Feeding baby mollies to reef inhabitants

[zeusfc]

mine look happy... but they're there for algae control, not to feed anything...

[kysard1]

Originally posted by yellowwatchmen
So do you just let the mollies reproduce in the fuge and they go through the return pump, or do you guy just net them and put them in the display. I have a coral beauty, Mandrin, YWG, and two occelaris clowns. Will any of these fish eat baby mollies?

No mollie fry are to big for those fish.

[FUA]

what types of algae do they eat zeusfc, only green hair algae or other kinds too.

[gtrestoration]

This tank is part of my frag system and has 4 mollies. They do well once they learn to swim.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paGXJ0aL9PE

SteveU

[yellowwatchmen]

Originally posted by kysard1
No mollie fry are to big for those fish.

The CB could fit it in his mouth but they are mostly algae eaters. I dont know if the clowns will just pick at them or not. I dont know cuz i havent got them yet. I am waiting for the LFS to get a new shipment in.

[jman77]

"They do well once they learn to swim"

Swim, you mean learn to avoid the current....lol


On a side note, I've just posted my 1,977'th post ...wow ... that's the year I was shot out onto to the world.... lol...

Do I like get a cookie from one of the mods ?

[Rewd]

Originally posted by dmarie120
I've been keeping mollies for years. I keep them in my refugium and just let them breed and do whatever they want. I'm down to just a few adults now and will be adding to their population.

The black, dalmation and white ones work best.

Also, try any of the larger sailfin varieties. These particular breeds actually look awful in freshwater but once acclimated to brackish or salt they are gorgeous fish.

[Rewd]

And as far as cruelty goes... none of my freshwater fish get frozen prepared foods that often during the week. Maybe twice. These two mollies, on the other hand, are fed exactly what I feed my true salties daily, sometimes more if I have a finicky fish in QT that I'm trying to feed.

[Rewd]

Originally posted by kysard1
No mollie fry are to big for those fish.

They absolutely are not. I work at an LFS and often arriving shipments of mollies have loads of babies in the shipping bags. Usually the first to get them are the tiny Occelaris clowns we have. They nail them so fast the babies don't even see it coming. I've seen everything from all types of angels to damels, clowns, grammas, etc eat baby mollies.

[Pmolan]

Will they breed in a 10 gallon?

[conorwynne]

They would breed no problems in a 10g yes, and I agree with Pmolan, the babies are well small enough to get gobbled up.

For me, they have two uses.

1. Algal control, they really are brilliant at it, better than turbo snails on a one to one comparison.
2. Food for fishies!

Later lads
Conor. (Still only have the one mollie - speckled (dalmation?))

[llama72]

3 mollies in tank.....hoping to serve lunch by next weekend.

[conorwynne]

>> 3 mollies in tank.....hoping to serve lunch by next weekend.

Oh that sounds mean :-)

I'm thinking of just keeping mollies in my tank now -- no "real" marine's at all!

Any pics of the setup?

Regards
Conor.

[llama72]

The first feeding is complete. I have 3 babies in the sump and one in the tank. My clowns have me a "thank you" note on the glass when I woke up this morning. And the tang, just belched again.

[Krypticol]

great idea folks. thanx for the tips!
Sounds like a good choice for prop tanks! keep the agae at bay and the corals get free snacks!!!!

[dstoneburg]

Can we get a for sure answer as to whether they eat pods or not? I love the idea and would much rather have them in my sump/fuge combo for convenience but down the line I do want a mandarin so Id like to keep my pod population. Unfortunatly my setup is a fuge-->sump-->return. Id imagine if I put them into the sump they would quickly move to the fuge and have a feast..


If I do put them into my QT tank, would I need to do water changes and the like?

[elegance coral]

Yes. Mollys will eat pods. They are omnivores, which basically means they will eat anything, even their own young.

[FUA]

but do they decimate the pod population or do they just graze on it and graze on algae at the same time??

[Pmolan]

Just bought 4 yesterday. 2 lived, 2 moved on after the aclimation. They are in a 10 gallon nest to my sump. They look a little stunned still.

[Snowboarda42]

Anyone have an appx size on the babies? I wonder if my Anthias will like them...