Gender of baby mollies

[CANOECRAZY_2002]

Hi all. I believe I asked this question under different sub-forum before, but here goes anyway. My Black mollies and my dalmation mollies have had many babies (some are new born, about 30, and 4 black and 2 dalmation adolescents?about 2 months). It seems to me that I cannot see any males out of ALL of these. That seems a little crazy, and I would have thought gonopodiums would have started to develop on the more mature ones, maybe I am too impatient . Is there any conditions i need to change to promote some males to be born? 0 ammonia and nitrites, ph of 7.7, temperature steady around 80-81. thanks all

 

[colesea]

I don't know about molly gender being determined by temperature.

I have heard rummors that you can get a domiant female to turn into a "super" male if the population is all female. Add a male to a mainly female population for a time then remove him. And then leave the females alone. Apparently the largest female will turn male. Don't know how long this takes.

There is also such a thing as "late blooming" males who do not develop secondary sexual characteristics until they are very mature due to supression by a more dominate male in the tank. This may be where the "female to male" rummors have started.

Your fish may not be large enough/mature enough to develop secondary sexual characteristics yet. What are they in? Developing fry should be given as much room as possible. Crowding fry into a small enclosure or tank can hinder their development, and they will not reach full growth size.

~~Colesea

 

[CANOECRAZY_2002]

Thanks Colesea. I will post results to board once they mature so there is also some extra reference material for people in future, can't hurt huh? Also I had them when first born in a decent sized breeding net, and now have them in their own seperate 10 gallon tank on their own, until they are large enough to get them to my lfs. Black and Dalmation mollies and very healthy, my black lyretail molly had one before i left the house this morning, she has them a very healthy uneatable size right off the bat, the baby was swimming at top feeding on FLAKES with others right away. Crazy.