Pregnant Molly?!

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kayla21renae

New Fish
#1
Jan 26, 2012
6
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#1
I have a silver lyretail molly and i think she is pregnant! I noticed that she looked bigger a couple weeks ago and im wondering if anyone could tell me if she is and how far along she is. I was thinking about putting her in a floating breeder but i dont want to stress her out.

I have attached a picture so you can see. Let me know ASAP please!

Kayla

get-attachment.jpg
 

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Thyra

Superstar Fish
#2
Jun 2, 2010
1,891
0
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Yelm, WA
#2
From what I can see, it looks like you have a very well decorated tank and there should be lots of places for fry. You don't say what else is in the tank or how big it is, but I, personally, would leave her alone. She does look like she could be PG but I am not the expert on that. What I will say is how many mollies do you want and do you have a plan for them? You don't really want to over stock you tank, so these things need to be considered and sometimes survival of the fittest is your best option.
 

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kayla21renae

New Fish
#3
Jan 26, 2012
6
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#3
Here is a picture of my tank!
get-attachment (1).jpg

It is a 20 gallon tank.
Here are the fish that i have:
3 mollies (1 balloon belly)
3 zebra danio
2 neon tetras
3 cory catfsih
1 golden wonder killie
1 crab
1 snail

I know i already have a pretty stocked tank so i dont want to keep a lot of the fry (maybe just one or two), but i have friends with tanks that could take the others.
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#4
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#4
If you don't want to set up another tank dedicated to raising molly fry, I would just let the molly be. The tankmates (and mumma!) will eat the tiny fry, but a few may survive, just as happens in the wild. If you want, you can add another small leaf plant, like hornwort or even a bunch of java moss, for the fry to hide in until they are bigger . . . .
Personally I feel that putting fish into breeder's nets can stress them unduly, causing miscarriage or even death . . . .
 

O

OrangeCones

Elite Fish
#7
Feb 27, 2009
4,395
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#7
kayla21renae - Hiding could be a sign of the birthing process, but could also be a sign something may be wrong with the water quality. If it were me, I'd double check the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels and keep up on water changes. Little ones need extra clean water!
 

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kayla21renae

New Fish
#8
Jan 26, 2012
6
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0
#8
i just did a 25% water change this past weekend and the water levels are all good! hopefully she's be dropping the fry soon! Needless to say, I'm excited!

Also wondering, would it be okay so put the fry in a floating breeder net after they are dropped? I agree that i dont want to put the mom in before birth because i dont want to stress her out, but would it be okay for the fry to live in there a couple weeks so they dont get eaten?
 

lauraf

lauraf

Superstar Fish
#9
Jan 1, 2010
2,181
0
0
Vancouver, British Columbia
#9
You can keep the fry in a breeder's net for a short while, but they need more than a couple weeks before they will grow big enough to completely escape the risk of being eaten in the main tank; and being in a small container can stunt their growth. You can totally do it, and it will be fun to watch them develop, but eventually you should release them in the main tank or, for best chance of survival - if your really really want to raise them* - a tank of their own.

*No dis on raising fry. It's cool. But there will likely be lots of opportunities to do so if you are keeping livebearers. They are prolific.
 

SlateSpider

SlateSpider

Large Fish
#10
Dec 5, 2011
268
0
0
Walla Walla, Washington
#10
My molly had babies almost 2 months ago. I bought her pregnant, she gave birth a few days later, I rescued 13, and now I have 8 left. At first I had to do SOMETHING, because I didn't know if I should save them or let them try to survive! I tried a whole bunch of things (including a spaghetti jar, a breeder net, a divider, and a 5.5g tank!), I guess I was just panicking, but I just wanted them to survive!

If you want to keep some or all of them, I would either get a breeder net, divider or another small tank. It will be a few weeks until they are bigger than bite-sized pieces, but once they are big enough not to fit in anyone's mouth, you can let them into the whole tank with the rest of the fish.

The above is my opinion and my experiences (just to let you know), so not all will be something a professional breeder would advise...
 

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kayla21renae

New Fish
#11
Jan 26, 2012
6
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#11
So this morning I was using my gravel vacuum and after I was done I noticed a baby in the filter bag on the vacuum! I know.. Sad. So I looked around and found one baby which I caught and put in a breeder box. It died after a few hours. Anyways she hasn't had any more fry yet. So I'm wondering if the gravel vacuum scared her and she had a couple? I'd that possible?
 

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kayla21renae

New Fish
#14
Jan 26, 2012
6
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0
#14
So yesterday i was sure she was going to drop her fry because she looked completely squared off. Last night she went from secluding herself and staying at the top near the heater or filter, so actually swimming around. I noticed she would swim and kind of sink so her belly would hit the ground then swim back up. I wasnt really sure if this was normal behavior but i read it could be a sign that she was about to give birth! Then right before i went to bed i noticed her just sitting on the bottom and her breathing was very weird. She would breathe normal...stop for a couple seconds.. then breathe hard. I figured this was part of the normal birthing process but i was still worried. Then she swam into the cave and was hiding out in the bottom of there. This morning when i woke up she was still in the bottom of the cave, in the same spot, dead.. Sad news :( I'm just wondering why she died before giving birth? I have heard of them dying after birth, but not before.. I didn't put her in a breeder because i didnt want to stress her out and kill her but it looks like it wouldnt have mattered anyways. Now i have no mamma and no babies! :(
 

M

Midknight

New Fish
#15
Feb 13, 2012
3
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#15
So sorry for your loss. Each fish has their own stress levels. I have had several friends tell me they have fish die because of pregnancy complications. Some fish get stressed out due to the fact they have so many babies. Some die due to harassment causing miscarriages
 

SlateSpider

SlateSpider

Large Fish
#16
Dec 5, 2011
268
0
0
Walla Walla, Washington
#16
My 2 black mollies gave birth within a week of eachother, and now I have to find something to do with 28 fry...

The mother who last gave birth died the day after she had the babies. :(

I'm keeping the fry in the 5.5g tank, but once they get older, I will sell most to the pet store, then give a few to my friends (hopefully...)
 

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