Can Mollies And Guppies Live Together? (Everything To Know)

 

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “What fish can live with my fish?”

People are very eager to put more than one type of fish into a tank.

We can certainly understand that you want more fish, but it is very important to be careful about what you put in your tank.

Whether you are still in the process of picking out fish or you are ready to add something to your tank filled with Guppies, here are some very helpful information.

 

Can Mollies and Guppies Live Together?

 

Mollies and Guppies can live together.

These two fish have very similar habits, diets, and needs.

They will make good tank mates, but there are a few things you should be aware of before you put them in the same tank.

Here is a guide to help you make sure your Guppies and Mollies thrive when you put them in the same tank.

 

1. Food

 

Mollies and Guppies have essentially the same diet.

This is going to make things quite a bit easier when it is time to feed your fish.

Keep in mind that the fish will continue to eat even after they are full.

Many fish owners make the unfortunate mistake of overfeeding their fish.

When you overfeed your fish, it can get sick.

This kind of similar to when you try and eat that one extra piece of pizza, and you don’t feel all that good afterward.

Feed your Mollies and Guppies once every day or every other day but don’t worry about overdoing it with the food.

 

2. Water Condition

 

It is always best to keep the water environment of the Mollies and Guppies as close to their natural habitat as possible.

Mollies and Guppies really like brackish water.

They can live in freshwater and mild saltwater, and they will have no trouble existing together if these conditions are met in the tank’s water.

Sometimes when you introduce a new fish to a tank, you have to make sure the water is balanced to work for each fish.

With the Mollies and Guppies, you won’t need to worry about achieving this balance.

It is important to remember that both Mollies and Guppies like hard water.

If you have had Mollies or Guppies for some time in your tanks, you won’t have to make any changes to the water to introduce their new friends.

 

3. Population

 

Population control is going to be the primary consideration when you introduce Mollies and Guppies to the same tank.

Mollies and Guppies are both fish that will reproduce quickly.

If you don’t want to have too many fish in your tank in a short period of time, you need to consider this right from the start.

The only way to completely control the population of the tank is to introduce only male Mollies and Guppies.

If you introduce female Guppies and male Mollies, they will still reproduce, and you will still have lots of fish in your tank.

Of course, if you have a large tank and this is something you are planning on, that is one thing.

However, this is not the case for most people, and it is important to consider this before you introduce anything new to the tank.

 

4. Water Changes

 

Water changes are important for both Mollies and Guppies because of the amount of waste they create.

If the Mollies and the Guppies start to multiply, that means you will have even more fish in your tank.

When you have lots of these types of fish in your tank, you will need to do more frequent water changes.

Make sure you are being diligent about your water changes and planning them frequently.

If you allow a long time between water changes, then you may end up creating more work for yourself in the long run.

 

Are Mollies Aggressive Fish?

 

Some people worry about adding Mollies to their tank that has Guppies because they seem aggressive.

Mollies can be an aggressive fish, but the good news is they won’t go after Guppies.

Although you may have seen Mollies act in a somewhat harsh or aggressive way, your Guppies should be safe with the Mollies.

This is a very good thing to consider whenever you put fish together.

When fish fight or attack each other, you can end up with a large mess on your hands.

 

Do Mollies Eat Their Babies?

 

You may remember that we said Mollies and Guppies are known for reproducing very quickly.

They are fish that give birth to live young.

If you are looking to increase the fish population in your tank, you may need to protect the babies that Mollies or Guppies have.

The Mollies and Guppies will not protect their young when they are born.

As soon as the Mollie or a Guppy has a baby, it is on its own for survival.

This usually means these fish do not survive all that long.

If you want to try and save the babies, you can, but the chances of you being able to do this will be quite slim.

Some of the young will survive naturally because they will find ways to grow in the tank without being eaten.

Again, if you don’t want to deal with any of this, only introduce male Mollies and Guppies into the tank.

 

How Fast Do Molly Fry Grow?

 

If the Mollies’ young (or Fry) start to grow on their own, you may wonder how long it will be until they are full grown.

It will take about three or four months for the Fry to become a full size, Molly.

They will likely be safe from being consumed by other fish before this three- or four-month mark.

The three- or four-month range is when they reach full grown size.

This is where you could end up having population issues in your tank if you don’t pay attention to how many Molly fry are making it to adulthood.

 

How Fast Do Guppy Fry Grow?

 

Guppy fry will grow at about the same rate as the Molly fry.

This is just another one of the similarities between Mollies and Guppies.

Make sure you have a plan for the fish in your tank once they start to reproduce and get to full size.

If you have Guppy Fry in a separate tank, to keep them safe, you must make sure they are provided proper nutrition and care.

Most of the time, Guppies and Mollies are easy to raise as long as you understand how to do it properly.

 

Conclusion

 

By now, you should have the information you need to add Mollies or Guppies to your tank.

If you want to add them both to the same tank at the same time, you can absolutely do so.

They will thrive in the same water conditions, and they will eat the same food and make the same amount of mess!

The most important thing to remember is that, if you don’t want to end up with a tank full of Mollies and Guppies, then you must introduce only the male of each species.