Birth?

[FishySarah]

She definitely had a gravid spot. I was looking for a dot on the tail, not a big blob in her belly. Well, I let her out of the net this morning. My friend was sleeping in the living room and I didn't want to wake her, so I just dumped the fish and the plants I had in the breeder net into the tank without looking (stupid, I know, but I'm new at this) and then I came back later and no more big belly, no more gravid spot. I don't see any babies. Maybe she miscarried. I feel awful. I feel its my fault.

It's also possible she had the babies and they are hiding. I have a ton of java moss in the tank. They could be hinding in there, because if they are, it would be impossible to find them. I don' t know though. I was sitting by the tank and I didn't see anything. I don't want to disturb the java moss in case they ARE hiding, though. I could stir it around a little and look for babies, but I don't know if I should do that in case they get flushed out and are eaten by the other fish. I guess I'll just wait and see.....

Any advice?

 

[xostrawberryox]

When my molly aborted it was like a long white/clear string coming out of her. depending on how big ur tank is u might be able to spot it. How is the mom now? Dont disturb the moss, leave it a while and see what happens, if they are in there they will surface eventually! x

 

[FishySarah]

When my molly aborted it was like a long white/clear string coming out of her. depending on how big ur tank is u might be able to spot it. How is the mom now? Dont disturb the moss, leave it a while and see what happens, if they are in there they will surface eventually! x

I see a short thick gray string. Might that be all that's left? I think I killed the babies by moving her into the breedign box and making her miscarry. I am so sad. What a terrible fish owner I am. Is there any possiblility one or two may have been born alive?

 

[xostrawberryox]

Welcome to the forum by the way, is she a molly or platy? Yes its likely that the gray string is her embryo sack. Remove it if you can, it will rot and possibly increase your nitrite or amonia. Breeding traps are too stressful for livebearers, putting her into a confined space will stress her and cause her to miscarry early. Its likely she will have another brood in about 4 weeks, dont use the breeder trap next time, if you do use it, only put the fry into it for a short period of time before moving them to another tank, or simply let them hide it out in your java moss.

Dont feel bad, my first fry were a tasty snack for the parents, its the way of the world...

xxx

 

[emmzer]

Welcome to the forum by the way, is she a molly or platy? Yes its likely that the gray string is her embryo sack. Remove it if you can, it will rot and possibly increase your nitrite or amonia. Breeding traps are too stressful for livebearers, putting her into a confined space will stress her and cause her to miscarry early. Its likely she will have another brood in about 4 weeks, dont use the breeder trap next time, if you do use it, only put the fry into it for a short period of time before moving them to another tank, or simply let them hide it out in your java moss.

Dont feel bad, my first fry were a tasty snack for the parents, its the way of the world...

xxx

sorry to jump in on this board but my guppie is preggers and a wk ago she had a huge long white poo...she still has her gravid spot and a huge belly...but the filter packed in and i didnt notice till my fish looked half dead have i made mine miscarry...ps sorry to hear about yr fish hope the babies emerge soon..

 

[xostrawberryox]

Hi emmzer! Sorry to hear about your filter playing up! Was it at the time of the incident that her poo came out white or a week later? If she doesnt seem to have lost any weight then it could just be something shes eaten? What are you feeding them?

 

[emmzer]

Hi emmzer! Sorry to hear about your filter playing up! Was it at the time of the incident that her poo came out white or a week later? If she doesnt seem to have lost any weight then it could just be something shes eaten? What are you feeding them?

Hi xostrawberryox,
nope she had a white poo a few wks ago...erm posted on the 6th so about then... well at that time she had a long white poo but was settling down and liked being on her own, the male was showing her alot of attention and she seemed quite annoyed by it, she was 1st to her food and just liked hiding under the rock in the dark leafy bit of the tank... i done a water change a wk later... still no babies she looked ready to pop then... filter went this weekend (16th) early hrs of and since then she has been fine, growing bigger and no white poo( she only had the long 1)... she just seems to be getting huge but now is showing no interest in being on her on...my fish are feed on... tropical fish flakes and frozen blood worm...
any help appreciated


oh ps have done a 1/3 water change and checked the stats all is fine and dandy

 

[falcodarkzz]

I never knew mollies had gravid spots...

 

[FishySarah]

I never knew mollies had gravid spots...

I don't know if mollies do. Mine was/is a platy.

 

[emmzer]

I never knew mollies had gravid spots...

I don't know if mollies do. Mine was/is a platy.

i am on about guppies so no idea if mollies have gravid spots sorry m8

 

[Annastasia]

I never knew mollies had gravid spots...

All the common Livebearers have gravid spots, it's just a question of whether you can see them or not. Mollies supposedly have thicker skin (?) which makes it harder to see it, sometimes.

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

My platty often has short grey string (poo colour depends on diet etc.) so hopefully that's all yours is.

Platty fry are excellent at hiding when first born. They can hide in the gaps between the gravel & may not be seen for a week or so. When they do come out they don't stray far from safety and will disappear quickly if disturbed. Pay particular attention to the gravel & right among the plants morning & evening times as that's when mine ventured out the most.

Finger crossed.

 

[FishySarah]

Wow, I really hope they were born. She did look ready to pop - it would seem that more than just a little gray string would come out. I don't see any dead babies. Her gravid spot is gone and so is her big belly, so I know she isn't pregnant anymore. Though I'm afraid to get my hopes up Will the babies, if there are any, be able to find food?

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

Wow, I really hope they were born. She did look ready to pop - it would seem that more than just a little gray string would come out. I don't see any dead babies. Her gravid spot is gone and so is her big belly, so I know she isn't pregnant anymore. Though I'm afraid to get my hopes up Will the babies, if there are any, be able to find food?

What substrate do you have. If it's gravel there will be enough food in it to feed an army of fry so don't worry on the score. as for the grey string, my platty had grey string 2mm thick & 4-5cm long & it was just poo. Doubt if dead babies would last long enough to be seen.

Keep a close watch & if you want to keep as many as posible then net them as soon as you see them & put them in a fry tank (12"x8"x8" or 18"x10"x10", heater & air powered sponge filter) or it that's not posible then in a floating breeder trap and let them grow to 5-6mm when they should be big enough to hold their own back in the main tank as long as the filter doesn't get them.

 

[campbellmay]

Fry are very good at hiding. One of my mollies went suddenly skinny, but there was no evidence of fry and I figured they had all been eaten. But a week later, when I did a water change and disturbed their hiding place, two popped out of nowhere. So yours might just be keeping a low profile.

What else is in your tank? It's possible that some were eaten. You're likely to have a few survivors, though. Keep an eye out.