Sailfin Mollies

Question
Hi Chris,
I am thinking of buying Sailfin Mollies.  I have never kept fish before and I am just wondering how many fish to buy for my tank,do they live in groups?  What size tank would you recommend?
Thanks Sheley

Answer
Hi Shelley;

Welcome to the wonderful hobby of fish keeping! Before you get started you should do some research on basic aquarium setup, break-in period and maintenance. There is so much information you need I really can't type it all out here. Here are some web pages about all of that, starting with my own about the break-in period;

http://www.xanga.com/expert_fish_help

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/aquariumstartup/Aquarium_Startup.htm

http://freshaquarium.about.com/od/watercare/a/waterchanges.htm

http://www.firsttankguide.net/steps.php

http://www.firsttankguide.net/waterchange.php

Sailfin Mollies are Livebearing fish and they do like to live in groups. Each fish gets to be 4 to 5 inches long as adults. They should be in a tank of at least 30 gallons to give them enough room to swim and grow. It is best to keep at least 2 female mollies for every male molly. Male mollies are constantly trying to breed with females so having several females lets them have a chance to rest. Keep in mind that they may reproduce in your tank and females can deliver 10 to 50 live babies every few weeks. Many breeders and hobbyists recommend adding aquarium salt to the molly tank. They really don't need it, just frequent water changes. Here are some profile pages about sailfins and mollies in general so you know more about them;

http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile24.html

http://www.fishlore.com/Profiles-Mollies.htm

http://tinyurl.com/2qkzmp

While many experts recommend a weekly 10% to 15% water change once a week, I recommend 25% once a week. Vacuum the gravel at the same time. You might want to invest in a "spill-free" water changing system too. There are a couple of brands out there and they are available at most local fish stores. It is a long hose that attaches to your kitchen or bathroom faucet. There is a special "pump" at the faucet to drain your tank and then you reverse the valve to refill it with fresh water. No buckets of water need to be moved around. Works great and SOooooooo easy!

Have fun!

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins