Setting up a brackish tank

Question

Sailfin Molly?   QUESTION: Hi Renee,

You helped me in the past when I was having a crisis with my fish tank (thank you).  My only surviving fish are a molly and a emerald cat.  You told me at the time that my molly would be happier and healthier in a brackish environment should I be able to eventually provide him with one.  I have been doing tons and tons of research since you mentioned this and have started going ahead with preparing for two tanks: a freshwater for my cat and a brackish for the molly.

My biggest issue is all the conflicting information out there so I thought I would ask you a few things as you were the first to suggest brackish (I have had tons of people tell brackish isn't necessary, etc.).

My first question is whether this molly is a sailfin or not, and I'm assuming it's not a Yucatan sailfin.  I already figured out that he's a male.  You may not know for sure, but I thought I would ask as it seems sailfins have different needs than regular mollys.

Second, this is what I'm thinking for the brackish tank.  I'm getting a tank from a friend and it will be 15-20 gallons (I'll know once I get it) and it looks to be a high tank. That will be the brackish tank (the 10 gallon will be my freshwater).
I'm thinking about doing a sand substrate, some artificial plants + rocks and/or a flower pot (?) and filling it with 2-3 more mollies (not sure about sex but I'm not really interested in breeding right now) and a couple (?) Bumblebee Gobys (?).
I've been researching whether they would go together and I think, as long as I provide appropriate food for the Goby, that they should be ok.

Also, any suggestions on how to acclimate the molly to brackish water gradually?  I know I can't just throw him in once it's established, but I am looking for tips for helping him, as well as the others at the fish store because I imagine they will be in freshwater as well.

As for the 10 gallon freshwater tank, I'm going to get a couple more emerald cats and...?  I'm not sure yet.  Maybe a betta, maybe a ...?  I don't know. :)  But I will have a sand substrate for that tank as well, to make life better for the cats.

Thanks again.  I hope these were appropriate questions to send to you.  You've given me such great advice in the past that I thought I could go to you again.

Desiree

ANSWER: Hi Desiree,

First, although some recommend gradual molly acclimation, I don't agree.  Mine have always done fine from the petstore bag into the full marine system.  If you want to slowly acclimate them, do a quarter water change a day til the salinity reaches the appropriate level.:)

http://www.saltcorner.com/AquariumLibrary/browsegroupspecies.php?GroupID=244

Also, this is a good link to read people's responses from:
http://www.marineaquariumsa.com/showthread.php?t=16716

Please read the above article.  One of the most well-informed articles out there regarding Mollies.  It is very sad to see many sites authoring about freshwater mollies, when indeed, they are wonderful brackish fish.  

Though found in freshwater ponds, also, they are still brackish fish and live healthier, longer lives in saltwater environments.  

The good points to consider: A. Parasites don't live in brackish water as well. B. Bacteria and fungus don't live in brackish as well, either.  The same ones they'd get in freshwater are basically nullified the moment you put a Molly into brackish and any molly can go into brackish, not just the sailfin.

Your molly is a sailfin black molly and my guess is a hybrid between sailfin and pure black.  Male. :)  Their hybridization does not mean they will not birth fry and Mollies stay fertile, even hybridized.  

In the fresh tank, a betta would be wonderful.  He'd enjoy that.  There are so many fish you can go with.  Tetras, Danios, Bettas, Corydoras, etc.

The bumblebees will be fine with Mollies, but I urge you not to buy any Figure 8 Dwarf Puffers.  Although spectacularly adorable, the little things are like meat bees and they nip and chew on other fish.  Having two would be disasterous, as they would be very aggressive toward the Mollies.

Mollies can be aggressive with each other, but they should be fine with the bumblebees.  

:)  It sounds like you are well on the way to success with Mr. Black (the molly got a nickname).

Good luck and happy fish-keeping.  Email back anytime.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks again!  Interesting article though I thought the forum post was full of nay-sayers, but I will keep an eye on it. :) I will probably have questions later on this...but for now I need to make my checklists and purchase everything I need to finally get going on these tanks.

I have a question about cycling the tank properly (another thing I'm getting a LOT of information on and not much of it particularly helpful).  I'm familiar at this point with the cycling process and understand that it will take many weeks to cycle the tanks properly.  I was waiting to receive my new filter (one you recommended) and now that I have it I'm anxious to cycle the tanks and get Mr. Black and Mr. Cat (hey, I like that!) out of the hospital tank.

So, I was kinda hoping to do a fishless cycle so that I don't have a large die-off to deal with but also because I don't want to have to use a bunch of fish I would rather not have in the end.  But everywhere I'm reading that for a fishless cycle you need to use ammonia (from where?) and introduce bacteria from an existing bacteria colony.  I don't have that since the tank these guys came from had to be soaked in salt to kill all the bad things in it.  Any advice or links to something that will help me with this?

Also, you had advised me on how to care for these last two fish and they are in a 1.5g tank and getting daily 1/2 gallon water changes with a tsp salt added, using filtered water.  I noticed the last two days that the tank smelled kind of bad despite that (I also gave them a new filter cartridge after the sick days were past) and did an ammonia test this evening.  They have .5 ammonia despite all these measures, so I'm worried and not sure what I can do to help them with this.  Any advice?

Thanks again.

Desiree

ANSWER: Hi Desiree,

If they are a little tinky (stinky), you should probably change out more water til it smells better.  Wash their filter pad, also, if using one.

You can put in some snails to start the fishless cycle.  Add 2 nice snails (you would probably buy some anyway down the road), and they have the benefit of cleaning as they go too.  Not too shabby for fishless cycle starters.  Feed one flake of food (literally, one half inch flake) every 3 days to them and let it hit the bottom.

Keep the water changes up and monitoring levels.  If it does spike ammonia or nitrates, that will be the start of the bacteria and it's good...just keep going after that.

You can really jumpstart it (probably reducing 2 weeks of the cycle) by going to Petco and buying Biozyme.  Put a couple pinches into the tank.  Wait a week.  Voilla...live bacteria galore.

I would probably put a couple pinches in their tiny tank too to start killing some of the biolode in there.

:)

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I really, really hope I'm not bothering you with too many questions!  Just a quick followup to this last one (I'm sorry!!)...

I will pick up snails and Biozyme (I can use both, yes?) tomorrow.  Are you talking like those big apple snails? something like that?

Ok, so put a little Biozyme in the little tank too, check.  Good, because I really need them to hang in there until I can get them moved out...poor things.

You mentioned:
"Keep the water changes up and monitoring levels.  If it does spike ammonia or nitrates, that will be the start of the bacteria and it's good...just keep going after that."
You're referring to the 10gallon (one I'm trying to jump start), yes?

Thanks you SO MUCH.  You are a lifesaver!!

Desiree

Answer
Desiree,

Never bugging me! I love doing this.

Yes, pick up some snails...any kind you want.  Apple snails are awesome. I keep a few of them, mmyself.

Yes, I am referring to the jump start tank. :)

You are very welcome.  Please leave me a rating.  I am particlularly fond of 10s, :oP

Renee