Ok

Question
QUESTION: Hey Lynda, it's Holly again.  I'll definitely keep changing the water, 40% each time.  The 10gal seems to have stabilized finally, and the betta seems to be doing quite well in there.  That was another "I feel bad he's stuck in a tiny cup" thing lol....so I think he's happier in a bigger home lol.  I'll check the levels again tomorrow, and see what the strips tell me.

I know most things in life are learned through mistakes....that's been the story of my life, at least most of it lol.  I'm very hardheaded and stubborn at times, and usually end up learning things the hard way.  I just wish there was a way for me to learn, but not have anything suffer in the meantime.  That fine line lol.  

So....tomorrow holds another day, and I've got my fingers crossed that they all make it through the night....every night.  That poor little dalmation female, she's already been through so much....I hope this isn't what stops her now.  I'll see how the betta does with the two small cory's, and if he does fine with them, I may add the pleco too.  I just hope hope hope something keeps them all going until I can get their water right, and keep it stable and comfortable for them....and hope only old fishy age takes them to the next place.

ANSWER: Hi Holly,
Don't add all of your fish at once to your 10 gallon tank.  You don't want that one to mess up too...that would be terrible.  Add the 2 corys if you have no ammonia or nitrites in that tank.  Wait one week before adding your pleco.  Do water changes each time you add fish of 25% in your 10 gallon tank.  Then, a week later, if you still have nitrites in your 50 gallon tank...add the other two corys ...but that's the limit for your 10 gallon tank.  Lets pray that the pet store sells his fish so that he'll have room for yours..lol..  The danios are tough little guys, so I'm not worried about them so much.  I wish he had room for your mollies.  We'll see what happens in the next few days with your water changes.  It will take time to cycle, you have to be patient.  If God forbid you do lose your mollies, tell yourself that there are lots of mollies out there that would love to be in a 50 gallon tank.  Too many mollies are kept in small tanks, and that's a shame as they love to have a roomy tank where they can swim at their hearts content.  When females are having their babies, they need lots of room to swim.  When kept in small tanks, sometimes they don't let their babies go, and they die, or they let them go, and die not too long afterwards.  Don't put the blame on you, things happen, fish get sick, and all we can do is the best we can.
Lynda

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QUESTION: Ok, I will do that.  And I will keep reminding myself of that with the mollies....he's got a few more absolutely gorgeous mollies there, and he's got lots of small babies too.  And I'm sure he'll almost always have mollies there, so if the absolute worst thing does in fact happen, when things come back around and settle down in there, I can save some more kids lol.  Ugh I kept telling myself to not get so attached, but....as I'm sure you're probably smiling about right now, I've realized that's damn near impossible.  Even with the snails!!  I can't bring myself to actually touch them because they give me the heebie-jeebies big time, but I know I'd feel pretty bad if something happened to them lolol.  

Ok....and heaven forbid the catastrophe does happen....should I look into planting some simple live plants in the big tank??  I really don't know enough about them, and probably don't have the right lighting or right something for them lol....but I don't know if they'd help with anything or end up doing more harm than good.  Lolol me and my thousands of questions.  If I'd just let my mind be quiet for a bit, I'd be alright I'm sure.

So we'll see how things are going in the morning.  The cory's have been quite active, playing in the bubbles, foraging around through the gravel, so I'm hoping they're still alright in the morning....if they are, and the levels are good in the small tank, they'll go in with Budd (the betta lol!!)  But either way....good or bad....I will keep you informed.

And worse comes to worse....there's always more fish for me to save lmao!!  (It's hopeless isn't it?!?!)

ANSWER: Plants?  I have tried this with no success, and have given up.  They need lots of care too.  You have to remove dead leaves, make sure none of them are rotting away...no no..not for me! lol You have to feed the plants too.  I use silk plants in all my tanks.   
We have a plant expert on the team, he/she would be able to tell you more about plants.  Since the mollies need salt in their water, I'm wouldn't know what plants would be best.  Aquariums with real plants are very pretty.  You must wait though tell your water chemistry is perfect!  Although, I know some people who put plants in right away.  An expert would give you all you have to know about plants.  It's actually better to have real ones, but it isn't for me.  
Your right, it is hopeless, and it only gets worse!  Once your tank is established you could add more mollies.  I know how attached we are to our fish.  I don't eat fish anymore, it's crazy...there not dumb, they all have some intelligence.  Once a fish nut, always a fish nut!!  lol

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QUESTION: Yeah....I figured it was hopeless lol!!  Plants are really pretty to look at, and the fish at the pet store seem to love their live plants....but he's got 35 years experience with it all, and knows what he's doing lol.  I have been thinking its just way too much for me, especially at this point.

I've never had seafood at all....never cared for it, but if I had been a seafood eater before, I know I'd have made the change too lol.  Everyone's still alive, and the pregnant girls aren't hiding out today....almost time for the next water change, so my fingers are still crossed.  No word from the pet store man yet, so I have to keep my fingers crossed lol.  I'm going to make some breakfast, watch how they are for a bit, then change the water again....I'll let you know if I see any changes.

Answer
He would be the perfect guy to help you along with real plants.  He would tell you what to do, and if he starts the plants himself, then you know they have no little things on them like snails!  lol  Oh yeah, I remember too well that little mistake I made when trying the plants.   I woke up the next day to find my 66 gallon aquarium full of little black snails!  I didn't know that plants came with snails!  It took ages to get rid of them, and bought 4 blue gouramis to help me clean them up.  They ate most of them, but then had to buy another tank for the gouramis cause they didn't get along with the fish I had it it.  I bet you he doesn't have snails on his plants!  He must have strong sturdy plants, and you wouldn't have any problems with him around.   Did I tell you that I left banking to work in Pet Stores...I did!  Talk about a hopeless case!  I was their best customer too!!  lol
You might not see a big change right away, but it will go down slowly.  As silly as it may seem, putting 2 little corys in your ten gallon will help.  The Betta will get along with them, no problem.