# Trying to figure this out... Betta + Mollies



## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Before you panic, I'm not putting them in where they can kill each other. xD

However, I have a bit of a problem. I've recently discovered that I'm in a bit of a fix - the owner of a pet store was a bit misleading when I bought the fish for my aquarium.

My setup right now is:

The betta (in my avatar :3) in his own tank,
and 3 mollies, a bristlenose pleco, a goldfish, and an African Dwarf Frog in a 10 gallon tank.

Mollies like salt. Goldfish and ADF do not. Rearrangement of living conditions is probably necessary to make sure nobody dies.

So. Would it be alright if I put a divider into the 10 gal and house the betta with the mollies, then move the ADF and the goldfish to a 3 gal?


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Ahh, darn pet store people....why can't they just give proper advice? :/ Gah, so frustrating....

To start off, I understand you were missled(I was as well in the beginning....in fact, I'm sure almost everyone was at some point)....but, if you really ant all of them to be happy and healthy in the long term, your going to have to re home almost all of those fish _or_ upgrade and buy a separate aquarium for your goldfish.

To start, your going to need _at least_ a 20 gallon for your mollies unless they're balloon mollies, which tend to stay smaller, and all male. If you have females that they were kept with males or have both male and female mollies, you'll soon be overrun with babies. Trust me, I've kept mollies before, it doesn't like very long :lol: Also, all species, that I know of, apart from balloon mollies get to be at LEAST 4", and on top of ALL that they're big waste producers. So, you'll either have to re home them or start shopping for a 20+ gallon I'm afraid....

While the BN pleco is one of the smaller species, again, it will grow too large for a 10 gallon and, like all plecos, they produce a LOT of waste(or so I've been told, this is the one fish I don't know as much about). Personally I think you'd be better off just re homing him, though if your willing to upgrade, again, so a 20+ gallon then you could probably keep him....

The goldfish is the one you're probably definitely going to have to re home unless your attached enough to him to get him his own a 30+ gallon(Depending on the kind of goldfish he is, if hes once of those 'feeders' your better off finding someone who has a pond for him to live in....they can get well over a foot)and maybe a friend or two(I hear they're social, perhaps I'm wrong on that....). Goldfish should NEVER be kept with tropical fish, their needs are too drastically different for them to be compatible.

With all that said, onto the question. No, I wouldn't divide the 10 gallon for the betta and the mollies....thats a REALLY small space for ANY kind of mollie. With that said, I wouldn't put the betta with the mollies either....IME, mollies are pretty aggressive and I've heard one to many stories of them going after bettas fins.
Hopefully this has helped some, and I'm really sorry that you were missled....its so terrible what people will say just to make a few dollars off someone :/


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

AGH ;w; This is so awful. 

I'll see if the pet store will take them back. The mollies really are adorable and have so much personality, I'll hate to get rid of them... I really want to keep the ADF, though. In your experience, do ADFs and bettas get along okay? I may move both of them to a four gallon.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

I know, I'm very sorry D:

I love mollies as well, had them for some time, they really are fun fish...I was sad to see mine go as well, but the multiplied too quickly and overran my 50 gallon. :lol:
The ADF should be just fine with the betta  Though I'd get him a friend, I hear they prefer pairs  The only danger should be if your betta decides he doesn't like the ADF(s) and goes after them. But, for the most part, I've always heard they get along pretty well. Don't keep them currently however, don't want to hassle with feeding them and whatnot...I hear they can be a pain :lol:


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

xD They ovverran a 50 GALLON?!!!
I'm glad I got all girls, then. Sheesh. 

Well, I've decided that I'm going to try and keep the pleco, two ADFs, and the betta in a five-gallon tank together (if all goes well). The pleco will eventually outgrow it, but hopefully when that happens I'l be ready to take care of a larger tank.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Yup xDDD I think it took....just under a year? Lol, but they still totally overran the tank.....and if the females were kept with males, thats still a possibility. Theres a 99% chance they're already pregnant....and they can store sperm for months and have 3 or so batches of fry after breeding once.....then they'll probably give birth to some males...and I'm sure you get where this is going xDDD

O__O Eeeeeeek, VERY bad idea. Betta+two ADFs would be just fine in a 5 gallon, the pleco would be a HORRIBLE idea. Not only will he outgrow that very quickly and overstock the it with his large bio-load, but keeping him in such a confined space will cause heath issues. When you keep a fish in an aquarium thats too small for it, it stunts their bodies growth....but _inside_ they continue to grow....which will cause major heath problems. Your definitely going to want to take him back too if you can't go 20 gallons or larger within the next month.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

;___; REALLY?!

Aww, I named him and EVERYTHING. And it's a CUTE name. And HE'S cute. 
But oh well, I guess if it's really a bad idea, I'll take him back and let other people take better care of him. I wouldn't want him to suffer.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

I'm really sorry D: I know this must be frustrating, but yes, it would probably be best for you to being him back :/


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

OK, I just put the frog in with the betta to see if they get along (thought it would be good for the frog if they could, my other tank has salt in it).... Freedy seems really apprehensive. He kind of stalks the frog and watches him, but he hasn't nipped at him or anything... maybe I should get them separate containers. Or is this normal for a first intro?


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

So long as hes not nipping or attacking, I wouldn't worry  Bettas are naturally inquisitive and curious fish, its normal for him to investigate his new 'friend' :lol: Just watch him closely for any signs of aggression and make sure the frog has his own little hideaway


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

That's the problem, he didn't have one in that small tank, and I had no room to give him a place.... so I ended up moving him back to the salty tank. I can't tell if that was a good idea or not.... ugh, I'm so worried about over stressing them.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Ahh, I see.... what all do you have in the tank with your betta right now as for as decor goes?


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

It's pretty awful, all that's in there is a little crappy fake tree that can probably rip his fins. It's glued to the bottom and I can't get it out. I got all this as a present, and the container he's in is way too small, I've planned an outing tomorrow to see if I can get a nice five gallon and hopefully fix some of this mess.

I'm really kind of afraid to try to return all these fish by myself, just when they've adjusted to the 10 gallon.


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## DragonFish (Mar 31, 2009)

Ahh, I see....Yes, hold off on putting him with the ADF until you can get a five gallon....also, those little, plain, clay pots you find at craft stores make wonderful and cheap caves for both bettas and ADFs 

I know its hard, but those fish wouldn't live happy, long lives in a tank that small together :/ It wouldn't be long before things start going wrong, its much better if you take them back....and perhaps talk to the owner of the petstore(if its a local place and not a chain store), tell he/she that you did some research and the information that they gave you was very incorrect....perhaps they'd be willing to listen and learn. I find people are a lot more willing to do so then many give them credit for.

Another option you have that I just thought of....after all those fish are returned, you could always keep the betta in the 10 gallon with a couple ADFs  I'm sure he'd love the extra space, and you don't have to go out and buy a whole new tank.


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## Shadow6558 (Jan 18, 2010)

I have three mollies in with my beta Dracos (In avie) and Dracos will occasionally flare at the silver and Black molly, maybe a little chase if they get in front of him, but that's about it. I also have a dalmatian molly and Dracos and Pongo are always by each other, usually Pongo will try to squeeze in next to Dracos in tight spots, it's quite funny, but I've never seen Dracos show aggression at the dalmatian molly.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Well, I ended up returning the mollies, goldfish and pleco. Now all that's left is the betta and two ADFs. As much as I wanted to put him in the five gallon with the froggers, I saw him nip one the other day, and it made me so nervous I had to go out and buy him a 2.5 gallon. 

It's a lovely tank, though, it has a filter and a light, and I put some fake plants in there for him to hide in.


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## bettamama (Dec 17, 2009)

Mollies are adorable and do have great personalities. I have 2 mollies and they have always gotten along great with my betta, but my mollies aren't aggressive. Just little pigs. Hope you get everything straightened out.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Aaaaa, you're making me miss my mollies!! They were so cute, and they'd always watch me whenever I was typing in front of the tank. <3

Friedrich pretty much ignores me.  Though I guess that's better than being terrified of me like he was before.


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## bettamama (Dec 17, 2009)

Yeah, my mollies are close to the foot of my bed, and everytime I get up they will watch me. If I stick my finger in the water they always come nip at it. Especially my dalmation molly, she is sooo cute. She has so much more personality than any fish I've ever had.


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## FuulieQ (Jan 10, 2010)

Haha! I used to go to a store called Aquarium Adventures all the time, to the point where they started recognizing me.  And they had an open-top tank with anableps in it. OH MY GOODNESS. Cutest fish EVER. I would always stick my finger in there and wiggle it a little and they'd float over and nibble it, it was SO cute. x3


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