Transporting a Molly: bagging, acclimatisation, moving
Molly : Warm bag transport is essential, as it copes poorly with temperature drops. Gradual acclimation of 30 to 45 minutes, especially if water hardness differs.
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In short: 6 to 10 cm as an adult, 100 L minimum for a group, hard water between 24 and 28 °C. Active, sociable and a keen grazer, it enlivens the surface and decor all day in a female-dominant group. It needs warm, hard, alkaline water: in soft acidic water it quickly develops the shimmying disease.
Bringing home or moving a Molly
A double-layered transport bag one-third water, two-thirds air, slipped into an opaque bag or cool box: darkness calms, insulation protects from swings away from its 24 to 28°C comfort zone. Split the group of 5+ across several bags: less ammonia per bag, fewer losses if one fails.
Acclimatisation: the critical step
On arrival, float the bag 20 minutes to equalise temperature, then add tank water in small doses over 30 to 45 minutes, and release with a net without pouring bag water into the tank. In this species, a botched transfer is paid for in bouts of shimmying disease in unsuitable water. The first day happens lights-off — darkness defuses the sometimes muscular curiosity of the residents.
Moving an entire aquarium
A successful move rests on three precautions: fish in covered buckets, the filter never dried out (damp cool box — it houses your bacteria), and a same-day restart using original water saved in jerrycans. The tank itself travels EMPTY: glass stressed by a few leftover litres cracks at the first corner.
Frequently asked questions
How long can a Molly handle transport?
A few hours easily in a proper bag, up to 24 hours in an oxygenated professional bag. Past two hours, protect the temperature above all.
How do you acclimatise a Molly safely?
Float the bag 20 minutes, add tank water gradually over 30 to 60 minutes, release with a net, lights off the first day — and never pour bag water into the tank.
The guides that apply to you
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