# Aggressive Molly?



## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

Hey everyone. I've currently got two short finned Mollies (a Black and a Gold Dusk) in a 10 gallon tank. I actually bought them together about 3 weeks ago. I recently noticed that the larger (by larger, I mean fatter) Black Molly is acting aggressive, maybe even acting territorial, towards the smaller (thinner) Gold Dusk. The poor Gold Dusk stays hidden on one side of the tank behind a log, and every time he swims up and pokes out, the Black Molly will creep over to that side of the tank, and then lung at him and scare him back down behind the log, and then the Black Molly will make his way back over to the other side of the tank, staying out in the open like it's obviously not scared of anything.

Neither one of them have any issues with any other tank mates; 3 Albino Cories, and a Dojo Loach. It's apparently just between the two of them. And it wasn't always like this either. They use to pretty much stick close to each other, up until about 3 or 4 days ago. I haven't seen the larger Black Molly make contact and nip the smaller Gold Dusk yet, so I don't think it's been dangerous yet, but if it gets worse, I might have to get rid of one or both of the guys...

I'm not sure about the sex of either; could this be a mating thing?

Is this normal behavior for a Molly? From what I read, they're normally peaceful community fish, and would much rather be in groups with like-fish other than by themselves.


Thanks for any input 





here's a picture of said fish, about a week after adding them to the tank; notice they're happy as can be together at the time...


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## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

Black one is a female. Can`t see the other one. It`s pretty easy to distinguish male from female with livebearers. Most likely I would bet on a mating or birthing type of thing. I had 2 males and 1 female and had to take out one of the males because he was picking on the other one.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

interesting...

how do you tell the two sexes apart with them?

thanks!


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## Amie (Sep 15, 2010)

The lone fin on the bottom. Females have a full fin there while males have a skinny thin fin that is usually kept in tight to their bodies unless they are looking to mate. 

Check out these pics:

This one is a female
http://www.lowcarboneconomy.com/Res...fish_1235_18889679_1_0_7012595_300320x320.jpg

And this one is the female
http://www.irananimals.com/fish-page/pic's fish/molly01.jpg


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

hmmmm...

the Gold Dusk's bottom fin definitely doesn't protrude out as much as the Black's does...


I got a video of the behavior, and you can see the both of them clearly in it (or at least as clearly as an iPhone will make them out) and I'll upload it here in a second.


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## automatic-hydromatic (Oct 18, 2010)

just ignore "How It's Made" on the TV in the background... I love that show *pc


YouTube - Aggressive Molly


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