Baby Fish! Where did they come from?

[Stickyrabbit]

I have just discovered 3 tiny new fish in my tank. My guess is they are mollies I have 2 dalmations and 1 black the male is a dalmation. Although they were all supposed tyo be Female.

What do I feed them?

Do they need special treatment?

Any other useful advice would be welocme

 

[Stickyrabbit]

Oh Yes what is the gestation period for live bearing fish (Mollies).

 

[GSD]

put them in a breeder net or the parents or any fish in the tank will eat them!feed them VERY finely rushed flakes

 

[Stickyrabbit]

Great Thanks very much.

What is a breeding net and how does it work?

Also how many offspring to live bearers usually have?

 

[Annastasia]

A breeding net is a net you hang on the side of the tank, with mesh all around it. It looks like this.
That way, you can isolate the fry, so they won't get eaten, and also so they can get food.

I've found livebearers usally have 15-50 babies, but I think it really depends on the fish.

 

[nc_nutcase]

ya mean the stork doesn't bring them?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

There are certain foods available made specifically for fry but it depends on how developed the fry are; if they are very little it is best to feed them off liquid foods like liquifry no.1 or powder foods like TetraMinfry as they are very nutritious and are easier for the fry to digest; you can feed them off fish flakes practically from the start but you may run the risk of the fry eating peices too large for them to handle and end up choking on them.
I would agree with getting a breeding net/trap which are available in practically all lfs's and will give the fry a secure place to grow up in but remember to place the net in a place in the tank that isn't directly under the tank lights but still has a good flow of water from the filter; it may be worth while putting some pieces of plant in the net for the fry to hide in to make them feel more secure.
Alternatavly if your tank is doesn't realy have enough space for a breeding net since you have so few fry you can put them in a net suspended in the tank with a stone in it weighting the net down.
It is important to keep the net clean so scoop out any poo that starts to build up in it and scrub the net with a sponge in the sink if it starts to get slime/algae building up on it.

 

[Stickyrabbit]

Thanks for all the assistance and advice.

I was suprised to find fry in my tank. I specifically asked for only female fish when buying. I did notice that as one of my Mollies got older she was in fact a he paid did not give it much further thought until now.

I have 9 fry in a new net nursery and there are 3 more who continue to evade capture. I figure if they are that hard to catch they will probably survive anyway.

Thanks again.

 

[charmd2]

Are you absoultely sure you have a male? Because Livebearers can get pregnant and hold fertilized eggs for upwards of six months or so. Basically they could have gotten pregnant at the lfs, or the breeder and just now giving birth in your tank. Once they start they don't stop. Every 28 days or so they give birth again.

Unless you have tons of room to keep fry, leave them free, no breeder net, and the mother will probally eat a large portion of them before you even know they are there. Population control.

 

[lilfishie]

mollies dont eat fry very often at my LFS there was a tank of balloon mollies and about 30+ fry in there and the fry were swimming out in the open but most other fish will eat them

 

[OohFeeshy]

ya mean the stork doesn't bring them?

Well... I suppose you have to be told sometime.... What happens is- A mummy fish and a Daddy fish get certain urges....