Fish Rescue, Please Help!

[cannibalfish]

So I made the impulse decision to rescue an aquarium and the two fish left inside. Despite not being a fish person until now, I could not let them be flushed alive. After many hours of googling, I feel much more educated on fish keeping, but I still have so many questions and need some reassurance that I am doing right by my little buddies.

I’ve worked out that I have:

Two Sailfin Mollies, both male, and from what I can tell they are pals and not behaving aggressively towards each other.
Two assassin snails.
A 90L Via Aqua tank with a lamp.
A Fluval pump and filter.
An unbranded water heater that reads twenty five degrees.
Pure Aquarium balls that introduce helpful bacteria back into the tank.
Tropical fish food- the basic kind.
Basic tank cleaning supplies.
Various plastic decorations and colourful gravel- will be replacing.

First thing tomorrow, I am going to get something to dechlorinate the water and a testing kit. I know that is the biggest priority right now. I do not think the previous owner ever did this, and they seem very happy for now. Is there anything else I need urgently?

I want to eventually add more fish once the aquarium is properly cycled and I know what I am doing, because I have read that Mollies are happier in bigger groups. Is it possible to request the sex of your fish when you go into a fish shop?? I know I need to introduce only females into the tank to get the ratio right and prevent fighting. I was also thinking about something like a small pleco for algae maintenance and planting the tank eventually. I just don’t want to seem like an idiot when I walk in there.

The issue is that there used to be eight or nine fish in there before I got it, and according to the previous owner my two ate them. I am not sure how true this is, because my research says it is unlikely, but I do not want to introduce anything that will get stressed to death or cannibalised by the two current residents.

I have kept inverts for most of my adult life, but I have not had a fish since my childhood goldfish, which probably was not kept in ideal conditions. I want to get this right, and I need some human reassurance that I am not failing them. Is there anything obviously wrong/missing/that I don’t know?

Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you for reading x

just a couple of answers try and get shechem (sp) for the declor and yes you can ask for the sex of fish

And bristlenose are a small hardly species of pleco that come in a few diffrent colours and fin types

sorry just thought of something else try and find an actual aquatics shop and not the likes of pets at home as they will be more clued up

sorry me again and if you can take a picture of the fish to make sure there sailfins , are usually larger about 2-3 inch compared to small "normal" mollies and you do get hyfin types in the smaller mollies

Thank you for replying! I didn’t see that one I don’t think but I will for sure keep my eye out or maybe order it.

I was looking at the bristlenose plecos, they are really cool actually.

Yes I will be, thank you, I had to go to pets at home today as I was on a time crunch but I wouldn’t buy fish/anything alive from there from what I know about their practices.

Don’t be sorry! I’m so glad someone reached out. I will upload a photo now.

Meet OJ (yellowish one) and Richard (silver one). I don’t know how easily you can tell their size but they aren’t very big, according the the former owner they are still growing and they were purchased quite small.

Images are of course under review. Should be there soon.

Another thing I’ve noticed is OJ has changed from white like Richard to an iridescent sort of greenish yellow. I have read this is a good thing, shows he is less stressed out?

I usually go into pet ownership after weeks of research not before, so I’m finding it quite stressful.

From they pictures I would say they are sailfins any other questions just ask I have 4 tanks just now from mollies ,sword tails, neon's, dwarf frogs etc up to Oscars, pacu and arowana

Yes, Seachem prime is a great dechlorinator and also helps to lock ammonia away if you ever crash your tank bacteria, so is very good to have in hand.

They are definitely sailfins and definitely male. Be aware that if you get female Mollies (sailfin or not) you will very shortly have a lot more mollies as they breed like crazy. Female mollies are very often pregnant when you buy them. A lot of the babies will get eaten though unless your tank is heavily planted. They are not particularly good or protective parents.

sounds like you have everything you need. Your tank will already be cycled if you have kept the old filter so you are good to go, but get the test kit (I like the API liquid test kit, much better than the dip strips) just in case. You can also buy quick start liquids like seachem stability which add bacteria in. Use this when you get more fish just to give it a bit of a boost. When you clean the filter media, always do it in tank water, never under the tap, otherwise you kill all the bacteria. If this happens it’s not the end of the world just add more bacteria and prime until it’s re-established. Goop is good stuff if you ever have to start completely from scratch.

most community fish are compatible with mollies. Mollies don’t eat other fish unless they are very tiny or are already very sick/dead. They can be a bit nippy at long finned fish like bettas though. If getting plecos, make sure you get the right sort. Some of them get really enormous!

good luck, but be warned, fish get very addictive and you’ll find yourself with a 400 litre tank before you know it 😊

Honestly, you best bet is to find an aquarist shop and explain all this to them. They will help. Maidenhead aquatics and fishkeeping scotland are a good chain or find a local one.

Thanks so much.

That sounds really cool, I think I’m getting hooked because I’m already looking at different setups/fish etc.

Thank you for your reply!

I thought that getting females would be the best thing for them if they have had problems with other fish. I have read about the females always coming home pregnant, definitely another challenge to deal with. Will they eventually overpopulate or eat enough to keep it stable?

I’m so glad you guys have given me this advice and reassurance, it’s so helpful thank you. I have written down all of the product suggestions.

Will they eat fish that have died? Because the missing former 8/9 fish from before I got them is troubling.

I think the addiction is already starting, I'm slightly obsessed with my fishies. I have been looking at some really impressive set ups for inspiration.

I plan on going soon, I live quite rurally so the nearest ones aren’t particularly close. I think I was just worried they would think I was a bad fish owner if I went in completely clueless and wanted to check everything was okay for them right now. I am a worrier.

Thank you for the suggestions. There is a Maidenhead Aquatics close by so I will go there :)

You be fine its what there there for they have heard and seen it all before I worked in one before it closed the only bad questions are the ones you don't ask

Maidenhead Aquatics are super kind and helpful. Suggest you take photos of the tank set up to show them, and also a sample of the water so they can test it for you.

if you explain exactly what you have in your OP then let them help you.

well done for rescuing your new fishy friends.