Babies! Need advice! (Mollies, unknown other but thought bleeding hearts)

My aquarium status:
Currently housing 5 assorted mollies, 2 being black with small reflective scales in different places, 2 being white with black spots, and 1 small orange molly who doesn't seem to be doing well. Hides in rocks, when I got it it was shiny orange but now it's kind of darker and is a bit translucent (December 2004), and 1 Albino Bristlenose Pleco (saw a picture of this fish at the age mine is and it said it was a dwarf; I know for a fact it grows to 3-5 inches. Is it a dwarf? December 2004). Contains two plant types: one looking like a small patch of very long grass, the other like a green stem with 4 leaves coming out on an even level every 2 cm or so.

About 36 gallons. Has a in-tank filter shaped like a rectangular prism standing up. Has the filter intake at the bottom and the filter exit at the top. Heated to 82 degrees (is that too high for my fish?). Moderate-sized (reaching lower middle of the tank) pile of rocks in the middle, two small (5 inch long, 3cm thick) pieces of wood below the filter.

Today I woke up and checked my fish tank to find the white and black mollies made fry (9). They are all hanging around the top of the tank and are about 4mm long. I'm not sure if it's bad, but the filter seems to be making a current some are fighting against (most of them hide behind or to the side of the top; there are about 3 that hang around in front, fighting the current). The others do not seem to be interested in them, as they hang around the lower middle of the tank most of the time. The pleco leaves them alone as well, and lately has attached itself frequently to the wooden plate (I'm sure this is normal, I read they actually eat driftwood to balance their diet). The pleco has lived off the algae in the tank so far (which most easily-reached sources cleaned). Can I just put salad bits in the tank instead of zucchini (spelling?)? I haven't been able to get my hands on some lately.
The mollies (other than the orange one, who stays away from the rest) seem to be doing well, although sometimes the males nip at the females for brief periods of time. The black molly is expecting as well.
Plants are not nipped at by the fish, but the pleco sometime hangs on the leaves (it is currently slightly less than one inch long, but acts normally and is not attacked by the mollies).

I'm planning on purchasing some aquarium wood (for the pleco) and, if possible, something to hang at the top of the aquarium for the fry to shelter themselves in.

Any suggestions on changes to the tank?

I also have another tank kept at another location. More frequently serviced, but COVERED in algae (I have a sponge and I can clean it, but it causes a lot of debris). This week I'm going to get a pleco for it as well (trying to get the same type as the other tank, and I will buy wood for it as well), as the snail (which just appeared in my tank one day, I never bought it) never does anything but move around the tank when it's quieter (has a long swirly shell and the actual snail itself is black) and does not reproduce.
Aquarium status:

36 gallons. Topfin 40 filter. Same temperature regulator as other tank. 2 unknown-type fish (I think they are bleeding hearts), unknown but possibly one male (deep red and slim. Fins have black beginnings) and one female (orange with large innards. Almost completely black fins), and 4 zebra tetras (they move quickly across the tank and in a pack. Sometimes nip each other.). Contains one rock structure (reaches over the middle of the aquarium) with about 4 massive holes in it for swimming through, a large shell on its side (same size, swirl pattern allows fish to move inside but they don't), and various shells and fake plants.
The Bleeding Hearts in November or so 2004 had fry. These were not bothered by either fish type (and in fact swam around the bleeding hearts sometimes). Now are about 5mm long and are developing their discriminating marks.
I have a feeling that the two fish are two different types that simply hang around each other, because none of the fry seem to be developing into the shape of the deep red one.

Suggestions for purchases for this tank? Should I buy plants?

Third time's the charm???

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Billy
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Bush won, and we're all going to die.
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"Mustard_Chief"
wrote in message
om...
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| My aquarium status:

"Mustard_Chief" wrote in
message om...

My aquarium status:
SNIP....
and 1 Albino Bristlenose
Pleco (saw a picture of this fish at the age mine is and it said it was
a dwarf; I know for a fact it grows to 3-5 inches. Is it a dwarf?
Depends on who you define dwarf ..... but compared to common plecos, I had
one get 12" and the get huge in the wild that is a dwarf.

Small might be a better term.


December 2004). Contains two plant types: one looking like a small
patch of very long grass, the other like a green stem with 4 leaves
coming out on an even level every 2 cm or so.

About 36 gallons. Has a in-tank filter shaped like a rectangular prism
standing up. Has the filter intake at the bottom and the filter exit at
the top. Heated to 82 degrees (is that too high for my fish?).

I'd suggest 80 degrees but high temp never caused me trouble .... Loosing a
heater and having the tank drop to 60 degrees ... that,s a different story.
Lost all my cardinals, half the neons.

SNIP
Today I woke up and checked my fish tank to find the white and black
mollies made fry (9). They are all hanging around the top of the tank
and are about 4mm long. I'm not sure if it's bad, but the filter seems
to be making a current some are fighting against (most of them hide
behind or to the side of the top; there are about 3 that hang around in
front, fighting the current).
My wifes's aways hide in the Java Moss or hornwort.

Can I just put salad bits in the tank instead of zucchini
Probably, try it if they eat them, fine.

The mollies (other than the orange one, who stays away from the rest)
seem to be doing well, although sometimes the males nip at the females
for brief periods of time. The black molly is expecting as well.
I doubt that, I suspect the males harrass the females ALL the time ;-)

Plants are not nipped at by the fish, but the pleco sometime hangs on
the leaves (it is currently slightly less than one inch long, but acts
normally and is not attacked by the mollies).
The pleco will fend for it's self. I've has some that got a bit agressive
(territorial) when others were around. They all had their opwn corners and
caves. Someone here about told the story of a pleco of some kind that would
rush out whenever they dropped bottom food in the tank and stand gaurd over
it.

I'm planning on purchasing some aquarium wood (for the pleco) and, if
possible, something to hang at the top of the aquarium for the fry to
shelter themselves in.
Give them some Java moss or some other thick fine leaved plant. The swift
shall live. Save then all and they will breed you out of house and home.
My wife's platys and guppies started in a 10 gallon and now live in a 55.
The population has frozen since I added some yoyo loaches to keep the snails
in check.

Any suggestions on changes to the tank?

I also have another tank kept at another location. More frequently
serviced, but COVERED in algae (I have a sponge and I can clean it, but
it causes a lot of debris). This week I'm going to get a pleco for it as
well (trying to get the same type as the other tank, and I will buy
wood for it as well), as the snail (which just appeared in my tank one
day, I never bought it) never does anything but move around the tank
when it's quieter (has a long swirly shell and the actual snail itself
is black) and does not reproduce.
Aquarium status:

36 gallons. Topfin 40 filter. Same temperature regulator as other tank.

Suggestions for purchases for this tank? Should I buy plants?
By all mean, add some low light fast growing plants. They well help balance
the tank chemistry and help hold the algae in line.

--
Mustard_Chief

Bob