Molly fish are a great beginner pet. They have very vibrant personalities and love to play. However, mollies become aggressive when they get older. So, it is important to keep them in the right environment with the right company of other Mollies. Besides this, the food you feed your Molly fish plays a vital role in their health. So, you must be very conscious about how often you should feed Molly fish. So, how often must you feed the Molly fish?
The feeding pattern of Molly fish depends on the size and species of Molly fish. Generally, Molly fish need to eat at least twice a day, but it is better if you feed your molly fish once a day to maintain proper dietary flow. Many factors determine how often and what to feed your molly fish in the aquarium.
The diet that Molly fish intake depends upon their age and activity level. If your Molly is an adult Molly that has reached its full size, you can feed it with flakes or pellets twice a day. However, you must keep in mind that even if the food looks like Molly still needs more to eat. Usually, Molly fish have a tiny stomach and can be easily overfed.
You may have many questions if you are new to fish keeping. This blog post will be perfect if you’re looking for answers! Here we’ll discuss all Molly and what it takes to keep her happy and healthy.
How Often Should You Feed Molly Fish?
Like most other types of pets, Molly fish require a lot of care and attention. Molly fish are no exception to this rule; they need food more than once per day. Molly fish also thrive on varied diets that include plant-based foods and meaty proteins.
But the feeding pattern of Molly also depends on the size of Molly fish. Therefore, the proper feeding schedule varies with the size of Molly fish, classified into three categories – small Molly fish, medium-sized Molly Fish, and large Molly Fish.
Small Molly Fish
These are the smallest species of Molly fish that only grow up to a maximum length of one inch. Small mollies require daily feeding, as they become vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies if the food is provided only once per day.
Medium Molly Fish
The medium-sized Molly fish can grow up to a maximum length of two inches and require feeding at least three times per week.
Large Molly Fish
Larger mollies that measure more than two inches in length should be fed at least four times per week. Molly fish that grow up to large will also eat more than their smaller counterparts and can pose health problems if you fail to provide enough food on time.
Molly owners need to feed Molly fish based on the instructions given by the breeder of Molly, as Molly fish food and feeding patterns vary with different species. Some Molly Fish varieties, such as the Sailfin Molly, need more food because they are more prominent. Therefore, it is important to understand how much food your Molly needs before feeding it. Every type of Molly has a different diet, and you should make sure not to overfeed or underfeed them.
What Type Of Fish Is Molly Fish?
Molly fish are freshwater fish from the Molly genus, part of the Poecilia family. This type of fish can be present in rivers, creeks, ponds across North America and other surrounding areas around Mexico and South America.
They are beautiful fish with vibrant colors and patterns. Molly fish are a peaceful and slow-moving breed of fish that can be live in a community aquarium with similar-sized tanks mates. It is important to note that Molly females will often reproduce if not careful. However, Molly fish are easy to take care of and are the best choice for beginners.
What Is The Best Diet For Molly Fish?
Molly fish need a balanced diet. Molly fish are omnivorous. They will eat anything that they can fit into their mouth. So, you must be careful while you feed them and ensure that their diet contains enough nutrients.
These fish are not picky, and you don’t need to think much about what to feed your molly fish. Instead, you can offer them bits of vegetables and fruit and worm-like foods like brine shrimp or bloodworms every couple of days. It helps to maintain the balance Molly fish need for health.
Veggie Diet For Molly Fish
Molly fish will eat all sorts of plants vegetables, and you should encourage them to eat enough veggies. They enjoy peas, zucchini, blanched lettuce leaves (not the creamy kind), spinach, and many more types of Molly fish veggie diet.
Some Molly fish veggies that Molly fish cannot digest, such as potatoes, onions, and tomatoes. So, you should avoid such vegetables from their diet. Mollies will absorb toxins from the veggie diet, leading to illness or worse. So, giving them a balanced amount of vegetables is important.
Protein Diet For Molly Fish
It would be best to feed your Molly a fish protein diet every day. So, the best source of protein in the Molly fish diet are bloodworms and Molly fish flakes. Also, you might find molly fish munching on shrimps present in the tank or the ones you give them.
It would be best not to give Molly fish pellets because it leads to constipation. In addition, Molly fish finds it challenging to break down pellets in their digestive system to choke in different body parts.
Commercial Foods For Molly Fish
Your molly fish will eat pellets, flakes, and wafers that you can buy from any pet store or amazon. P pellets and flakes are the easiest way to feed your fish proper food that contains necessary dietary requirements. Hence, properly research the food you are buying for your molly fish and feed them good quality food only.
Also, mollies are okay with the frozen foods that you give them. You cannot complain about mollies when they act fussy if you are not giving them correct food. And if there are days you are running about molly fish food and cannot find one, you can switch to betta food. Mollies can eat betta food for a while, but it is better to choose the right one, especially for mollies.
Molly Fish Diet For Newborns And Fry
Feeding newborn Molly’s fish fry is easy because all Molly fish fry gets their nutrition from the yolk sack for the first couple of days. After the newborns lose their yolk sacks, Molly fry will be able to eat brine shrimp and microworms as part of their diet.
Molly fishes start eating shrimp, groundfish flakes, or brine shrimp as they grow bigger. But you must be careful that the food is not too big for fry. Molly fish fry is tiny and can choke if you feed them food without grounding them.
What Should Not You Feed Your Molly Fish?
Molly fish are omnivorous so they can eat many types of food. However, there are some foods that you should never Molly fish due to their toxicity or high-fat content. The following list includes:
Some Vegetables
Molly fish cannot digest more giant leaves such as spinach, lettuce, or other types of leafy vegetables. In addition, onions contain a toxin that can damage the Molly fishes’ red blood cells and cause Molly fishes to get anemia. It can lead to death in severe cases.
Potatoes contain a toxin that can lead to bloating. Molly fishes’ digestive system cannot break down the toxins in tomatoes, so they will be unable to absorb nutrients from them and other foods. They also pose an intestinal blockage risk if Molly fish eat them whole.
Molly fish should not eat cucumbers, as they contain hydrocolloids that can damage their digestive system and lead to diarrhea or death in severe cases.
High-Fat Foods
Molly fish have a sensitive stomach. So, they cannot digest high-fat food. These fish are more likely to get sick if they eat such a diet for long periods. Therefore, you should avoid giving them fatty treats like a beef heart or other meat trimmings.
Foods That Might Carry Parasites
Molly fish may eat live feeder shrimp. But most experts do not recommend this since feeder shrimp can carry parasites that Molly fish may then ingest and suffer from infections or diseases.
Foods With High Phosphorus Content
Molly fish should not eat foods like brine shrimp (or any other animal). Moreover, this is because the phosphate levels in these foods are very high, leading to organ failure over time.
Large Pieces Of Food
Molly fish are generally unable to swallow large chunks, so you should avoid giving them large pieces of food, especially if they are still small.
Some FAQs
How Much Bloodworms Do Molly Fish Need?
Molly fish can eat about 20-30 bloodworms per day for optimal health.
Do Molly Fish Swim Upside Down?
If your Molly is swimming or sleeping upside down, it could mean there is something wrong. Molly fish do generally not swim upside down, which could signify stress, injury, or illness.
Do Molly Fish Eat Plants?
Molly fish generally will eat plants in the tank. But since these fish are omnivorous, you should also give them plenty of meaty foods like bloodworms or shrimp pellets. Then, of course, your molly fish will happily eat algae present in the tank.
How Often Do You Need To Clean Mollies Tank?
Like any other fish, Molly fish will poop, which can lead to dirty water. So, it would help if you cleaned Mollies’ tank once every week or two weeks. Make sure you have a gravel siphon to clean the substrate as well.
How Often Should I Feed Baby Molly Fish?
You should feed baby Molly fish at least three times per day. Usually, the food best for Molly fish is flakes, bloodworms, or shrimp pellets. Ensure to feed and keep your baby fish separate from the parents as these molly fish will eat their babies and the food you drop down for the baby fish. I know it doesn’t seem ideal to keep babies and parents separately, but it is what it is.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Molly fish will eat almost anything. Molly fish are omnivorous so they can eat algae or meat. You need to feed adult Molly twice daily and baby Mollies every alternative day. The best way to feed Molly Fish is at night because feeding during the daytime causes excess food, which means dirty water. Molly Fish does not need a lot of space to live in and adapt quickly to its environment.
Hopefully, this blog post successfully cleared all your doubts about Molly Fish and how often to feed Molly fish. If you feel like we could add something else, please leave a comment below.