Babies......

[cpsdad]

I bought a couple female mollies only yesterday and it would appear that one was pregnant! Have spotted a few tiny fish knocking about.
Obviously i wasnt expecting to have this happen so soon and was totally unaware that my new addition was 'with child', but how likely are they to survive?
Theres a few small plants that provide cover for them,but am concerned theyll just be picked off by the rest of my fish? Is there anything i can do to give them a better chance?

 

[9murphy9]

if you want them to live seperate them

 

[cpsdad]

wont be until tomorro now but thought that might be the only way.
Just have to hope that they can make it thru the night then. Its hard enough to spot them though, reckon catching them may prove difficult. is it near impossible for them to survive?
Also out of curiosity, how many is there likely to be?

 

[9murphy9]

I've seen up to 50 but it could be just a few,if i leave them in my temp 10 gallon there gone in a few hourss,you might be okay because it's the night but get them out asap i hope you can save a few,you may be able to give them to a lfs if you can't keep them

Alex

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Livebearers- all you need to do to get babies is this: Add water!

Seriously, the females will store the sperm from a single encounter with a male for about 3 different spawnings, each spaced out about 6 weeks apart. That's a LOT of babies. If you aren't successful with this brood, just count down the weeks and try again in a few weeks. There is a great thread regarding what they look like just before spawning in the Livebearers section.

 

[cpsdad]

I managed to find just 4 babies.
Theyre happily growing stronger in a floating breeding pot and seem to be well.
How big must they be to be able to fend for themselves? They seem expert hiders as i found these ones all hiding in crevices within/under bogwood but dont want to release them to community just for them to disappear

 

[PrairieSunflower]

Wait until they are big enough not to fit in the mouths of other fish.

 

[cpsdad]

So as long as they cant fit in the mouths of other fish theyll be good? Fend for themselves ok and be able to compete for food etc?

 

[LucyB]

By the way you can feed them crushed flake, they need to be fed 3 or 4 times a day it's really important, I have lost many fry because I only fed them once a day like the adults.

 

[cpsdad]

Ok thanks for the advice. I will do that.
All advice is welcomed so cheers!

 

[barlow1984]

I'm in the same boat with my Guppys, my 2 females must have been pregnant when I got them. The first has given birth but it looks like something ate them all
The second is still 'with child' so I've got myself a little floating breeder to see if any will survive. I'm not overly interested in breeding at the moment but my kids seem to like the idea of baby fish! Hopefully we can get a few to survive.

This is the link people mentioned before, it's really good!
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/253113-how-to-know-if-your-livebearers-ready-to-drop-fry-updated-150412/

 

[PrairieSunflower]

As long as you don't have aggressive fish in you tank the rule of them being bigger than other fish mouths works.

I have platies at the moment and I feed Tetra Mini for the babies 3 times a day (wet the end of a toothpick and dip it in the food and portion it that way), it sinks fast enough for the babies to eat and my 3 bigger fish clean the top of the water. I am feeding the three bigger fish once per day... as the babies grow they start trying to eat some of the bigger flakes and such... once I know they can eat some of those larger foods I drop their baby food feedings by one and let them fend for themselves for that one meal that is shared.

 

[cpsdad]

Ah thanks. Sounds like some good advice!
I dont have any aggressive fish, only danios mollies and guppies at moment so should be ok.
Ill keep them separated until such a time i think theyll fend for themselves.
Thanks everyone for input

 

[eaglesaquarium]

One issue with the breeder nets is lack of circulation... And airstone might not be a bad idea in there, with a very low level of air moving through it (you can use a knot in the airline tube to cut down the air that gets through to the airstone.