Newbie Question - Mollies, snails and little ones!

[Chameleon]

Hi all,

We've set up a 25gal tank and had it cycling for nearly two weeks with live
plants, stress zyme etc and all seemed OK.

We then put our initial stock in of 5 mollies and 1 new born molly which was
in the tank at the LFS.

After 5 days all seem to be doing well and we've got 4 new born mollies now
so we've basically doubled our stock in 5 days!

We (naively?) take this to be a sign that the fish are reasonably happy in
their environment (our water is more alkaline which is why we chose the
mollies).

I've noticed a coulpe of small snails (I think they're snails - very small
at the moment). We've also got a very minor sort of algae on the inside of
the glass which the fish seem to nibble on.

We're not stocking anymore fish until the new-born situation has settled
down (looking at perhaps some swordtails next).

Any advice on what to do next as all seems reasonably good at the moment and
don't want to mess anything up...(unless the snails are a problem)...

Any advice appreciated,

Paul

[Marcus Fox]

"Chameleon" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> We've set up a 25gal tank and had it cycling for nearly two weeks with
live
> plants, stress zyme etc and all seemed OK.
>
> We then put our initial stock in of 5 mollies and 1 new born molly which
was
> in the tank at the LFS.
>
> After 5 days all seem to be doing well and we've got 4 new born mollies
now
> so we've basically doubled our stock in 5 days!
>
> We (naively?) take this to be a sign that the fish are reasonably happy in
> their environment (our water is more alkaline which is why we chose the
> mollies).
>
> I've noticed a coulpe of small snails (I think they're snails - very small
> at the moment). We've also got a very minor sort of algae on the inside of
> the glass which the fish seem to nibble on.
>
> We're not stocking anymore fish until the new-born situation has settled
> down (looking at perhaps some swordtails next).
>
> Any advice on what to do next as all seems reasonably good at the moment
and
> don't want to mess anything up...(unless the snails are a problem)...

Snails should be fine unless you get a lot of them, they can be picked out
of the tank by hand or you can get a loach to eat them. Depends on what you
want to do with the tank, you can either scrape the algae off, or get a
small algae eater, such as ancistrus or otocinclus. What lighting do you
have over the tank , and do you have plants? As for swordtails, they breed
very easily too, but have somewhere for the fry to hide out (I have java
moss) or they get eaten. Also you can only have one male swordtail in the
tank, or they fight.

Marcus

[Chameleon]

Thanks Marcus,

We have the standard lighting that came with the tank (Juwel Rio 125). Two
tubes - I'm afraid my research into my new hobby hasn't got as far as the
lighting yet. They are 2 18w tubes.

We've got all real plants (don't like the plastic stuff) such as corkscrew
vallis (I think?) and 2 or 3 other types.

Paul
"Marcus Fox" > wrote in
message ...
>
> "Chameleon" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi all,
> >
> > We've set up a 25gal tank and had it cycling for nearly two weeks with
> live
> > plants, stress zyme etc and all seemed OK.
> >
> > We then put our initial stock in of 5 mollies and 1 new born molly which
> was
> > in the tank at the LFS.
> >
> > After 5 days all seem to be doing well and we've got 4 new born mollies
> now
> > so we've basically doubled our stock in 5 days!
> >
> > We (naively?) take this to be a sign that the fish are reasonably happy
in
> > their environment (our water is more alkaline which is why we chose the
> > mollies).
> >
> > I've noticed a coulpe of small snails (I think they're snails - very
small
> > at the moment). We've also got a very minor sort of algae on the inside
of
> > the glass which the fish seem to nibble on.
> >
> > We're not stocking anymore fish until the new-born situation has settled
> > down (looking at perhaps some swordtails next).
> >
> > Any advice on what to do next as all seems reasonably good at the moment
> and
> > don't want to mess anything up...(unless the snails are a problem)...
>
> Snails should be fine unless you get a lot of them, they can be picked out
> of the tank by hand or you can get a loach to eat them. Depends on what
you
> want to do with the tank, you can either scrape the algae off, or get a
> small algae eater, such as ancistrus or otocinclus. What lighting do you
> have over the tank , and do you have plants? As for swordtails, they breed
> very easily too, but have somewhere for the fry to hide out (I have java
> moss) or they get eaten. Also you can only have one male swordtail in the
> tank, or they fight.
>
> Marcus
>
>

[Marcus Fox]

"Chameleon" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks Marcus,
>
> We have the standard lighting that came with the tank (Juwel Rio 125). Two
> tubes - I'm afraid my research into my new hobby hasn't got as far as the
> lighting yet. They are 2 18w tubes.
>
> We've got all real plants (don't like the plastic stuff) such as corkscrew
> vallis (I think?) and 2 or 3 other types.

That should be OK to keep your plants happy, but depending on your
conditions, you might also get a little algae. Regarding light and plants, a
better place to ask would be r.a.f.plants.

Marcus

[Robert Flory]

midposted...
"Chameleon" > wrote in message
...
> Hi all,
>
> We've set up a 25gal tank and had it cycling for nearly two weeks with
live
> plants, stress zyme etc and all seemed OK.
>SNIP>
>
>
> I've noticed a coulpe of small snails (I think they're snails - very small
> at the moment). We've also got a very minor sort of algae on the inside of
> the glass which the fish seem to nibble on.

Get a wooden spoon...squash the snails and the mollies will love them. If
they don't a swordtail will.

> We're not stocking anymore fish until the new-born situation has settled
> down (looking at perhaps some swordtails next).
>
I used to have a male swordtail that kept the snails in check.... He'd hit
them on a high speed run..jerking the snail out of it's shell.

> Any advice on what to do next as all seems reasonably good at the moment
and
> don't want to mess anything up...(unless the snails are a problem)...
>
> Any advice appreciated,
>
> Paul
>

Enjoy and have fun
Bob