My son has 5 balloon mollies in a 20 gallon planted tank. I know they spend their time in the top portion of the aquarium, but they act like they are hungry all the time. The are fed a small amount 3 times a day and eat it all quickly. Are mollies just pigs or do we need to feed them more?
Are mollies pigs or are ours not getting enough food?
- Thread starter jillire
- Start date
I think mollies are voracious feeders in general. 
I don't know how warm you keep your tank but higher temperatures = higher metabolism of food.
I don't know how warm you keep your tank but higher temperatures = higher metabolism of food.
Mollies are flat out PIGLETS Mine see me walk by the tank and they practically jump out of the water to get at the "food lady." They beg and beg and beg some more. I stick my hand into the tank, and they chew on it, lol. They will pester you to death for food, and eat themselves to death if you let them.
A good rule is to feed all in one feeding that they can consume before it hits the bottom of the tank. Twice a day should be plenty.
That said, it could be they are acting extra voracious because their diet is lacking - one thing that a lot of people do not realize about mollies is that they are very much veggie eaters. They do need some protein, but their diet should be plant based, similar to goldfish. They would really love to have some algae wafers, green beans, peas, etc. at every meal. One of the benefits of feeding peas to your ballon mollies is that fish that have shortened bodies and "ballooned" stomachs are more susceptable to bloat and buoyancy issues, and the peas help to clean out thier systems. Also fast them one day a week to help them clean out too.
Feeding sinking foods can keep them from gulping a lot of air at the surface and getting excess gas in their tummies.
I purposely grow algae in my molly tank, because that is what they mainly eat in the wild, and they graze constantly, non stop on it.
Kristina
Mine see me walk by the tank and they practically jump out of the water to get at the "food lady." They beg and beg and beg some more. I stick my hand into the tank, and they chew on it, lol. They will pester you to death for food, and eat themselves to death if you let them.A good rule is to feed all in one feeding that they can consume before it hits the bottom of the tank. Twice a day should be plenty.
That said, it could be they are acting extra voracious because their diet is lacking - one thing that a lot of people do not realize about mollies is that they are very much veggie eaters. They do need some protein, but their diet should be plant based, similar to goldfish. They would really love to have some algae wafers, green beans, peas, etc. at every meal. One of the benefits of feeding peas to your ballon mollies is that fish that have shortened bodies and "ballooned" stomachs are more susceptable to bloat and buoyancy issues, and the peas help to clean out thier systems. Also fast them one day a week to help them clean out too.
Feeding sinking foods can keep them from gulping a lot of air at the surface and getting excess gas in their tummies.
I purposely grow algae in my molly tank, because that is what they mainly eat in the wild, and they graze constantly, non stop on it.
Kristina
Mollies are flat out PIGLETS
A good rule is to feed all in one feeding that they can consume before it hits the bottom of the tank. Twice a day should be plenty.
That said, it could be they are acting extra voracious because their diet is lacking - one thing that a lot of people do not realize about mollies is that they are very much veggie eaters. They do need some protein, but their diet should be plant based, similar to goldfish. They would really love to have some algae wafers, green beans, peas, etc. at every meal. One of the benefits of feeding peas to your ballon mollies is that fish that have shortened bodies and "ballooned" stomachs are more susceptable to bloat and buoyancy issues, and the peas help to clean out thier systems. Also fast them one day a week to help them clean out too.
Feeding sinking foods can keep them from gulping a lot of air at the surface and getting excess gas in their tummies.
I purposely grow algae in my molly tank, because that is what they mainly eat in the wild, and they graze constantly, non stop on it.
Kristina
Thanks for the info. We do throw an algae wafer in there each day for the snails and I have green beans that I can throw in too. The tank is pretty new and has snails and an oto in it, so its never been cleaned by us and probably wont so they have food. What do you do with the peas, smash them and drop them in raw or do they need to be cooked first?
I use frozen peas, just thaw them, peel the shell/skin off and smush them a little. The mollies will do the rest, lol.
I feed all homemade gel foods, and what I do is put green beans, collard greens, spinach, peas, shrimp, clams, squash, blood worms etc. with calcium powder and multivitamins in a blender, then mix in Knox gelatin and let it set up. They go nuts over it.
Kristina
I feed all homemade gel foods, and what I do is put green beans, collard greens, spinach, peas, shrimp, clams, squash, blood worms etc. with calcium powder and multivitamins in a blender, then mix in Knox gelatin and let it set up. They go nuts over it.
Kristina
yeah they're much like goldfish in their obsession with food. Always looking to munch on something. I also feed mine a lot of "snail jello" made from baby food, geletin, calcium, fish food, etc, all mixed together. They devour it instantly. You can find some good recipe ideas in the invert section here.
don't worry that they're starving. It's just all part of their charm
don't worry that they're starving. It's just all part of their charm
How long have you had the tank? You said "its never been cleaned by us", which is why I ask. You should be doing a partial water change each week, with occasional gravel vacuumings, or you will get an a high ammonia spike which is very dangerous to fish. Also, don't leave any veggies in the tank over 24 hours, as they will break down and pollute your water as well. But to answer your question, mollies are pigs.
:Editing to ask, since your tank is new, have you also been testing your nitrates? I'm just concerned since you aren't doing water changes with a new tank....
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How long have you had the tank? You said "its never been cleaned by us", which is why I ask. You should be doing a partial water change each week, with occasional gravel vacuumings, or you will get an a high ammonia spike which is very dangerous to fish. Also, don't leave any veggies in the tank over 24 hours, as they will break down and pollute your water as well. But to answer your question, mollies are pigs.
Editing to ask, since your tank is new, have you also been testing your nitrates? I'm just concerned since you aren't doing water changes with a new tank....
Sorry, I should have been more specific. The tank is a few weeks old and is home to a few snails, 5 mollies and an oto. We clean the tank by doing water changes and vacuuming the substrate(well, its been done once) and I cycled the tank using One and Only and no fish were added until everything was stable. The water is tested daily still at this point to make sure it stays stable. What I meant by not cleaning the tank is that we dont clean the algea off the glass nor will it be cleaned off of anything else it grows on. Thanks for making sure Im doing things right though!
Mollies are grazers, so they are always looking for food. So, it is hard to tell when they are genuinely needing food or just begging. I only feed mine once a day, and they are in a brackish tank with figure 8 puffers and bumblebee gobies. So, they only get frozen foods and whatever algae they wish to eat. I really only clean off the glass on the front sides (corner tank, odd shape) and leave any other algae for them. The don't seem to eat it a whole lot, probably 'cause their spoiled.