Black molly fish are famous for their varietey of colors and energetic behavior. The fish is mainly a freshwater fish but can live in saltwater aquariums. As a new aquarist, the black molly fish is the perfect choice.
As a beginner, people find it hard to care for mollies. Lack of knowledge regarding their preferred habitat, water conditions, food and tank mates can cause health problems and stress to the fish.
In this article, you will know everything that needs to start with black molly fish.
Overview of a Black Molly Fish
The black mollies are residents of South America and are found in freshwater. The fish belongs to the Poeciliidae family. The fish is noted for its black velvet color. The size of the fish is 6 cm to 15 cm.The fish does well in freshwater streams and in saltwater, but it will not thrive in soft water. Molly Fish needs great water quality to have a better quality of life. Fish cannot stand any amount of ammonia in the water.
Setting up the Habitat for Black Molly
Before adding Molly into the tank, there are several points to be considered:
Setting up the Tank
Before adding the fish into the tank, place the filter in the aquarium. The beneficial bacteria will grow in the tank and eradicate all harmful chemicals. The bacteria will convert ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate (the most harmless form of chemical). After 48 hours of setting your tank you can release the fish into the tank.
Water Temperature
The Molly requires the water temperature between 75° F and 85° F. The amount of ammonia and nitrite should be zero. The 30 ppm amount of nitrate is acceptable. The water pH should remain between 7.5 to 8.5. Molly Fish cannot survive in soft water. You can add crushed coral to the tank, which will harden the water and increase the pH level. The charcoal is also beneficial for drawing calcium and carbonate from the water.
Molly Fish is Saltwater or Freshwater
The debate is universal regarding whether molly fish need salt in their water or not. The answer is that molly fish is a freshwater fish that can adapt to different water conditions. Adult mollies may need salt in their water because their bodies are accustomed to brackish environments. Before buying the fish, you can ask the store owner whether the fish is used to salt water or not. If the fish is used to living in saltwater, salt can be added to the tank.
Equipment for the Tank
Before setting up the tank, you need to know what equipment you need for your black molly fish:
Heater
Black Molly is a tropical fish and lives in warm water. A good quality heater is essential for the good life span of your fish. The fish’s preferred temperature is 75° F to 80° F.
Filter
Black molly fish are beautiful, but their bioload is huge. The recommended size for small mollies is 20 gallons. You need to add the filter based on preference. A good filter that can handle huge bioload and maintain the water quality. You can consider adding an extra internal filter to manage more adequately.
Substrate
The best-recommended substrate for black molly fish is gravel. You can use an aragonite sand substrate. Aragonite is a mineral found in different pearls. The aragonite has the ability to drain the carbonate and calcium from the water, which is good for the health of fish. You can also add charcoal pieces to the aquarium to improve water conditions for black Molly.
Plants and Decor for Your Fish
The molly fish is a surface-dwelling fish and needs space to swim. The fish is calm but energetic. The fish like to hide. Add rocks, driftwood, and dense plants that will provide plenty of hiding space for your fish. You can add java moss, java fern, Cryptocorynes, Christmas moss, and Anubias.
Tank Mates for Black Molly Fish
Black molly fish are calm in nature and can cohabitate with nonaggressive fish. Molly fish like to stay in a group of 6 or more. Adding one male for 2 to 3 females is best. The male molly fish try to mate with females, which stresses them. Having too many females means there is no stress of male attention. Here is a list of preferred tank mates:
- Guppies
- Platy
- Angelfish
- Tetra
- Cory catfish
- Swordtails
- Danios
- Dwarf gourami
- Zebra danio
- Rainbow fish
- Rasboras
Diet of Black Molly Fish
Black molly fish is easy to care for. The fish prefer plant food. Feed them plant-based foods. Black molly fish are surface feeders, giving them food that doesn’t sink quickly. You can try to give them flakes that they can eat within 2 minutes. Before providing the food, read the ingredients which are good for the immune system of your fish. Low-quality food not only impacts the health of your fish but also deteriorates the water quality and causes the growth of harmful chemicals. Black molly fish also enjoy eating algae from the bottom of the tank, which will keep your aquarium clean.
How to Breed Black Molly Fish
Breeding black molly fish is not hard as long as you are maintaining the water temperature and water quality. The purity of water plays an immense role in the breeding. The pregnancy period lasts for 4 to 6 weeks. The female black molly is a livebearer, which means the fish give birth to fully developed babies that are independent and capable of eating. The female black molly fish can give birth to 10 to 50 babies at a time. The care of the fry is not hard.
Protect them from other fish they might eat. You can transfer female fish to separate tanks for breeding so the coming babies can be safe from other fish. The young fry are very sensitive to harmful chemicals in the water. Place a good filtration system in a separate tank. The young fry can eat whatever the adult mollies are eating, but food must be chopped enough to fit in their small mouths.
Gender Difference
It’s easy to differentiate between male and female. Male molly fish have a visible gonopodium, a fin used for mating with females. Only males have large dorsal fins. females have small dorsal fins. The female molly fish contains the eggs in her body. Each egg has an embryo. The egg hatch within the female and she releases the free swimming babies. If babies are not in a separate tank other fish can eat the babies.
Common Diseases
The black molly fish can catch different diseases for different reasons. Here is the list:
Fin Rot
The disease can be caused by bullying from the tank mates or due to poor quality. In some cases, the bacterial infection can be involved.
Dropsy
Dropsy can be caused by poor conditions of the aquarium; it is a disease of the kidney that causes fluid accumulation and renal failure.
Ammonia Poisoning
Ammonia poisoning can cause a lot of other bacterial infections. The signs of ammonia poisoning are red gills, drinking tank water, and biting the ground.
Columnaris
The disease is also known as mouth fungus. The signs can appear as white or gray spots on the skin, rapid breathing, gill color change and frayed fins. The disease can be caused by stress, overcrowding or low level of oxygen in the tank.
Care and Maintenance of Black Molly
- The black Molly is a warm water fish and prefers hard conditions to live. Maintain the pH of water between 7.5 to 8.5.
- Black molly fish are surface feeders that give them food that does not shrink too quickly
- Fish prefer to live in great-quality water. Do water changes at regular times
- Install a good filter to eliminate all harmful chemicals
- Add nonaggressive tank mates who have similar environmental needs
- Molly breeds a lot to save fry from other fish and keep them in separate tank
- For the control of population, separate female Molly from male
- Do not overfeed your fish. It can cause digestive problems along with other health issues
- Monitor the behavior of fish to eliminate any possible problem
Conclusion
Black molly fish is the common choice of aquaristics due to its beautiful color variety. Before adding the fish into the tank the knowledge regarding the species is important to tackle any possible obstacle. Black molly fish are easy to care for but prefer great water quality to live.
The fish is a native of fresh water and cannot survive in soft water. Manage the water preference according to the. Provide good quality food to avoid any health problems. Do not overfeed it will not negatively impact on the health of the fish but decrease the water quality. Add peaceful tank mates who can easily cohabitate with black Molly. For a long and healthy span monitor the fish behavior for any future problem.