Senior fish problems with newer

[Platanus]

Hello! Forum.

I'm new in the aquarium hobby business, But I'll try to explain briefly on what is going on.

When I first bought the aquarium, i got the 20 Gallon deluxe kit with most of the things included. I got an air pump and undergravel system along the kit.

So the problem is quite simple, I think the water condition is fine, I test the water recently and it seems to be quite crystal clear. A local pet store told me crystal clear is not necessarily good (Depending on the good bacteria that inhabit the aquarium.

So I bought Female Black Lyretail Molly:


I also bought Red Wag Platy, But I didn't take pictures yet.

So after all the 10 fishes I bought settled in. I noticed the molly was quite lonely. as well as the platy... So I bought opposite sex for each.

I bought Black Male Molly:


Another Female (Yellow Molly)

Ok lets wrap up the explanation about mollies: So I have 1 black male molly. 1 gold molly (Female), 1 Black Lyretail molly(Female). But the male is not interested in neither, black female chase the male from time to time, but her belly is already shaped like a trapezoid, I was wondering if shes pregnant?

Ok now the thing about platys, The Male Red Wag Platy got hes 2 opposites (2x Females). He follows both of them, swims along side, literally never leaving any of the females out of sight, but the females keep running away as if they're not interested.

See? The same problem with the senior fishes in the tank, but the complete opposite in genders, yet none of the supplemental new fish made any of them mate for real. The senior fish in the tank (I used senior because they were bought earlier ) seems to be really attracted to the new opposite sex fish of the same kind, but the new ones have no interest at all...

On the side note > My Black Female (lyretail) molly keeps attacking Shubunkin fish (Probably because of the Territorial issues...As far as I know)

Thank you for all the answers. I hope I didn't fail at being constructive and made the post easy-to-understand.

Have a wonderful day! and Thank you again for helping

[Platanus]

Well this is one of the female platy's

The Male : The Red Wag Platy, although he looks pale in colors(washed out colors).

He seems to follow both females around, I'm not sure if the male platy is capable of fertilizing the eggs inside the females if the females keep running away? I don't know how the system in Livebearers work... But I thought that spermatozoa gets transferred via short distance in water? Enters females mouth ... Confusing stuff.. I'm in thin air knowledge-wise...

I also read somewhere that female livebearers can hold Spermatozoa in "Freeze state" Some compartment away from eggs, and can keep the spermatozoa for over 6 months?

Any help from Experienced people would be great!

[rich311k]

I am not sure what you are asking. The fertilization is internal, the females can store sperm for quite sometime. Mollys are pretty territorial and the existing male will not like competition.

[Platanus]

Ok i gonna try again, to be plain on this case.

Ok I have some fishes in the tank that are a bit older( not age wise, but purchase wise)
And there were only one of each species at first (1 female molly, 1 male platy, 2 female blue gourami, and so on.

I wanted for the single (older bought) fish not to be lonely so i got them, opposite sex fish to each.

1x Female molly,
1x Male molly.

And 2x female platies. Picture above

ok now that you know what kind of fish set up i have. Please help me find out this :

1.Why is the new - Male Black Molly Is running away from Female molly ? Is it that the female is actually trying to attack the male? trying to Mate? Playing by any chance? I have no clue, please help.

2. Is my Black molly pregnant? (Picture above)

3. Is my Platy Female pregnant? Orangish-+Yellowish gravid spot? Marked as circle in the picture..

4. My Red Wag platy Gives all the attention to those 2 new platy females(micky and Longfinned Yellow platy), but all those female platys does is ignore him. and swim away from him... Why?

5.You say the fertilization is internal? So I wonder how it actually works... Please provide details... Eggs get fertilized when male > contacts the female body to body, just like mammals or is it that spermatozoa is being released into the water somehow and make it into female? Please explain the process because if its internal - that means - both of my female platys are NOT pregnant... and that they will never be pregnant, because they keep running away from the male platy that tries hes best lol. I don't get all the fish business yet :P Sorry

Thank you again. and sorry for the fail to be constructive and straight,

[rich311k]

1. He is scared of her. She may not be in the mood as is letting him know that.

2 and 3. Almost certainly yes. They have been mixed with males they are pregnant.

5. Do a search for it. It is a very well written about subject. Some fancy males have so many fins they are physically unable to do the job.
4. See 1.