Saltwater mollies in community tank

[lmfbs]

A store has some saltwater-bred mollies and I'm thinking of getting a few to add some extra movement in the tank and help with algae.

I've currently got:

• a lubbock's fairy wrasse
• a lepoard wrasse
• yellow eye kole tang
• watchman goby
• 2 x clowns
• 2 x banded brittle stars
• 2 x peppermint shrimp
• a gazillion snails

The tank is 95g. Everyone is pretty peaceful and well behaved.

I was thinking a group of between 5 - 10. Any concerns I should think about?

 

[Seansea]

I have 4 in my reef tank. Had 6. They will pick each other off in time. But dont mess with other fish. All in all great reef fish.

 

[Snoopy 67]

I started with 6, have 3 left, BUT they are ALWAYS @ the surface.
Unless the pump is off they never swim down.

 

[Seansea]

I agree but i think this is due to being tank raised and know food comes from top. As soon as i get near tank they smash into glass and follow me. More so than any fish in tank.

 

[topjimmy]

Mine couldn't handle the flow,and didn't last very long.

 

[lmfbs]

Mine couldn't handle the flow,and didn't last very long.

Interesting! Is your tank an sps tank? Does it have generally high flow?

 

[littlefoxx]

I have 2, one is pregnant in my tank! They get along with my clowns

 

[topjimmy]

Interesting! Is your tank an sps tank? Does it have generally high flow?

Yes, the flow blows around my tomini Tang, and those poor little guys never stood a chance.

 

[Bpones]

I’ve kept them in the past and really enjoyed them. Underrated fish in my opinion.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I do not know if they eat corals, but my lyretail molly ate the macro algae I was trying to grow. So I put it back in my fresh water aquarium.

 

[lmfbs]

Yes, the flow blows around my tomini Tang, and those poor little guys never stood a chance.

Thankfully I don't have super high flow, hopefully they'll be okay

I do not know if they eat corals, but my lyretail molly ate the macro algae I was trying to grow. So I put it back in my fresh water aquarium.

Everything I've seen suggests they're quite reef-safe. Thankfully all my macro is in the fuge.

I think I'm gonna go for it!

 

[EricR]

I'd lean towards getting mollies from freshwater and acclimating to salt on my, if I were to do it.
Just so no likely chance to bring in saltwater parasites/diseases.
Never tried it though.

 

[lmfbs]

I'd lean towards getting mollies from freshwater and acclimating to salt on my, if I were to do it.
Just so no likely chance to bring in saltwater parasites/diseases.
Never tried it though.

A store near me has them for 19.99 with 40% off at the moment (because they're moving). In NZ that's insanely cheap! I don't really want to set up a FW tank at the moment.

 

[EricR]

A store near me has them for 19.99 with 40% off at the moment (because they're moving). In NZ that's insanely cheap! I don't really want to set up a FW tank at the moment.

I meant just a small tank (like QT or observation) and then just bring up the salinity over x amount of time, maybe a few days or a week.
Some people just dump freshwater mollies directly into saltwater and seem to have some success with that, although I'm not recommending that.
*freshwater mollies are super cheap (around here)

 

[lmfbs]

They're basically the same price here at the moment! Interesting!

 

[EricR]

They're basically the same price here at the moment! Interesting!

Yeah,,, interesting.
Here (far southwest USA), mollies are like $2 USD, maybe $4 depending on pattern/color.
I've never actually seen any already acclimated to saltwater for sale, and for sure not saltwater bred,,, but I've never really searched so maybe.

 

[lmfbs]

Yeah,,, interesting.
Here (far southwest USA), mollies are like $2 USD, maybe $4 depending on pattern/color.
I've never actually seen any already acclimated to saltwater for sale, and for sure not saltwater bred,,, but I've never really searched so maybe.

I'm in NZ and everything is just expensive! Anyway - I bought 5 which is all they had

 

[topjimmy]

A store near me has them for 19.99 with 40% off at the moment (because they're moving). In NZ that's insanely cheap! I don't really want to set up a FW tank at the moment.

It's really easy to do, and you can do it overnight or 24 hours. Just buy freshwater ones, float the bag in your sump, run airline from the tank to the bag, start a siphon, tie a knot or put a valve on it, let it drip all night or forever

 

[CurtPGA]

My Saltwater Acclimated Mollies just had Saltwater Mollies! We got babies!!! So yes it does work and apparently they are just as happy!