Molly fish are small, schooling, and beautiful fish. They show their true colors in a group. The topics like how many Molly fish and why they need to live in a group. Moreover, Molly fish stocking ideas, suitable companions, and feeding requirements are also worth learning points to stock the Molly fish in the tank. All of these points are discussed in the following. Scroll down and enjoy the learning.
Content Table
Do Mollies Need to Be in Groups
Do Mollies Need to Be in Groups of 6?
Molly fish are one of the schooling fish, so they live in a group. Here are various reasons why Molly fish shouldn’t be kept alone.
Why Can’t Molly Fish Be Kept Alone?
Schooling Nature
Molly fish are schooling fish. In nature, they live in groups. If they are kept alone, they will lose their natural behavior.
Stress
A single Molly fish goes under stress. You’ll see their erratic swimming, more hiding under decorations and dark areas, and rubbing against the tank wall and decorations. Under stress, their immune system becomes weaker and prone to various diseases.
Lose Composure
It is better to keep them in a group of a correct male-to-female ratio, i.e., 1 male to 2 to 3 females. When they are in the correct ratio group, they stay active and maintain their composure. Otherwise, you’ll see some contrary behavior that is not acceptable.
Maintenance of Social Structure
When they live in a group, they create a social hierarchy of a head and subordinates. In this structure, they feel safe. Otherwise, a single Molly fish will feel threatened.
Breeding Drive
Molly fish are livebearers. They have a huge breeding drive. It is quite visible within the group. Single Molly fish lose this drive and result in restlessness.
The Minimum Group Size
It’s recommended to keep at least a group of 3 Molly fish, i.e., 1 male + 2 females. However, it’s optimal to keep a group of 6 Molly fish with a proper ratio of male to female.
How many Molly fish
How Many Molly Fish in a 5 Gallon Tank?
The 5-gallon fish tank is small for the molly fish group. Here is why it is small for mollies.
Super Active
Molly fish are super active. So, they require space to move around the tank. A 5-gallon tank is too small to handle their active nature.
Schooling Nature
They are schooling and at least live in a group of 3 and optimally in a group of 6. A 5-gallon space is not even enough for 2 Molly fish.
Problems
In a 5-gallon tank, they will be stressed, discolored, slow, and prone to various diseases due to less space.
Molly Fish Stocking Ideas
Rules for Stocking Molly Fish in the Tank
Here are some general rules for stocking Molly fish in the tank.
- 1 Molly requires 3 to 5-gallon tanks.
- The aquarium should have the best filtration system, as they are messy.
- Introduce hiding spots in the tank, i.e., decor, plants, etc.
- Always maintain the proportion of 1 male to 2 female partners.
- At least keep them in a group of 3.
Molly Fish Stocking Ideas
Stocking Idea Sheet
| Tank size (gallons) | Number of Mollies | Note |
| 10 | 2 dwarf fish | Not recommended. However, in the least case, keep them with the best filtration system. |
| 20 | 3 to 4
1 male + 2 to 3 females |
Suitable for beginners |
| 30 | 6 mollies
2 males + 4 females |
The least optimal size.
Add plants and breeding space around the tank. |
| 40 | 8 to 10 mollies
3 males with 7 females |
Suitable to build a community fish tank with other peaceful species, i.e., platies, guppies, tetras, etc. |
| 55 | 12 to 15 mollies | Suitable for medium-level aquarists.
It shows the best schooling nature and provides the best breeding colony. |
| 75+ | 20+ mollies | Suitable for creating a community setup.
You can add bottom dwellers and other livebearer species to this tank. |
Pellets to Feed Molly Fish
When you are feeding with quantity, feed with the following considerations.
- Feed 2 to 3 pellets per molly fish.
- Feed them once or twice daily.
- Supply such quantities that they can finish in under minutes. After 2 minutes, remove the leftovers.
Cautions
- Mix the high-quality pellets with vegetables and frozen or live food.
- Always soak the pellets before introducing them to the tank.
- Always supply said quantity. They will ask for more due to their greedy natures. However, don’t supply it as they will produce more waste and will cause pollution in the water.
How Long Can Molly Fish Go Without Food
How Long Can Molly Fish Go Without Food?
Molly fish can live without food. The variation depends on the age group.
| Age group | Survival | Note |
| Adults | 1 to 2 weeks | They will survive on their body fat. |
| Juvenile | 2 to 3 days | Their growth will stop |
| Fry | 24 to 48 hours | It’ll be hard for them as they need multiple small feedings daily. |
Some Best Tank Mates for Molly Fish
If you are stocking mollies in a large tank, it’ll be fun to stock suitable tank mates. Always check the compatibility and then add to the tank.
Consideration
- Avoid over-aggressive and fin-nipping fish companions.
- Go with a similar-sized fish.
- Choose the fish that require similar water parameters.
- Add 10 gallons for 1 to 2 inches of fish.
Suitable Fish Companions
| Slender danios | Gourami | Rainbowfish | Swordtails |
| Platy | Tetra | Angelfish | Barb |
| Corydoras | Guppies | Loaches | Minnow |
As We Have Seen
Molly fish are popular schooling fish that show their original color in a group of 3 or higher in at least a 20-gallon tank. A small tank size can cause stress, discoloration, and many other problems. So keep them in a tank with optimal filtration and feed them with proper food, although they can survive for some hours to days without food.
If you want to stock the mollies, and you are a medium to advanced level aquarist, let me advise you to go with a big tank. A big tank will allow you to improve the room for error, other than accommodating some other suitable companions.
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