# [Wet Thumb Forum]-Mollies



## Guest (May 5, 2003)

Recently planted my tank (plants have been in for 3-4 days), and I've been thinking of getting some mollies to keep alage under control until things get balanced out in the tank. I think what I have in the tank now is thread algae. The tank is not overgrown with alage, but it's definitley noticeable.

Not sure if if it's better to just wait to let the plants get aclimated or to do more to keep the algae under control. I have a few ottos and shrimp but they don't seem to eat much of the thread algae (guess I can just keep removing it by hand).

Do black sailfin mollies do a better job of eating algae than other mollies? Do mollies seem to go after thread algae? Will they take eat my plants also? I have Hygro, Bolbitis, Anubias and Java Fern in the tank (low light).

Thanks for the help.

Steve

[This message was edited by steve on Mon May 05 2003 at 10:23 AM.]

[This message was edited by steve on Mon May 05 2003 at 10:25 AM.]


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## Guest (May 5, 2003)

Recently planted my tank (plants have been in for 3-4 days), and I've been thinking of getting some mollies to keep alage under control until things get balanced out in the tank. I think what I have in the tank now is thread algae. The tank is not overgrown with alage, but it's definitley noticeable.

Not sure if if it's better to just wait to let the plants get aclimated or to do more to keep the algae under control. I have a few ottos and shrimp but they don't seem to eat much of the thread algae (guess I can just keep removing it by hand).

Do black sailfin mollies do a better job of eating algae than other mollies? Do mollies seem to go after thread algae? Will they take eat my plants also? I have Hygro, Bolbitis, Anubias and Java Fern in the tank (low light).

Thanks for the help.

Steve

[This message was edited by steve on Mon May 05 2003 at 10:23 AM.]

[This message was edited by steve on Mon May 05 2003 at 10:25 AM.]


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## Guest (May 5, 2003)

I know I'll have to decide myself whether to wait until the tank balances, out or try to do more to fight the algae now....but was wondering what results people have had with using mollies to eat thread algae. Do they seem pretty good at getting rid of this type of algae? Do the mollies tend to eat the plants also? Thanks.

Steve


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

I keep Black Mollies and Dalmatian Mollies in all my plant tanks. I think the work harder at eating three types of algae. The trick is don't feed them. What I do now that I have so many Mollies in my Mollie farm is keep the young Mollies. They seem to do the most work. Then I trade the older Mollies in at my LFS. I have Otto's. Golden Algae eaters, Ramshorn snails, and Malaysian snails. But What ever the work crew you get will only work if you get a balance in your tank so you don't have big out breaks of algae. After all they can only eat so much. OH OH if you do use Mollies. You need to keep one tablespoon of aquarium salt/gal in you tank. 

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## jolywoo (Mar 23, 2004)

I use to have mollies, sailfin and black. they seemed to work hard at keeping algea away if not given food. they really never ate thread algea though. I agree with hawkeye about adding some salt but i never did it and wouldnt know if plants would do fine with it. these are the only fish i cant keep alive most likely b/c of the salt thing

30gallon tank, 3.2 watts/g, eheim filter with co2


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## TheDude (Feb 17, 2003)

A week ago I bought 3 Silver Lyretail mollies. I was having a huge problem with thread algae and these little guys are insane! 1 week and it was virtually all gone. Granted water changes and pruning helped too. They are like cows, constantly grazing. I highly suggest the Lyretails, black or silver.


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

The key to keeping healthy Mollies are plants. Plus the salt. I have heavy planted tanks. They all have Mollies with one tablespoon of aquarium salt/10gal. salt at that low of rate doesn't hurt the plants. 

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Guest (May 8, 2003)

Thanks for the help. I bought a pair of black Lyretail mollies yesterday, and it looks like they're munching on the thread algae. There was a lot of it collected at the bottom of some hygro and looks like they've cleared out a lot of it. Fed some flakes today b/c I have a few other fish in the tank (neons), but going to take the tetras out and see if the mollies clear out the tread alage attached to some of the plants/wood when they get more hungry.

One thing I was wondering is whether the mollies are prone to ick b/c I haven't added the salt to the water--I'm thinking I see a little white speck on the male's head (uh oh). Anyone have any advice on the best way to treat ick without hurting the plants? The temp. in the tank is allready pretty hight (about 82 F--going to put discus in the tank in a few weeks.)

Thanks again for the help.

Steve


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## Guest (May 8, 2003)

On second thought, it may not be ick. Maybe just a little bit of metalic color on the top of the mollie that's part of his coloration (looked at it more closely under better light). Sorry for the false alarm.

Steve


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## Hawkeye (Aug 20, 2004)

Salt will help keep your Mollies healthy. Its good for stress and fungus. I am not sire about ick. That is a parasite I think. You will have to treat them for that if that is what they have. BUT! don't do it in your plant tank. Ick treatment will hurt your plants.

Hawk

Trust But Verify «*»®


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## Vicki (Jan 31, 2003)

Except for sailfins, which are true brackish water fish, salt is not essential to keep mollies healthy, but at least moderately hard water is, and so are warm temperatures, 80 degrees or above; mollies will be much healthier, active and more resistant to disease at those temperatures. Frequent water changes are important, also. Livebearer salts are available that are much more beneficial than sodium chloride; they contain the calcium, magnesium and other traces livebearers need to stay healthy. As for ich--there are ways to treat it in a planted tank, but if you have the option to remove ALL the fish from the tank and treat them in a separate tank, it's a good option to take. The ich parasite (and many other external parasites) won't survive with no fish host to latch onto; ten days with no fish in the tank will eliminate any ich parasites. The infested fish should be treated for a two week period (three is better, there's no way the life cycle of the parasite can outlast the treatment that way); after treatment, they can be returned to the tank. I prefer Coppersafe as an ich treatment; it's safe for all fish, including tetras and scaleless fish. It is not safe for invertebrates, however, and shouldn't be used in a tank that houses shrimp.

http://www.wheelpost.com


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## Guest (May 9, 2003)

Vicki, I'm glad you included the link to your web-site. Looked through the galleries (really nice java fern







) and how to stop worrying about algae--that definitely helped. I'll post sometime about what I've got set up in my tank, to see if I the conditions set for things to work out well over time. Thanks.

Steve


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