Molly fish are tropical freshwater fish originating from South America and people bred in captivity for over 50 years. These fish can grow about 4 inches in length, but they only grow up to two or three inches most of the time. Molly fish prefers cool water temperatures between 70 degrees F and 78 degrees F. Molly Fish are social animals that prefer to live in two or more groups. Still, they can also adapt to living alone if necessary. For example, does Molly fish eat snails?
Molly fish may eat snails or not. It all depends on Molly’seir and temperament. If Molly is more significant than a snail, it will most likely eat them because they are easy prey for the quick-moving Molly Fish. However, Molly is too more substantial in size than a snail. They won’t like eating them because snails cannot fulfill their nutritional demand.
If you are thinking of buying a Molly fish, you may have many questions. We will try to answer almost all of them in this article. So. join us as we take a closer look and find out what makes these creatures tick!
Do Molly fish Eat Snails?
Mollies are omnivorous. They can get protein by eating other types of animals. But their diet must contain plants also because this will provide them with calcium needed for healthy teeth and bones. However, if you feed your fish with too many snails, then they may start eating other shellfish again and lead back towards its old habit of turning any crustaceans into crackers before long. So plants should always be available when breeding season arrives, or Molly might go on an aquatic snail hunt.
Mollies are nocturnal and often sleep during the day. Usually, snails leave their shells unattended at night. Molly takes advantage of this when looking for a meal.
Sometimes, Molly fish might also eat baby snails when the temperature is above 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Again, it is because higher temperatures induce breeding, and Mollies will thrive for more food.
Will Molly Fish Eat Snails?
Molly Fish is a peaceful, easy-going fish. So, you can keep them in community tanks. They will eat snails, but only if they find them while foraging on the bottom of the tank or when their food supply starts to dwindle, and they get desperate.
Small Size Difference
While Molly Fish can eat smaller-sized snails like Planarian Worms, which measure up at about one inch long (about 0.025 kg), Molly fish cannot usually swallow larger-sized snails such as Turbo Snail up to three inches long (about 0.0625kg). If Molly finds an even more giant snail than this, it will be too large for it to consume, so instead, Molly may nip lightly at the shell surface until its prey emerges from its protective shell.
Temperament
Due to Molly’s peaceful nature, they will co-exist with other types of fish in aquariums and community tanks without causing any harm or making territorial threats. In addition, Molly fish are easy-going creatures that do not have a very aggressive temperament, so they usually won’t eat the snails no matter how hungry they get.
Same Tank Requirement
Molly Fish require water temperatures between 22°C (72°F) – 28°C (82°F). Molly also requires lots of oxygen and high levels of carbon dioxide dissolved into their water environment. But when Molly doesn’t have enough food, these conditions fail to meet their needs, leading them to eat snails instead.
Shell Protection
Molly Fish are freshwater fish commonly present in slow-moving water sources like ponds and lakes from temperate climates. So Mollies do not need to protect themselves with shells because they can rely on their scales for defense against predators.
Snail shell protects them from external extremities. Molly fish cannot digest the snails covered with veneer. So, they do not eat the snail when they have covers. Usually, snails come out of their shell at night and in hot. It is when Mollies eat the snails.
How to Stop Molly Fish From Eating Snails?
Because Molly fish is a peaceful creature that eats plants and algae, they will not be aggressive towards snails if they have enough space to swim freely.
Thus, to stop Mollies from eating snails, you should try feeding Molly some food before the situation arises. Also, please provide them with more hiding spots to scavenge for any crustaceans on their own without bothering other types of aquarium pets.
Provide Hiding Spot
Mollies are active fish that loves to swim around and explore their surrounding. Besides this, they also need some safe and private space to give birth and reproduce. So, you must provide Mollies with an ample amount of hiding spots.
Molly Fish will retreat to this area when it feels too scared or threatened in the water tank. They can use their convenient location as an advantage while hunting for food. So you don’t expose them to the bottom of your aquarium where other types of pets might see them coming from far away.
Reduce Ammonia Levels
Molly fish are freshwater creatures that require clean, well-oxygenated water. Still, if ammonia levels climb higher than 0 ppm, then Molly may start eating snails because Molly needs protein high-quality foods such as crustaceans which is what snails are. However, ample amounts of green algae should provide enough amino acids necessary for Molly’Molly’sneeds and thus reduce any chances Molly may have of eating snails.
Feed Molly Fish Properly
Since Molly fish is a freshwater creature, they don’t eat saltwater to live, which is why you should feed your pet only plant-based food such as algae and clams, so it doesn’t look for snails or other types of meaty foods available nearby.
There is no harm in putting some small clamshell pieces around the tank if Molly starts showing signs that it needs more protein. But make sure the size isn’t too big for Molly to chew; otherwise, Molly will not be able to get anything out from under their shells quickly and might resort back to trying out crustacean prey like snail instead.
Encourage Mating
Snails provide the required protein for Mollies and are sticky. In addition, the diploid eggs stick in the snails. They will then offer the eggs safe space and enough nutrition for mating.
So, Molly Fish should not eat any baby snails before they have a chance at reproducing, or it may lead Molly back on the path towards being an eater-of-snails again.
Is It Good To Feed Molly Fish With Snails?
Molly fish is no different than any other tropical aquarium fish. Therefore, it is important to provide Molly with suitable feed to ensure its required nutrients and minerals. Moreover, this isn’t difficult as you can feed Molly most types of food, including snails! However, there are a few things that you should keep in mind when providing Molly this delicious snail dish.
Benefits Of Snails In Molly Fish Diet
When breeding season arrives, some aquarium pets such as clams will lay spawn near other types of marine life like the Molly fish. Hence, there is no harm in providing your pet with these organisms to supplement Molly’Molly’s, which can help Molly Fish breed more often.
- Snail shells act like armor for the little fish’s digestive tract against potential predators.
- When Mollies eat snails, they get calcium from their shells which help create strong bones and healthy gums.
- Molly feeds on snails and is less likely to attack other fish in the tank because Molly is not hungry.
Drawbacks Of Snails In Molly Fish Diet
Snails also contain a lot of calcium, so you have to be careful when feeding them to your Molly fish. Too many snails are not suitable for your fish. Molly cannot digest them and suffer from stomach problems like bloating. As a result, they can even die.
Snail eggs attach to Molly’s body makes them vulnerable to parasitic infection. In addition, snails shells are hard to chew and cannot be good food for your fish.
Constantly giving snails to your Molly fish makes them dependent on snails. Thus, your fish will only prefer to eat snails.
However, snails are not a complete nutritional source for Mollies. Hence, Molly will suffer from nutritional deficiency.
Will Molly Fish Eat Baby Snails?
Molly fish usually eat live food. Molly Fish will not eat snails if the temperature of their tank is over 75 degrees Fahrenheit, which is perfect for breeding baby snails. They are carnivores, and adults often need meat to survive, while juveniles can eat algae or plant matter like zucchini slices. Molly Fish do not want to share a tank with other types of fish because they have different temperaments, and any kind could eventually become dominant in the same water space.
If you notice that your mollies are eating too many young snails, then it may be time to find them another home where they won’t get these creatures.
Some FAQs
What Is The Best Diet For Molly Fish?
Molly Fish are omnivorous, and they thrive on meaty foods. Molly fish eat snails, so the best diet for Molly Fish is a variety of fresh, meaty food like raw seafood (e.g., shrimp), live or frozen Mysis shrimp, crabs, krill oil with added vitamins & minerals.
How Often Do Molly Fish Eat?
You should feed Molly fish at least twice a day to keep the water quality high. It is also important to provide Molly fish with live food such as live shrimp or bloodworms. Molly fish have a fast metabolism, so they consume food quickly. So, it would be best if you fed them again.
What Size Snail Do Molly Fish Eat?
A Molly fish is typically about four inches in length, so Molly fish will eat the exact size of snails as they are.
Molly Fish And Snails: Is It Safe For Molly Fish To Eat Them?
Snails are an excellent food for Molly Fish if you do not expose them to chemicals or toxins. You can feed Molly Fish and snails safely together. But the Molly fish must have time to acclimate to their new environment before you introduce them into the fish tank.
How Often Should I Feed Mollyfish?
One Molly fish will typically eat between one and six snails per day, so you must feed Molly Fish a variety of other meaty foods to prevent them from eating too many snails.
Should Molly Fish Always Have Live Plants In The Tank With Them?
Molly Fish will benefit from live plants. It would help if you fed Molly fish a variety of other meaty foods. However, Molly fish can destroy live plants, so it is important to make Molly Fish aware of the plant before introducing them into a Molly Fishtank.
What Happens If Molly Fish Eat Too Many Snails?
Molly fish will bloat when they eat too many snails, and their scales start overlapping. Molly fish who eats too many snails will also develop skin lesions, and Molly fish can quickly die from eating too many snails.
Is There A Way To Stop Molly-Fish Eating My Other Fishes
Yes, you can train Molly Fish not to eat the other fish. Molly fish should always have a hiding place available in their tank so that they can hunt for other fish. Along with this, always ensure that you feed your Mollies enough so that they do not binge eat the aquarium fish.
Conclusion
Molly fish eat snails. Snails are a good source of calcium and protein necessary for most freshwater creatures. However, giving too much snail is a severe problem as Mollies might suffer from digestive issues.
Besides protein sources, you should use plant-based food like algae or plants instead, so make sure there is always a plentiful supply available at all times when breeding season arrives.
Hopefully, this post has helped you to answer the question about Mollie’s snail-eating habits. For more information about Molly’s, please get in touch with us at your convenience.