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compatability of platies, mollies and guppies

23 16:52:30

Question
We recently purchased a 180 litre tank and following advise from the aquatic centre started stocking with 5 fancy male guppies and one male silver molly. After waiting two weeks we now added ( again on advise) 8 male platies and another male silver molly. We were advised on an all male comunity because we did not want babies ( or seeing them being eaten ).both silver mollies are fighting a bit and now i find out on the net that they all don't really match together. What should i do now?  

Answer
Unfortunately, fish store often give bad/wrong advice.  It is never a good idea to keep all males, when it comes to live bearer, as they will fight.  With a tank that larger, you trade some of your males for females, but then you would have babies.  You may be ok if you can add enough plants and ornamentation to you tank to give each fish a clear territory.  You will still have some fighting, but they shouldn't kill each other.  I would be the most worried about the guppies.  Male guppies tend to gang up on the weakest male, as long as you fish have enough places to hide from each other, they should be ok.  You could always see if they would take some of the fish in trade for something else.  Platies, a larger gourami and some schooling fish (tetras, danios or minnows) would be nice in a tank that size.