platys, mollys, neon tetras

[chan]

can they all be in the same tank? I've also read somewhere that molly's and platys like a little salt in the water, what about neons?? thanks.

 

[TheFighterFish]

I don't know about mollies, but I keep my platies without the use of any aquarium salt. My PH is around 7 (neutral). Keeping them with neon tetras shouldn't be any problem.

What size tank are you shooting for?

Welcome to the tank chan.

 

[chan]

hey thank for the welcome, I've got them in a 10 gal tank.

also I've notice the molly hovering around the top looks like its gulping for air, what does that mean?? and how can i fix it??

 

[firefighter32]

probably has something to do with the salt but i dont know im not an expert on mollies.. but yea.. tetras arent good with salt.. i found that out here..

 

[Fishywishy]

i thought mollies were the ones that if you acclimated them right you could put them in a marine tank.....maybe I'm thinking of some other fish

have you cycled this tank...ammonia to nitrite to nitrate? or have you tested for any?

we need a little more information to help you with why your fish are gasping at the top.......

 

[TexAg08]

i think mollies can be put in saltwater, cuz i have a fish book and it lists the mollies in both fresh and salt categories. also, i have some tetras in my 10 gal, but i use a little salt in there, like a teaspoon every water change. is this too much salt or no?

 

[VirgoWolf]

Yes they CAN cohabitate, but here is my opinion here. I would either keep the platties and mollies and get a larger tank (mollies get pretty big, not really a 10gal fish) and get rid of the neons, or keep the neons and platties (assuming you have reasonable numbers for a small tank) and let go of the mollies. The reason I say this is because I don't think there is room for a school of tetras AND 2 types of livebarers in a 10gal tank. And I don't think mollies will do well in a 10gal because they get pretty big and produce alot of waste.

 

[MissFishy]

I second Virgo, I think you need to take the Mollies out, they don't belong in a ten gallon tank. Mollies can grow up to 4 inches each, if not larger. Some types of platy can get rather large as well, so if you have a school of tetras in your 10g as well, you shouldn't have more than maybe 2-3. You really need to read up on tank cycling, no matter what you have in that tank, it will die of ammonia poisoning if you don't know what you're doing. My website below offers a cycling explanation. You can also read up on the stickies in the beginners forum.

 

[chan]

hey thanks for all the suggestions. i think it just needed oxygen in the water... since I place an air stone (or whatever they're called??) in the water and got oxygen pumping in the water, it stopped doing that.

and the tank is cycling, but I think it might be done or getting there.. the water is starting to clear up... I used the media from another filter, could that have jump start and spead up the cycling process?