Molly fish is slowly gaining popularity and is famous among fish breeders. But, are you one of those fish breeders that want their fish, happy, healthy, and active. Then, you might be thinking about ways to keep your Molly fish happy. So, it’s important to know that you need a few things for this to happen.
There are certainly few tricks you can apply to make Molly fish happy. The first thing is space – make sure they do not feel cramped and have plenty of room for swimming. Next, provide them with appropriate food and water – not too much, not too little. Finally, look into the health of your molly fish and see if any symptoms may indicate illness or disease so that you can take care of it quickly.
Therefore, this article will be all about Molly fish, their behavior, and what you can do to make them happy. I hope you will be glad to know how to make Molly fish pleased by the end of this post.
How To Know Your Molly Fish Isn’t Happy?
Unlike humans, Molly fish can’t tell us how they feel. So, few things will denote they are unhappy. They are:
- When it stops eating.
- When it starts hiding all the time.
- If it contains swimming and starts floating near the surface of the water.
- If it has clamped-down fins.
- When you notice that its body is very dark in color or there are no scales, they look like velvet.
- If it has any open sores
How To Ensure Your Molly Fish A Happy Life?
Mollies are hardy fish that can pretty much live in any environment. However, it would help keep them in an established tank with water parameters around 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit and pH levels from seven points five to eight point one. Here are some tips to make Molly fish happy:
Keep Them In Mating Ratio
Mollies are very social fishes and love to live in a group. So the best way to keep molly fish happy is by keeping them in the mating ratio of one male for every two females.
Provide Enough Space
One of the things that make Molly’s fish unhappy is having too many tank mates. Having more than one male in a given environment can lead to aggression and stress, so ensure you have at least ten gallons per Molly for breeding purposes.
Provide Plenty of Plants
Mollies like being busy. Most aquarists things that Mollies will enjoy more in a tank with things like floating plants, driftwood, etc., where they can take shelter and feel comfortable.
Mollies love live plants like java moss, anubias nana, and java fern. Plants will keep the water quality high and provide plenty of cover for your Mollies.
Provide Them With Mates
Mollies love to play tag when they are in mating season. Therefore, providing them with tank mates like other live-bearing fish (guppies or platys) is better for added fun. Ensure the guppies don’t eat up your Molly’s fry if you decide to breed the two species together.
Keep Water Quality High
Molly fish are more sensitive to ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate than other freshwater aquarium fish species. Therefore, it would be best if you never overfed them, or you would be doing more harm than good. So, remove all the uneaten food from the tank within an hour after feeding time.
Provide Plenty of Clean Water Changes
Again, this goes back to keeping water parameters healthy, not to stress out your molly fish. A sound filtration system and an air pump will help maintain water quality while also aerating it to provide plenty of oxygen for active Molly Fish.
Maintain Tank Temperatures
Providing both heat and cold packs can be beneficial and keeping the tank out of direct sunlight so they don’t get too hot or cold during different times of the day. It would be best if you kept the water temperature between seventy to eighty degrees Fahrenheit and a pH level of between seven point five to eight point five for the well-being of Mollies.
Add Some Salt To The Tank
Mollies do well in saltwater tanks because they come from brackish waters naturally. However, be sure that if you decide to add some salt to the tank, you have a sound water filtration system in place to keep salt levels down.
Be Gentle With Your Molly Fish
Don’t try and catch your molly fish too often because they do not appreciate it. But, on the other hand, if you must move them for some reason, be gentle about their environment not to cause stress or damage.
Provide Plenty Of Food
In addition to plant material, Mollies also like algae wafers which you can purchase at any pet store that carries aquarium supplies. They also love frozen brine shrimp but only feed this food once per week to not overfeed. Providing more than what they eat within an hour of feeding time will lead to higher ammonia and nitrite levels, killing your molly fish.
How To Know That Molly Fish Is Happy?
Molly fish are a very active species that require some attention from time to time. However, with reasonable care, they can be happy in your home for many years. Some of the critical signs that Molly fish are happy includes:
- A healthy appetite and no loss of weight for two weeks is always a good sign, as well as being extremely curious about their surroundings;
- Rushing in the surrounding waters, not swimming passively;
- Having an iridescent color that is bright and shiny.
- Showing an interest in both food and new objects such as plants or rocks.
- Male fish are frequently displaying their bright colors and fins to female fish.
- They exhibit a continuous swimming pattern and are not sinking.
- If they swim to the top and down again, this is another sign they indicate happiness.
Does Illness Make Molly Fish Unhappy?
There are certain illnesses that Molly fish can get from time to time, but it doesn’t mean they will be unhappy all the time. Illness is something like the flu, making them less active and may stop eating for some days or weeks depending on how severe your fish’s illness is. But this does not make Molly Fish completely unhappy because once you take care of them, they will usually feel better in no time and go back to their usual self without any problem.
Some FAQs
What Types Of Plants Make Molly Fish Happy?
Many people think that the more plants you have in your Molly fish tank, the better. However, this is not true and can be harmful to your little swimmers. While some types of plants may do okay around them (particularly live ones), others could cause damage or even death for these tiny fishies.
Moreover, the best plants for Molly fishtank are those that are not only safe but also aesthetically pleasing. Underwater plants help with the tank’s overall look, and they provide a perfect place for your fish to rest, hide or even breed in certain conditions!
Which Plants Are Safe For Molly Fish?
Here is a list of plants (in alphabetical order) that can live happily alongside Mollies:
- Java Moss
- Anubias Nana Petite
- Cryptocoryne Wendtii Bronze
- Cryptocoryne Undulata “Red”
- Java Fern
- Amazon Sword Plant
How Often Should I Change Water Of The Tank?
It is essential to change the water of your Molly fish tank at least once a week, but it will depend on how many Mollies you are housing in there.
If you have only one or two fish, then every five days should be enough for them to swim around in clean and healthy waters. However, if you’re keeping more than just three Mollies together (the number of maximum specimens per species), then you must change the water weekly.
What Is The Best Way To Clean Molly Fish Tank?
The best way to clean your tank is by using a gravel cleaner. You can find these products at any pet store, and they are convenient since you don’t have to lift heavy rocks or break them apart to remove the dirt from underneath them.
Instead, simply over the desired area, attach a hose-end (the one that matches with your faucet), turn on some water, let it do its job for about half an hour, and voila! Your tank will be as good as new before you know it.
How Do I Feed Molly Fish?
Although you can feed your Mollies with pretty much anything they like, it’s better to use a particular type of food for them. For example, many people give their pet fish regular flakes or pellets, which may be okay but are not exceptionally nutritious and healthy.
The best way to go would be by buying shrimp-based foods as these will provide all the nutrients that Mollies need to grow big and strong (and live long).
Do Molly Fish Recognize Their Owners?
When you take care of your Mollies and change their water every week, they will eventually come to recognize that it is always you who does this for them. It is because mollies are pretty intelligent and can recognize their owners after a while. However, you should know that it’s important to have your hands always clean when entering the tank once they do so.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the main thing to remember when keeping molly fish is susceptible creatures. Therefore, they need an environment with clean water, which means frequent water changes for them to be healthy and comfortable.
In addition, the food needs special attention because although some feeder goldfish will suffice, it can cause long-term health problems for your pet if not done correctly. Also, make sure there is no chlorine or heavy metals from tap water before giving it to the fish; otherwise, they could get sick.
You’ll have more fun watching him swim around. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll know what to expect and how to make your molly fish happy.