Molly fish are very popular as they come from brackish waters and stay in freshwater and saltwater tanks without questioning your choice. And these fish are very friendly; hence you will find them happily living in a community tank with other peaceful fish. But what about their kind? Will they stay in the same tank with other molly fish? Will these fish school? Are molly schooling fish?
No, Molly is not schooling fish as they won’t actually swim, making a school with other mollies present in the tank. However, these fish are quite social and friendly, so keeping at least six mollies together in the tank is better.
Do not even think about keeping molly fish alone if you don’t want to the havoc on the peace and happy vibe of the aquarium. And of course, molly does shoal in the group and prefers to stay together for social reasons. However, you may not see all the mollies swimming in definite patterns like schooling fish do.
I know the questions don’t end here, nor will this short information will quench your thirst for more knowledge. Hence, please read the entire article I have written below to grasp the concept.
Is Molly Schooling Fish?
No, your molly fish is not a kind that will swim together with other mollies present in the tank. These fish will not attend school and give you the pleasure of synchronized swimming.
But Mollies are highly social with each other and prefer being in groups of at least five other mollies. So I can understand where people are coming from when they call mollies schooling.
However, to everyone’s surprise, these mollies will only shoal. Now, I know you won’t understand the difference if you are new to fishkeeping.
Schooling fish are the ones that form a group of the same fish and swim together in a definite pattern. But shoaling fish are those who will stay in the group together for social reasons.
Why Do People Assume Molly Fish Is Schooling Fish?
Well, it is not new for people to think molly is schooling fish and will happily form a school in the aquarium. I have been there and kept too many mollies together just to see them swimming in a symmetrical pattern.
But Alas! Some dreams are better when they stay a dream. Honestly, these fish don’t even school in the wild; how can you expect them to do something out of character?
Now, let me tell you why people assume molly fish are their next-door schooling fish. First of all, mollies are livebearers that need 3 to 4 females per male for breeding.
Hence, those who expect to breed molly fish at home often see them staying together and male and female swimming around in the tank.
But, my friend, those swimming patterns are their breeding behavior where mollies chase each other. Also, do not create confusion when you see them hanging out together.
They are just social and prefer to keep company, but people conclude that they got a schooling fish. (Trust me, they haven’t)
Are Molly Shoaling Fish?
Yes, your molly fish are shoaling fish and thank god for that. Can you imagine keeping a single fish in the tank that is too small to even pinpoint if these mollies ever decide to hide?
These fish are too social to stay alone and be happy on their own. You know, the introvert that thrives among the extrovert group. Mollies are similar; these fish are quite shy yet stay social and active throughout the tank.
Hence, they will shoal, making you buy at least six of them from the pet store. Don’t worry; these fish are affordable and way too cheap that you might even buy 12 of them altogether.
So, I suggest you brace yourself when inside a pet store. Get the exact number of fish you can fit in the tank size. Do not overcrowd the tank.
These fish are shoaling, but it doesn’t imply that they will enjoy the company of many fish at once. Molly fish will jump out of the tank if you overcrowd the tank and give them no space.
Can You Keep Molly Fish Alone?
No, don’t even imagine keeping molly fish alone in the tank. Just because you cam to know these fish don’t school doesn’t give you the right to make them lonely.
Your molly won’t appreciate that in any condition even if you maintain ideal water parameters for molly fish or feed them good food.
These fish are shy yet social; they will definitely ask for the company to shoal. Unfortunately, denying any basic needs can result in such a big hazard that you will think this one was one of your biggest aquarium beginner’s mistakes.
You know, these fish are not even costly to keep a single one in the tank. And, don’t even think about keeping molly fish in a fishbowl; now, this is an entirely different set of mistakes to commit.
But that doesn’t mean to dump your molly fish into the pond; I recommend you keep a few mollies with at least a gallon per inch capacity in an aquarium.
How Many Molly Fish Should You Keep In The Tank?
It is important to know how many molly fish you should keep in a group since it will help you get either a bigger or smaller aquarium.
Generally speaking, the larger your aquarium gets, the more mollies you can have together when they are small fry and juveniles less than two inches long. Generally, you can keep about six mollies in a 20-gallon aquarium.
If you wish just to put fewer fish together, an aquarium’s minimum size for molly fish is at least 10-gallons. Please do not go below this and make sure to install all the equipment mollies need in the tank.
Usually, their growth rate slows down as they reach adulthood and get more prominent; the larger they are, the more space they need.
If you keep them in overcrowded aquariums, Molly fish will become less active and have a slower metabolism than adults. So it is important to ensure you do not keep them in an environment that affects their growth rate.
Things To Consider While Keeping Molly Fish
I know it is kind of heartbreak to know that your mollies won’t school like most fish you own. But you still have to keep these molly fish in a group for them to thrive in the tank.
For that, maintaining and setting up a molly tank is quite important. So, some tips you need to follow while keeping Molly fish are:
Size Of Tank/Aquarium
The ideal tank size for molly fish is 20-gallons when you plan to get at least six of them. However, you cannot make them live in a constricted space where they can’t even swim properly.
Each molly requires at least need 1 gallon of water for a 1-inch size. So, plan accordingly and keep space for plants and decorations as molly fish need live plants in the tank to feel the natural habitat vibe.
Tank Mates
Tankmates of Mollies are crucial to consider when you want to keep them in the tank with other fish. Consider the compatibility level between the other fish and mollies before dropping them in the community tank.
For example, it would help if you did not keep mollies with larger fish that are more likely to bully and threaten the smaller mollies.
You can always keep mollies with guppies, swordtails, platies, etc. However, Molly fish are peaceful; hence there are way too many options you can choose from for their tank mates.
Temperature
Molly fish need a water temperature between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit to remain healthy. If you live in an area where your water is colder, you need to use a heater to bring it to its preferred temperature.
You cannot risk keeping mollies in a cold water tank. This will slow their metabolism and invite diseases in molly fish.
Can you imagine killing your molly fish with an aquarium heater burn? Yes, there is a chance that the higher level of water temperature from the heater can burn the skin of your aquarium fish, increase their metabolism, and eventually make them too hungry and sick to survive in captivity.
Lighting
Mollies prefer dim lighting. Therefore, you need to house them in an aquarium with at least some floating plants. It also appreciates moderate or high dissolved oxygen levels because they enjoy swimming around at the top of their tanks.
Remember, you molly fish cannot survive without oxygen in the tank. But that doesn’t mean you need to go overboard and light all the Christmas lights around the aquarium. Make sure to use a good filter for water displacement and oxygenations. Too much light will decrease the oxygen level in the tank due to algal growth and plants.
Habitat
The origin of Mollies explains it all: the charm, uniqueness, the way they can adapt to a wide range of water conditions, and of course, their salinity tolerance level. These fish are native to South and Central America, so they enjoy dense vegetation and plenty of hiding places to feel secure.
They will appreciate some driftwood, sand, or gravel for substrate in the molly tank as long as you make sure to siphon the dead and decaying things once in a while.
Feeding Mollies
Molly fish are the foodies next door and usually prefer to eat small amounts of food more frequently. Therefore, you should feed this molly fish a pellet food or a high-quality flake once per day.
And they will also enjoy the occasional treat like bloodworms, microworms, daphnia, veggies like cucumber, zucchini, etc.
You may even find your mollies eating algae from the rocks and other decorations when too hungry. Unfortunately, these molly fish also eat live plants in the tank if you are not feeding them good food in incorrect quantities.
Water Parameters
Mollies are pretty hardy but appreciate clean water with low nitrates and ammonia. These molly fish don’t need many water changes, but doing so will help keep their water parameters stable.
You need to maintain the water parameters for molly fish all the time. Keep the pH range between 6.7–8.5 and Water hardness between15–30 dkH while keeping the tank clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is The Lifespan OF Molly Fish?
The lifespan of molly fish can vary between species, but typically they live for an average of about three to five years.
But if you are lucky enough to have one that lives, you are very fortunate to get one, no matter what species. With proper care, your molly fish will live for a long time and be very happy.
Is Molly Fish Aggressive?
Mollies are not aggressive fish at all. They will live happily with other peaceful community fish, including tetras and small catfish like Cory cats or loaches.
However, it would help if you were careful with the size of your tank because mollies are small fish but will need a lot of room to swim. In addition, mollies tend to feel insecure when there is not enough space in their home aquariums.
Conclusion
Summing up, mollies are not schooling fish. But they do live in groups and enjoy hanging out with their buddies. You will find them shoaling with other mollies present in the tank but swimming together is quite far fetch in most conditions.
If you maintain the environment of your Molly fish, they can live with you for many years. So, always be attentive to their food and tank conditions.
Hopefully, this post gave you an insight into Mollies and how they are not a schooling fish.
Thank you for reading!
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!!