Fish Care Advice

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Backstory: At the beginning of the school year I bought three mollies for our classroom. 2 died within a couple of weeks due to unknown causes. The third has thrived. Today we noticed that "Spiderman" (now renamed Pretty) had a baby. We separated Star Wars (the baby) and put it in a holding tank. Shortly after naming it, the baby was found dead in the gravel. It was the Circle of Life in my classroom today. LOL.

I took Pretty to Petco, verified that she no longer appears to be pregnant. She must have eaten the others before we noticed them. We now have two more Mollies. We use Aquasafe and feed them tropical fish flakes. There are three live aquarium plants in their regular tank. We do use a carbon filter. We have had them for three weeks and did a partial water change today after I noticed a lot of food sitting on the bottom. Apparently my little girl who feeds them was feeding them way too much.

I now have another hiding spot as well as one of those little in tank baby catcher things should Pretty have more babies. We also have a water test kit that will be a science activity for one of my older kids.

Does anybody with experience have some other advice? I would like to keep the fish alive this time. Although it did make for an educational day.

 

[maelstrom]

I love that your class named the baby Star Wars.

 

[skuttle]

Do you have a gravel vacuum? Just changing the water isn't enough. You should also vacuum the gravel to get the extra food/waste out.

 

[diznygirl]

But don't vacuum too much cuz you don't want to take out all the good bacteria. Get some baby food too in case. Just ask at the pet store. We've been lucky enough to keep two baby fish alive. Good luck.

 

[SandrA9810]

I actually wound up tossing all the gravel out of my tank, made vacuuming much much easier. I did leave a few decorations and a couple of plants in though.

First off - How new is the tank itself?? If it's new off the shelf, there could be things residing on the glass itself that's not healthy for the fish. Usually a good month before the tank is actually fish ready. Same thing for a used tank, if you don't know how long ago the tank was used, bacteria could have grown on it. If you know the tank was recently used as a fish tank, then I'm not sure. Unless the person tried to clean it with non fish safe stuff.

Water Changes - You should do 1/3 water change about once a week in a 10 gallon tank. What I did, was buy those 2 gallon purified water jugs that sit in the fridge with the spout. I'd cut a larger hole out of the top, and then opened the spout to pour the water in. I would also use the same container for a while, filling it first and then adding the water drops. I would also let it sit for at least an hour before adding it to the tank. I would also use it when vacuuming the tank, so I'd add back the same amount I took out (poured the bad water out the top hole, so nasties wouldn't get in the spout)
About every 2-3 weeks you should do a 1/2 water change. You never want to do a full water change. This is when you should be changing the filter too. Always rinse off the carbon filter prior to putting it in.

Heaters - Classrooms can get very cold, it's simple and easy, and works on its own. Just set it to the right temp. This will also help when the lights are off on the tank. Don't forget the thermostat.

Lights - Basic florescent or incandescent fixture is simple enough. I would also put this on a timer. Just remember, this will help warm up the water, so don't set the heater to high.

If you have anything smaller than a 10 gallon tank, then you'll need to do smaller water changes more often. And they're really too small to be using a filter on, sometimes the suction of the filter can be too strong in a small tank. And I'd go with just 2 fish in a 5 gallon tank, 1 gallon and there's not a lot of room for anything.

I'd also suggest getting a sucky pleco. I love those guys. And it's fun to watch them eat. They love cucumbers. So just attach a piece to a heavy rock, I always used a small rubber band. It'll suck up the meaty inside and leave the skin.

Do NOT get goldfish, unless you have like a 20 gallon tank. Those things are high waste producers, and can kill themselves faster than any other fish. Although some people have had some luck with them.

I actually had a Beta in a 10 gallon tank with a sucky pleco. His fins got really big and beautiful when they're in a larger tank.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

I'd also suggest getting a sucky pleco. I love those guys. And it's fun to watch them eat. They love cucumbers. So just attach a piece to a heavy rock, I always used a small rubber band. It'll suck up the meaty inside and leave the skin.

Please don't. A pleco will outgrow a 50 gallon tank within 2 years. Easily. They grow to be 2-3 feet long in the wild and their lives are greatly stunted in small tanks. I have one that is my favorite fish.. he is fascinating to watch. He is also over a foot long and will need a new tank (his current tank is 75 gallons) within the next 6 months.

The only appropriate bottom feeder for a small tank is a cory catfish... however, they are schooling fish and shouldn't be kept in groups smaller than 5. Which makes them not appropriate for a small tank, anyways.

To the OP: How big is the tank and how long has it been set up? I would do an ammonia test. Ammonia can spike quickly in a small tank that has not been set up for very long (particularly if there is over-feeding). If this is the case, there is a product called Cycle (made by the same people who make AquaPlus) that helps to "jump start" the nitrogen cycle in the tank and will help grow good bacteria that neutralizes ammonia. Until you have your bacteria colonies built, you will need to do 10% water changes every week. Vacuuming the gravel is normally a good idea, but since bacteria live in the gravel, I would not vacuum it for a few weeks; just minimize food waste (feed less) and promptly remove dead fish.

If your ammonia is fine, I would blame the deaths on bad genetics. Many fish types (including mollies, platys, guppies, and many tetras) have been very badly overbred to the point where they have very short life spans and can suffer from quick unexplainable deaths. The only way to avoid this is buy from a small local fish store or breeder, as opposed to a big box pet store. Or to just keep buying fish until you, by luck, find a few that live.

Good luck! Fish-keeping isn't easy, particularly when you have young students getting attached to fragile pets!

 

[Big Cuddly Bear]

Please don't. A pleco will outgrow a 50 gallon tank within 2 years. Easily. They grow to be 2-3 feet long in the wild and their lives are greatly stunted in small tanks. ,,,,,

Maybe it depends on the type. I used to have a 40 gallon tank and I has TWO plecos. They both got to about 8 - 10 inches in the tank, and lived about 5 years. But they seemed just fine.

BTW, as we currently have mollies, I have found out that one female molly can give birth SEVERAL times from getting inpregnated once. They save the sperm until they are ready to give birth again.

I currently only have one full grown molly, and she has given birth 3x since we started the tank around April. And each "litter?" is more than the one before. We keep giving the babies to a local store. Two weeks ago we had to give away about 12 baby mollies. We still have about 8, which really is too many for a 10 gallon tank.

We used to have a net house to keep them safe. It floated in the tank. Well, mollies breed SO MUCH that we now don't do anything to protect the babies... We practice Darwinsim.... only the strong survive. It seems to be working, but it also looks like the big molly may be pregnant yet again.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

Maybe it depends on the type. I used to have a 40 gallon tank and I has TWO plecos. They both got to about 8 - 10 inches in the tank, and lived about 5 years. But they seemed just fine.

There is one type of pleco, the bristlenose pleco, that stays relatively small. However, this is not the common pleco that you find at Petco. A good local fish store would almost certainly have them, though.

 

[SandrA9810]

Plecos are also not native to Florida and should not be released into a pond after outgrowing the tank. I do know that much.
There's a pond at the backside of the parking lot at the Kissimmee Downtown Library branch. There's tons and tons of plecos in there that are HUGE. At least 3ft.

I didn't have much luck at first with my tanks. Originally started because of the feeder goldfish I won at the carnival. I spent my high school years 10-12 grade, learning the ins and outs of the fishy world. After moving a couple times, the fishies wound up giving up the good fight.

 

[Nomi]

You've already got some great advice here! I would also like to add that plecos are not suitable for small tanks! Even small species like the bristle nose may be a bit too big for a ten gallon. And keep in Mind, even though algea eaters can help keep the tank looking good, they poop and add to polluting the tank.

If you do want an algea eater, try a snail or ottos. However, you want to make absolutely sure your tank is cycled and you have zero ammonia and nitrates as ottos are very sensitive to these. It really is worth it to invest in a drop test kit or take your tank water in for testing every couple weeks or so at a pet store that offers water tests. The nitrogen cycle is very important in aquariums, and is something every fish keeper needs to know about. And it offers a great chance to learn about the nitrogen cycle for kids!

And make sure your new Molly is also a female! The trick to telling is to look at the anal fins. Females will have a rounded triangle anal fins that look like most normal anal fins. Males will be significantly longer, and have a protrusion sticking out. I would post examples if I could, but I am on a mobile device!

Also, it bears repeating that weekly water changes are the best way to keep ammonia and other harmful chemicals at bay. Smaller, but more frequent water changes are much better for fish than big ones. You will not remove too
much of the beneficial bacteria that way.

And don't forget to enjoy your fish! Livebearers make wonderful first fish, and are quite forgiving of mistakes. Easiest fish I ever took care of! I hope they do well for you!

 

[Aneille]

I second checking the nitrogen cycle for spikes in ammonia.

Also I had otto's they were great fish for a smaller tank.

Also although mollies do live in freshwater, they are actually tend to do better in our aquariums whenn they are in brackish water.

You might want to look into that. There are tons of articles on the web about mollies and brackish water.

I've had fresh and saltwater fish and I know some people have acclimated their mollies to saltwater tanks. They are found in all types of water.

So another thing to check is with the pet store you got them at. They may not be keeping them in freshwater but in a slightly salty water which mean the mollies would need to moved into your freshwater tank slowly by removing the salt.

I believe there are also products to add instead of salt to help mollies in freshwater and make the water more hard.

They are an interesting fish because they can adapt to all water types.

Do some research on mollies on the web.Their are a favorite fish.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Do you have a gravel vacuum? Just changing the water isn't enough. You should also vacuum the gravel to get the extra food/waste out.

When I said partial water change, I meant that we vacuumed out the water. The tank is about a month old at this point. I was told by the store not to change water weekly as Mollies do not need it. They said mollies are not as dirty as goldfish and that might be too much change as it won't allow the levels of the various chemicals to settle down. Other than the food at the bottom (and the little girl now has to show me before she puts it in how much she has), the water was clean. I do have aquarium salt as I read that they need 1 tsp per 2 gallons of water.

 

[Nomi]

When I said partial water change, I meant that we vacuumed out the water. The tank is about a month old at this point. I was told by the store not to change water weekly as Mollies do not need it. They said mollies are not as dirty as goldfish and that might be too much change as it won't allow the levels of the various chemicals to settle down. Other than the food at the bottom (and the little girl now has to show me before she puts it in how much she has), the water was clean. I do have aquarium salt as I read that they need 1 tsp per 2 gallons of water.

You were told not to change the water while you were cycling with fish!? Eeek! While it is true that mollies are not as messy as large fish like goldfish or oscars, every fish in an aquarium setting needs regular water changes! Every fish produces waste, both in the form of poop and ammonia (the stuff that will kill fish quickly if the nitrogen cycle is not in place). The only instance you shoukd not change the water frequently in the first month or two of cycling is if you are doing a 'Fishless Cycle' and there are no fish that can be killed with ammonia poisoning. If you were going to cycle wiuth fish, you would need to do dailey water changes.

Speaking as both a life long aquarium hobbyiest and a pet store employee, it's really hit or miss regarding the knowledge of the workers at a pet store. In big chain pet shops in particular, the employees are more often than not high school aged kids who come in with little or no knowledge of the care of fish/birds/reptiles/what have you, and receive no or innacuarte training. While there are knowledgable employees out there, it is unfortunatly not the norm in chain stores. It is a bit of a catch 22 as one needs to already have some basic information about fishkeeping to be able to weed out the good advice from the bad. Aquarium stores that specialize in, well, fish are your best bet for finding good, expert fish people.

This is part of why research on any pet before you go to the store is so, so importent. It saves you time, money, and the heartbreak of watching your new pet suffer and, in some cases, die.

At one month old, your tank may be fully cycled at this point. However, it can take longer in some cases, so it is still well worth your time to test the water. Here are a few good links that explain the nitrogen cycle and it's importance to aquariums:

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

http://www.aquahobby.com/articles/e_ciclo.php

http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/management/kumar_nitrogen.html

http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/cycle.html - this one has goldfish specific information but a wonderful graph that applies to every fish.

When I was working at a pet store, the nitrogen cycle was always the first thing I would emplain to new fishkeepers, as it is one of the most importent thing to understand. After that, you would want to look up species specific information, such as smace needed, if it's a schooling fish or not, is it an easy breeder, what temperature does it need, ect. Mollies are very popular fish, and easy to take care of, and molly care sheets are very easy to find. Here are a few from a good fish information site:

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-Mollies.htm

http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/molly/11469-molly-caresheet.html


There are tons of great ways to get information about fishkeeping. The easiest is to join an aquarium forum (like a DIS but for fish). Also, look for a local aquarium club. They will often have an online forum, as well as real life people who can help you. There are many books out there, and a couple fishkeeping magazines as well (practical fishkeeping is my favorite).

I hope your remaining and new molly do well for you! Best of luck. If you have any questions, you are most welcome to PM me. I love to help people with their aquariums!

 

[Nomi]

*bump to find out how the OP's fish are doing*

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

So far Tinkerbell, Pretty, and Star Wars (yes, the kids named one of the new fish Star wars even though the baby that died was named Star Wars) are thriving.

The person I talked to at the store was the manager, and she told me that they only needed a water change once every three weeks or so, but maybe that's not true. We've been doing a lot of fish care science lessons, and one of my 5th graders will be in charge of checking the water on a weekly basis, which will be part of a map A activity. (the alternate to the state assessment.) I had goldfish for five years (the same two) so I am not new to fish keeping, but have not had mollies before and certainly never dealt with the birth of fish. In all that time, I never knew about the Nitrogen cycle, so you learn something new every day! Pretty has a larger belly than the other two which makes me wonder if she is pregnant again as I read that they can have multiple births from the same impregnation if that makes sense. We will see...

 

[Nomi]

Glad to hear they are doing well and your class is enjoying them! Fish get the best names. Some of mine were named things like Show Buddy, Poophawk and Crispin.

Fishkeeping is such an expansive hobby. I've been keeping fish for a little over ten years now, and there is still so much I'm clueless about! I've yet to try saltwater, brackish, cichlids, monster fish, many (most) tropicals, aquascaping, ponds, live foods, ect... And even with the stuff I know the best, I still make mistakes. It's a long process, becoming a fish expert. I'm not even close yet. <--- I like that smiley.

I have also heard about female mollies storing sperm. I know many other species of fish and reptiles do so, so it's not impossible.

Darn it, now you are making me want to keep sailfin mollies again!