Mollies for algae control

Chelsey · Dec 8, 2006

There's a thread on RC right now about using sailfin mollies for algae control in your reef tanks. Apparently they eat red slime and just about everything else. Does anyone have experience with this?

Voltekker · Dec 8, 2006

I tried to acclimate them and make them salt water on three different trys. On my best attempted it lived a week.

colinadam · Dec 8, 2006

I heard it can take 4 hours to acclimate them to saltwater but they do a good job on algae. It will be interesting to see if anyone here has had sucess.

Azurel · Dec 8, 2006

The slower you go with acclimation the better your chances.....I would take a small tank and over a period of a week increase the specific gravity till you hit the proper marine salinity.....Then acclimate them to you tank....JMHO.

MarvinsReef · Dec 8, 2006

colinadam said:
I heard it can take 4 hours to acclimate them to saltwater but they do a good job on algae. It will be interesting to see if anyone here has had sucess.

I almost want to try it as I'm very fond of the sailfin mollies.. kinda look like my fairies... but way cheaper.. :lol:

I don't really have a big problem with algae.. just couple of frags have it..

JGoslee · Dec 8, 2006

Are these regular freshwater mollies?

Azurel · Dec 8, 2006

Yea, they in thier natural habitat can live in saltwater during a certain age in thier life span. Not sure if the can indefinatly live in saltwater....I have seen black ones for sale locally before...

epidemic · Dec 8, 2006

I have use them to cylce tanks, Should take about 3-4 hours to acclimate. They do a number on hair algae, but I dint like them cause they always had poop haning from them (like most FW fish) I thought iut was unsightly. On one occasion I had a pair of black silfin mollies reproduce in my SW tank. Live bearers, they just spit out miniature copies.

MarvinsReef · Dec 8, 2006

I really like the silver sailfin mollies.. I think I'm going to try one in my office nano... if he makes it, it'll go on my main display...

jonbar1 · Dec 8, 2006

A local reef society member has been using Dalmation Mollies with great sucess. If my royal gramma would jump out of the tank I'd try it!

MarvinsReef · Dec 8, 2006

do you guys know what fish is not compatible with them?

all I have are some peaceful fairy wrasses so I don't think it'll be a problem.. or will it?

dc_909 · Dec 8, 2006

Their babies could also make some pretty good natural food for your other fish or corals.

Who Dah? · Dec 8, 2006

probably a stretch... but does anyone know if they eat bubble algae? :X

MarvinsReef · Dec 8, 2006

Who Dah? said:
probably a stretch... but does anyone know if they eat bubble algae? :X

wow.. that'll be cool if they did.. as long as they can swallow the whole bubble algae and explode it inside their mouth.. I know the pores are inside the bubble algae so any predators that pop them is really helping spread the problem.. just my $0.02..

jonbar1 · Dec 8, 2006

Mollies are very peaceful fish! The only compatibility problems I could forsee is other fish nipping at them. One pass too close to the acan cave in my tank and the gramma would tear it in half

Indeed, the baby fish would make excellent food for a lot of critters.

epidemic · Dec 8, 2006

The babies come out pretty big actually. They give birth to live fish. Probably not too much bigge than a piece of mysis, but fully able to swim and react. Dont think many corals could catch one, anemone maybe.

coralfarm123 · Dec 8, 2006

I had a pair of them in one of my prop tanks until the male decided to jump. The remaining female had her babies but still have never spotted one. They are good for hair algae and cyano and perfect in smaller tanks that cannot support tangs or rabbitfish. I keep my salinity at 1.026 and the fish seems fine. They are pretty weak fish though, so if you have anything mean they will probably take a beating. It took a little while for my resident clown to stop picking on them.

ficklefins · Dec 8, 2006

There was a LFS selling Mollies already adjusted to saltwater, but at $12 a pop that was a bit too much for my taste.

I might try this out some time soon. Thanks for the info.

ficklefins · Dec 8, 2006

Well, I went out and purchased 3 silver mollies from Petsmart ( 1 male 2 females). I use to work at a Petsmart so I know that for the most part their stock is pretty healthy.

After a shorter than normal acclimation process (2hrs), I introduced them to my tank. At first 1 took to the tank well with the other in a bit of shock, and the third just dazed (male).

After 30 minutes I turned my actinic lights on to let them get a view of the tank and they all seem to be doing well. They are all swimming together and the male is picking at the rocks, glass, and sand for food. I hope things turn out well but I'll update everyone in the morning. Gotta love a $2 reef cleaner!