I did it! Drax has tank mates!

[DormDrax]

Went to the store...

Petsmart.

Quizzed the 'New' Weekend Girl who works there, I like her, she has betta's too!
Anyway...

I got and named.

2 Sunburst Platies: Flora and Fauna

1 Black Molly: Bronx

1 Dalmatian Molly: Brooks

(All Males apparently)


Here was the dialog that REALLY REALLY seemed like was going on after I acclimatized them and released them into the tank.

Bronx: HEY OTHER FISH! >(^o^)< *Starts following Drax curiously*

Drax: >(0-O)< ???????????????????????????????

Flora & Fauna: >(o.o)< >(^.-)< WOOOHhhhhoOOOOOOooooOOOOOOooooOOOOOoooOOOOO *Both of them circling eachother and swimming past Drax and going up and down the glass watching their reflections*

Drax: >(>o<)< WHATS GOING ON! *FLares at everyone, even if they don't seem to even notice him*

Brooks: >(o_o)< OUCH! *The slightly bigger fish than Drax yet Drax pushes him around to get noticed even when he was just ignoring him*

Drax: >(ToT)< WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE! *FLARE*

Bronx: >(^.^)< Your new friends! *Starts yanking at plants*

Drax: >(O.0)< ............................ *Stops Flaring*

Shrimp: *Comes out of cave and immediately all the fish look at him* NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! *Flee's*

[Here Fishy Fishy Fishy]

Poor shrimp, lol...

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by Here Fishy Fishy Fishy

Poor shrimp, lol...

I wish one of you more senior Betta fish or... fish keepers in general were here my mom is ALL shook up because Drax is flaring and...

Oh oh don't even bring up the Ghost shrimp to her. She's ALL mopey... because she thinks that the Ghost Shrimp are the CUTEST thing ever and that it's cruel to sell them as food.
...
Why I need you guys?
She locked herself in the bathroom after I said Bronx went after the last Shrimp.... >.>

[DormDrax]

Um...


How do I know when Drax isn't just trying to get to know the Mollies but... ACTIVELY trying to kill them? *Cough*

[trono]

How big's the tank? I imagine it must be big enough, but just curious.

I'd say he's trying to kill them if he continuously goes after them.

I have my betta in a 10 gallon with 6 pygmy cories, and he'll go after them every once in a while(they're far too quick and my betta could never catch them, try as he might), but not continuously. Otherwise, most of the time they generally ignore each other.

[DormDrax]

Originally Posted by trono

How big's the tank? I imagine it must be big enough, but just curious.

I'd say he's trying to kill them if he continuously goes after them.

I have my betta in a 10 gallon with 6 pygmy cories, and he'll go after them every once in a while(they're far too quick and my betta could never catch them, try as he might), but not continuously. Otherwise, most of the time they generally ignore each other.

The Tank is a 10gal Which I did the math... comes too 2gal per fish.


The Platies he just flares at and sorta stares down...

But the poor Mollies he just... every time he see's them... he chases.

Thankfully they are much faster and Drax is blind in one eye so he gets thrown off easily.

As of now the Platies seem ok...

But Bronx is at the top of the tank in the far corner... (Black Molly) is hiding by the filter and ... Brooks (The Dalmatian Molly) Is by the cave in the opposite corner.

I just didn't think Drax was such a Brute Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh (I'm not too upset but my MOTHER is... heck she loved the Ghost Shrimp so she's ALLLLL horrified if she finds dead Mollies tomorrow.)

I just keep telling myself it's all part of the 'Get To KNow you' Process. But Drax just sits in the Top left corner and if either of the two Mollies appears he just stalks them and then chases aggressively.

How long do I waaaaaaaaaaaaaiit till I know it's impossible? Or.. when to save the Mollies?

[laughing]

Erm, mollies are a baaad idea. Look at their fins, what do they remind you of?

Mollies, to me, are MUCH too similar to a betta male flaring when they flare for the betta to feel content. I think it'd be easier to just take those fish back and get some guppies or something. Maybe danios. ^^

And how'd you figure 2 gallons to the fish? Mollies get to be 3 inches... So the two take up 6 gallons already. Then the betta 2 inches... 8 gallons. The platies about 2 inches... You're overstocked!

Personally, I find mollies shouldn't be kept in anything less than a 15 gallon. I have balloon mollies, which are kind've dwarfed, so having 5 in my 10 gallon isn't a problem. But regular mollie will get to 3 inches.

Seriously, you should take them back. Some guppies, danios, or more platies would be a much better situation. You could get 3 danios! They're cute. <3

Good luck!

[LeroyTheBetta]

I cringed at seeing mollies! I've learned (gladly not by experience) that mollies are fin nippers, therefore not good for Drax's lovely locks. Also, conversely, the mollies lovely wiggly caudal fins and their large dorsal fins (when displaying them) may be too provoking to a betta, so the betta may be agressive toward the mollies.

I am also just wondering what everyone else thinks about mollies stressing out bettas due to their fairly high activitiy level. I have 3 in a community tank and they're always zipping around... chasing each other, swimming up & down the glass..... Also, DD, you said you had 2 male mollies, and I would also wonder about agressiveness between the two of them. Having said this... the mollies high activity level may deem them unsuitable to a 10 gallon. I see them in my own 20 gal and it doesn't seem large enough sometimes.

Regardless of all of the above, good luck with your new fish and I wish the shrimp well..... or maybe I should bid him adieu! eeks!

[DormDrax]

Honestly... I think the Problem isn't the Mollies, or the Platies... or the overstock-ness...

Drax just must be HIGHLY territorial and wants NOTHING else around him. He's even going for the poor Platies now. The poor Mollies are just up in the corner trying to stay away... and when he see's them he attacks. No ones gotten hurt yet due to Drax's poor vision. But When he slowly goes for the Platies I see his mouth opening and snap's down just as Flora and Fauna flee.

*Sigh* Should I remove Drax for the night and put him back in his old Vase till i return the other fish?

Or should I just ........... see what happens? I turned the 'Night' light on the tank hoping it would calm them all down.

NO ONE is attacking Drax, heck they don't even pay attention to him till he chases. I need IMMEDIATE responses...

1. Remove Drax for the night?

2. Just see what happens?

[Blaze54]

Wait he's "snapping" at them? I've heard that's the sign he doesn't want anyone else around! How long has he been in the tank by himself? He may have already made the entire tank his turf and has gotten used to being the only fish in there. Just keep and extremely close eye on them!! Good luck!