles to brackish water.
The mollies that are sold here, in all 16 fish stores on the island, are all born, raised, and sold in freshwater.
I know some people who have kept them in brackish water, with no more success than myself, who keeps them in pure freshwater.
I have also heard that keeping them in freshwater may shorten their lifespan, but my previous pair of sailfin mollies live 5 years in freshwater, 2 with the person I got them from, and 3 more years in my tank. My new pair have been in my freshwater tank now for 2 years for the male, and a year for the female. But they were born and raised in freshwater. I see no adverse affects with them, no shortening of lifespan, no disease, no health issues.
And...I also keep them in soft acidic water as well.
I honestly think Mollies are one of the hardiest, most adaptable of fish, and can easily be kept in any salinity successfully, even pure fresh and pure salt water.


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