# Aquarium Soap Opera, lots of help needed!



## Danyel (Mar 20, 2006)

Well I have a new (a few week old) 12 gallon tank. I originally wanted to stock it with a betta and tetra, but the local fish store only had one (yes 1 single tetra?). 

I asked the "fish" guy about stocking the tank. I ended up getting a betta, 3 corycats, and two mollys. First question, is this over stocked? Anything I should know about this combination?

I heard the rule was 1 gal per inch, so I measure the fish and have about 9 inches of fish in the tank...

The "fish" guy said these two were mollies, well one is horribly mean to the other one. I have tried to figure out species and gender, maybe you guys can help! 

Here is Speedo, who I think is a "pot belly molly" and a male fish(am I right?) He is the bully









This is Oro, I think its a female. I am not sure what "she" is, looks like a molly, but his tail isn't rounded- its more pointy? I also you can see where its white on the tip of the upper tail, I am 60% Speedo nipped it off! (sorry for the blur)









So, What is Oro? What happened to his tail? Why is Speedo so mean? Am I overstocked? How is the combination of fish I have? Any advice?


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The first pic is a male, the second a female.


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## Danyel (Mar 20, 2006)

This is kind of a general question, so should I (or can I?) post in in begginer freshwater?


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## Ltrepeter2000 (Dec 6, 2006)

First question was is the tank overstocked: No, the fish are pretty evenly spread through the water as the corys will be towards the bottom, the mollies will usually hold mid ground except when eating and the bettas usually like the surface. Secondly, the fish Speedo appears to be a male balloon molly. The fish Oro appears to be a lyretail female molly. Its possible they could mate but I doubt it since Balloon mollies by design dont move fast so he would have a hard time chasing the female. It does appear that the female may have been nipped at so you may want to watch the interaction between her and the betta. The betta may be mistaking the lyretail finnage for another male betta showing finnage. You may want to add plants either live or plastic to allow the fish space to escape any kind of chase. 

Thanks
Rob


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## anasfire23 (Jan 19, 2005)

I don't think your tank is overstocked at all. I've got a 15ga community tank with 4 Harlequin rasbora's, 5 neon tetra's and 6 guppy's and people have said to me that my tank is over stocked. I think it really is a personal choice. I took the chance and added the rasboras even when everyone said I shouldn't and everything is fine. But mind you I have the time to take good care of it, doing water changes, adjusting the ph etc. For those who want a set and forget kinda tank It may be a better idea to understock it. 

Good luck and I love the molly's colours.


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

Danyel said:


> I heard the rule was 1 gal per inch, so I measure the fish and have about 9 inches of fish in the tank...


You did not actually measure the full actual size of your fish. Swordtails(in case your fish on the 2nd pic is actually a sword) can reach 6 inches. Most we have seen are barely 3 inches but they can actually reach almost 5 years in life though I have a friend who owns a 10-inches female swordtail which has been alive for almost 8 years.

Pls take note that your male livebearer is a balloon molly which is actually a deformed variant. Your "female" looks like a swordtail(_Xiphophorus helleri_).


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## bettaboy691 (Nov 25, 2006)

looking at the picture,i would say the bottom photo,oro is a swordtail.but i dont keep swordtails or mollies so i cant be sure.the top picture does look like a ballon mollie to me.nice colouring what ever species they are tho.bettas can be aggressive but it depends on their personality.its not overstocked at all.like someone said earily, the corycats will hang at the bottom,but my bettas swim all around the the tank, they dont bother my orange platies so i dont see your betta attacking the orange mollies, unless its a rogue betta.lol.add some plants and keep an eye on your fish, i watch mine for about 10 min a day,in that time you can see if any fish are aggressive,or ill, or whatever.


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## Danyel (Mar 20, 2006)

Thanks for the help so far.

So my female is a sword tail? Her tail was cemetrical (top to bottom). Since the tip is white- does that just mean its healing, or does she need some sort of medication? I have places for her to hide, and she has been staying in a log decoration alot.

The male usually get's aggressive when I feed them, is there anything I can do? Just add more plants?


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## Ltrepeter2000 (Dec 6, 2006)

I still think your female is a lyretail molly. Female swords do not develop the long tipped tail. I think that the top part of her lyretail has been nipped off by another fish. The white may be disease but without a clearer photo of her its hard to tell and I wont recommend a treatment unless I am absolutely sure what it is. I agree with what Bettaboy said about watching the fish as its critical that you learn each fishes personality. 

Thanks
Rob


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## doggydad38 (Jan 18, 2005)

The bottom picture is of a female lyretail Mollie. As far as the two breeding, yes they will. When she is ready, the male will have no problem "catching" her. Since you just bought both of them, the male is trying to establish his dominance. Also, you should add at least one more female Mollie otherwise the one you have will be bullied and chased to death.
Tony


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## Danyel (Mar 20, 2006)

If I get more fish, it will probably be after the cycle now.

What type of Molly should I get, another lyretail or balloon, or can get a completely different molly? 

I was watching the two today, and they were swiming together, but it wasn't agressive- this is a good sign right?


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## Lupin (Aug 1, 2006)

Danyel said:


> What type of Molly should I get, another lyretail or balloon, or can get a completely different molly?


Any type is fine although you have to avoid sailfin mollies(often _Poecilia velifera_) as they can reach 6 inches which is far too large for a 12 gallons. IMO, avoid balloon mollies. They are deformed strains.


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## Guest (Jan 13, 2007)

get a female mollie w\o fancy fins. I tink the betta is beating the lyretail up because he sees her as competion cause she has fancy fins like him


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## Jojo (Apr 11, 2006)

Could you get a better pic of the female? It looks like a swordtail but like Ltrepeter2000 said the females don't have the sword.


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