# Black Mollies and Shrimp



## koldsoup

Are you planning to breed the shrimp? Even if the mollies don't bother the current shrimp, they will most likely make a snack of any babies swimming around.


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## mattycakesclark

I currently have several adults and a swarm of juvie mollys and 7 BA tetras in my 20T, with cherry shrimp. There are plenty of baby shrimps, but I have a huge tangle of moss for them to hide. 

But I have caught one eating a baby shrimp once. They eat anything I put into my tank, and often are slurping up surface film or picking algae off moss.

I would not suggest expensive shrimp with them.


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## lauraleellbp

IME mollies have pretty strong feeding responses, and I suspect that they'd be very capable of pulling shrimp apart to eat them.


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## Brittz620

Thanks for all of your input. I had not really considered the baby shrimp, and would definitely like to keep them around  I will probably not go with the mollies even though I <3 them so dearly.


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## Gatekeeper

Here is the answer for you. I have a 20 gallon grow out tank. Had about four black mollies in there temporarily for a day or so. Tank was full of red cherrys. Pulled fish and apparently, while in there they spawned. One black molly has been free swimming in the tank for about four months. _I have never fed the fish. _

Hows that for an answer? 

(Now black mollies will pick at algae, but I can tell you for sure that the RCS population has dropped off considerably)


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## dj2606

not ever feeding the fish? what else was he to eat?


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## Gatekeeper

dj2606 said:


> not ever feeding the fish? what else was he to eat?


First time I realized there was a fish in there was at least a month or so after I pulled those other fish. I figured if he survived that long, why stop now.


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## pagemee

The guy that gave me the new tank set up is trying to give away a ton of mollies, let me know if you want them in the future, pretty sure he has every color.


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## kamikaziechameleon

I had sailfin mollies with cherry shrimp for about 6 months before moving the mollies. They acknowledged the shrimp. Frequently would display at the shrimp when spawning. The shrimp was not impressed. 

I can imagine them eating shrimp but really in my experience if its a planted tank they are primarily herbivores with a preference towards algae. I'd skip feeding for a week and they would just clean off all my plants, then start in on rotten plant matter. Never saw feeding aggression towards my shrimp. 

If you have amano shrimp don't worry. Cherries... I think you'd be alright assuming its a planted tank of 40 gallons of larger. I'm certain they would damage the reproduction of a shrimp colony, but honestly 90 percent of shrimp safe fish will feed on the shrimp spawn.


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