Mollies are a popular fish to keep in an aquarium. They come in many different colors and patterns, but the most common two are black mollies and red mollies. As these fish are a little aggressive, many others have a lot of questions about should you keep two male Molly fish together or not. Some people think so, while others don’t agree with this practice.
So, can you keep two male Molly fish together? The answer is not really. Well, technically, it is possible, but the chances of them dying are very high. The males will fight for dominance, leading to death or injury in one or both fish.
These are just a few questions that many people ask when deciding how to set up their first-ever freshwater aquariums. In this post, we’ll answer these questions so that anyone can have success keeping mollies in their home.
Can You Keep Two Male Molly Fish Together?
The answer to this question is yes, but it really depends on the individual fish and their social preferences. For example, male mollies tend to be territorial with other males, so you should not keep them in a small tank. They need at least three feet of space for adequate territory, or else one may become aggressive against the other over time.
In general, if both males are healthy, then there shouldn’t be any problem keeping them together. However, aggression can arise from either side depending on who feels threatened first. Aggression usually happens when one of your fish becomes sick. Besides this, sudden movement or bright lights could startle him out of his comfort zone, which will make him feel threatened and aggressive.
How Many Mollies Can You Keep In Your Tank?
It really depends on what size tank they will be in. The larger their environment is, the easier it’ll be to take care of them because there won’t be as much competition for survival. A good rule of thumb is to have one gallon per fish.
If you’re going to keep them in a smaller tank, the space will be more cramped. It’ll also make daily maintenance tasks harder because Mollies are more likely to be stuck in corners or on plants when keeping an eye out for predators. There’s not much room for swimming around either, which can cause health problems like less oxygen absorption through their gills.
Besides this, keeping many Mollies in a single tank can also lead to a build-up of ammonia and nitrites, which can cause sickness in fish. And also, there will be a struggle for food and territory which can also lead to these.
Can You Keep Two Female Mollies Together?
The short answer is yes, but with a few caveats. First, mollies are very social fish – they need to have friends all around them and will be most happy in an established community tank of at least five or six other Molly Fish.
It would help if you didn’t raise the females together because it may lead to aggression later on down the road when there isn’t enough space for everyone. However, if you’ve just one female, she’ll do fine alone as long as her water parameters stay stable (ammonia levels should always be zero).
However, if you want twins to add another Molly for the company before adding any more after that, she can feel like part of a bigger group than just herself.
Can You Keep A Male And Female Molly Together?
One of the most common questions owners ask is, “can you keep two male or female mollies together?” Unfortunately, the answer to that question would be no. Some people will say that males and females can share the same tank, but it’s not a good idea because they may fight over territory, food, or other resources.
If this happens, then one fish could end up injured by its partner. Thus, you must be attentive when you keep your fish with another species in the same tank. Always make sure there is enough room for both animals to grow without invading each other’s spaces. If something happens where your pets seem hostile towards each other, don’t hesitate to separate them.
The best way to keep your fish healthy and happy is by giving them what they need for their specific needs—the type of food, water conditions, tank size, etc.
What Happens If You Keep Two Male Molly Fish Together?
Keeping two male fish together is a little riskier because they’re much more aggressive with one another, so there is far more chance for injury between them. They also need many more resources, making cleaning their tanks harder because they’d steal from each other instead of just sitting back and letting nature take its course as the females do. Finally, males only live about six months while females have an average life span of three years (though this varies significantly by the fish).
Advantages Of Keeping Two Molly Fish Together
Molly Fish is very social and loves to swim with others of their kind. It’s an instinct for them, and it also prevents harm from the dominant fish in your tank.
So, here are many advantages of keeping two male Molly fish together:
- First, they will feel more at home and have a sense of security.
- Mollies are social creatures by nature, so one fish may get lonely if left on its own. They also need a company to prevent the dominant male in the tank from attacking them too often or mistreating them for not being as strong or aggressive as he is.
- You can easily pick out a lone Molly due to its large size (which makes it an easy target). Unfortunately, this means that you’ll find yourself feeding your pet twice as much, which costs money and gets messy fast! It’s better for both parties when they can keep each other company even while eating. And sometimes it seems like two Mollies fighting over food actually play.
- Some Molly Fish prefer to live in groups so that they will be happier.
- If you have a male and female breed of fish, it’s much easier for them to spawn. There is another one around for an extra male for female during mating season. This means more healthy offspring.
- It will save you money because one male can usually live well independently without needing any help or as much food as two females would need together. (Male Molly Fish have fewer energy needs than female Mollies.)
Disadvantages Of KeepingTwo Male Molly Fish Together
Fish can be a great addition to any home, but one might want to avoid keeping two male Molly fish together. There are many disadvantages of doing so, and they are:
Fighting
The fish will always be fighting for dominance, leading to significant injury or death of one of the fish.
Intense Biting
Due to hormone imbalances and territoriality, Molly males are prone to biting each other’s fins and tails during a fight. It is not uncommon that one fish will end up with its tail bitten in two due to these fights over territory! (Source)
Lack Of Eye Contact Between Fish
Two male mollies have difficulty looking at each other because they see their reflection as an opponent instead of another member of the same species.
Less Variety In The Aquarium
When two males are in the same tank, they will fight for territory and resources. This can lead to a lack of nutrients or food, resulting in unhealthy fish.
Lower Lifespan
Male Molly Fish have shorter lifespans than females because their fighting leads them to become exhausted more quickly.
How Can You Keep Two molly Fish Together?
If you are an enthusiastic fish keeper, you always want to explore more and know new choices. So, you might be wondering how to keep two mollies together.
Even though most breeders don’t recommend keeping these fishes together. There are some things you can do to keep two male Molly fish together: Such as:
- Put the two male mollies in a 20 gallon or larger tank.
- Provide hiding places for one of them to hide from his aggressive fish brother. Hide it by plants, rocks, and other objects around the aquarium background.
- Make sure there is enough space at both ends of the tank so that they can avoid each other’s territory without harassing each other.
- The water temperature should be between 74°F (23°C) and 79°F (26°C). Check with your local pet store about specific temperatures since these may vary depending on where you live – even if just across town! If possible, maintain stable room temperatures within this range; fluctuating drastically will only worsen the situation.
- Feed them separately so they don’t compete over food and provide a variety of foods high in protein (such as frozen bloodworms).
Some FAQs
Why Should You Keep Two Female Mollies Together?
Female molly fish tend to be much less aggressive with each other. Hence, there is far less risk of injury when keeping these together. They don’t need as many resources either. This means you’ll spend significantly less time cleaning up after them because they won’t bother one another as often. Finally, females have a longer life span than males do, so they can feel more relaxed about the idea of adding them to your tank.
Do I Need To Get A Male Molly Fish?
No! For two females to spawn together, they need only an egg-carrying piece of food (leaf lettuce works perfectly). In addition, some live plants like Java Moss or Anacharis serve as cover for them while they “spawn.” However, some people report that keeping males in these tanks will cause trouble because they may find out what’s happening and take over the spawning process themselves. So, make sure there’s a divider in between the two tanks if you think this might be an issue for your fish.
How Many Fry Will You Get From Female Molly?
The number of Molly fry (baby fish) that could come out of one spawn is usually 15-30. But it depends on how large your tank is and can vary depending on what size tank you have.
Some reports adding male mollies to the mix may increase these numbers because they’ll take over spawning instead of waiting their turn with the females. So, make sure there’s a divider separating them.
How To Keep Mollies?
The first thing you need to do is buy a tank or container with an aquarium filter. You’ll want to get some gravel and decorations in there, too, for additional filtration. Next, add a water conditioner (which you can find at your local pet store) before adding the tap water. Then about two gallons of fresh water should do it!
How Much Space Will You Need For Molly Fish?
You have quite a few options when deciding how big your tank needs to be as long as there is enough room for everyone. But, then, it is really up to you to choose the size of the tank. If keeping them in separate tanks isn’t what you’re looking for, you can have your females in a 50-gallon tank and males in another 40-gallon. Of course, you will need to place them with plants, so they don’t feel bored or exhausted by large spaces.
How Often Should You Feed Them?
Feeding the males only should be enough food because there is little risk of competition over this supply. However, feeding them twice per day may also help prevent aggressive behavior among these fish as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is not good to keep two male Molly Fish together because they will fight. If the fish do happen to get along, make sure there are enough hiding spaces for when one starts bullying or chases down the other. Remember, males can be aggressive and territorial, so always house with females if possible.
We hope this article has been helpful. For any unsettled questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at any time.