# Oi...(more trouble with my first tank)



## nedla (Jun 4, 2009)

I have kept mosquitofish without any problem, and I love them. I thought I would try something that would have more color but still at novice level. Bought a 20gal. and stocked it with 3 female mollies, and a platy trio. A few days later I got a guppy trio. After a day or so the male guppy died. He had been swimming vertically. I did not get another to replace him. 

I went off for a week.When I came home I found a molly dead, it had died that day. My mom fed the fish for me while I was gone, but the next water change was when I got home. I use water from the pump-house outside, so it was not salt softened. It turned a tea color, and the fish were hanging out at the top. I got worried and went to Pet Supply Plus to look around and see if I got any ideas what was wrong. It was Tues. so their shipment of guppies had come in that day. I got another male who looked healthy.
When I got home the fish looked fine and were swimming in all areas of the tank. But a molly was sitting on the bottom with clamped fins. I added the male guppy as I don't have a QT tank. He was swimming with the others in no time, seeming lively and showing no outward signs of disease.
The color in the tank faded and I decided the color was because I was dipping the water out and not siphoning it and cleaning the gravel.
I had the male guppy about 2-3 weeks looking healthy. I did another 20%wc using the siphon that I bought since the last change. Well, I replaced the water with more from the pump-house. It turned the tea color again, but the fish seemed fine. A day or two later, the same molly was sitting on the bottom with her fins clamped to her sides. Another day and Mom told me that my male was dead. He was stuck to the filter. I decided it was the water so I immediately changed nearly all of the water with some from the house...problem is that's salt softened. After the change, the water was clearer and almost "brighter" than I could guess after what it had been. I released all the fish, but this morning the clamped fined molly was dead.

The other question is about the last female molly. She swims almost vertically some times, but she only does it around the male platy. She will even follow him like that sometimes(he never pays any attention to her). Always with her underside toward him. She doesn't look unhealthy, she is fine when he is not around. She is not gravid nor has she been since I got her. I have heard mollies and platys can't breed together. Is it just because he is the only male in the tank?

I haven't tested the water yet. I know I need to but I can't afford to right yet. I started this tank in May.
What should I do? The remaining fish look fine.
Sorry so long and if I haven't been clear in what I am saying, say so I will try to clarify. 
Thanks.


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## betta0fish (Feb 16, 2009)

i think you added the too many fish at once. and you might want to put in some tetras or danios for cycling. and some cories so they eat any excess food. otos might work too.


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## nedla (Jun 4, 2009)

Thank you. I'll try to get some bottom feeders and tetras as I can. 
Thanks again.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yeah, you have encountered two very common problems---
1- too many fish, too soon, which leads to more toxic waste buildup than the new filter can handle. This is often called "New Tank Syndrome."
2- disease from unquarantined fish.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

Buy Seachem Stability, use as directed.


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## nedla (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks all, for the replies. I really appreciate it. I will try to get the Seachem Stability ASAP. Corry Cats or Ottos, I'll try to find out more about them and see if I can get a few.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

ottos are a very sensitive fish and not good for a new tank. They need algae to eat or algae wafers.Some tetras are too sensitive for new tanks- Black skirts are ok to cycle a tank with but they need to be in 6's. They grow to a fair size too.
You could cycle your new tank with mosquito fish. I find they don't much care about water quality.
As for the molly that is swimming vertically-- I have a platy that does the same with my rainbow fish. I kind of think she is showing some aggression to them.
I used to haver a platy that did the same on its side-- That I thought was fear- I am not sure but just what I observe.


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## nedla (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks Mousey. I was wondering about whether mosquitofish would work. Should I add them to the tank with the other livebearers? My mosquitofish are wild caught but have had them for a few months ( I switched my old ones out for new ones). I also have fry from them, would they be better? 
Thanks.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

any mosquitofish I had were very aggressive.
I bought a female- absolutely gorgeous because I thought she was a gigantic guppy.
A few days later she dropped 55 fry!
She terrorized the guppies and platies in the tank.-Gave her away.
The fry scrapped among themselves and gradually killed each other til I had 3 winners at the end. They had to be separated as they continually fought.
I would not keep them in with other fish- just themselves, but if you read up you will see they are very scrappy and territorial.

PS it is illegal in Canada to keep mosqito fish as they eat anything that can fit into their mouths. They apparently eat very few mosqitos in the wild prefering easier prey like tadpoles and minnows.


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