Chubby Molly

[Kairi]

I know you are supposed to be able to see a black spot by their anal fin when they are pregnant, except she's black marble.... but she's gotten very chubby since I've brought her home. It's not the best picture, but she doesn't like the camera very much.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Mollys don't usually show gravid patchs as their skin is quite thick, but i think i can safely say she's most likely pregnant . Are her scales sticking out at all(hard to tell in pics)? make sure she doesn't have dropsy.

 

[Kairi]

Are her scales sticking out at all(hard to tell in pics)? make sure she doesn't have dropsy.

No, her scales aren't sticking out... she looks normal to me, just chubby. Only weird thing is she's still enamoured with the air line and the bubbles.

 

[Annastasia]

Haha, my fish play in them all the time. Especially the Guppies...they go to the bottom and ride them up.

Anyway, I agree with Toxis...she's pregnant.

 

[Kairi]

do I need anything special for her? floating plant? a better hiding place? anything?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Well your tank is quite small, so aiming to save lots of fry will probably overstock your tank considering mollys can have up to a 100+, soo....I would just buy some extra plants to create a nicely densely planted corner in the tank where she can give birth in peace, the fry will also instinctively hide in the planted area once they are born as well .
Make sure she's getting a varied diet as well so she will be in excellant health when she gives birth, mollys like alot of veg in their diets so giving her some foods like cucumber, tomato and algae wafers will be beneficial and maybe some high protein foods as well like prawns, mucles, cockels, daphinia, tubifex, bloodworms, krill etc- make sure you don't overfeed her or the other fish as well and keep up on those regular water changes with dechglorinator as it'll help encourage her to give birth .

 

[Kairi]

They get blood worms on Sundays.... and about twice a week I drop in tiny pieces of algae wafer- but I'll get some other stuff too for her.

Honestly, I wasn't hoping to get a pregnant fishie.... but what can I do? I guess I'll just end up getting a larger tank *if* she really is pregnant and gives birth.

 

[metfan581]

do I need anything special for her? floating plant? a better hiding place? anything?

"a better hiding place" sounds good to me or an empty tank
however, the stress of switching tanks migh lead her to giving birth

 

[Kairi]

do they have to be live plants? i can get her some extra fake ones....

 

[Annastasia]

No, they don't have to be live. Dense plastic ones, and even floating plastic ones will all be fine.

 

[Kairi]

We got a little floating breeder "net" (although it's more like a tiny tank) ... when do I put her in there? Am I going to end up having an endless supply of mollies? [it's not a bad thing- I just realized I could end up having hundreds of fish]

 

[Annastasia]

I wouldn't put her in there. Mollies are really too big for those, and if put in there, they can get very stressed out which can lead to aborting the fry, or have birthing difficulties. You can stick the fry in there once she's had them, though.

You probably will end up with an endless supply. You could try doing survival of the fittest to cut down on some if you want.

 

[Kairi]

You mean not putting any of them in the little tiny breeder net/tank thing?

 

[Annastasia]

I mean not putting the female in. Putting the fry in to grow them up a bit is fine.

 

[Kairi]

Ok. trying to catch them might be fine once they are born..... I've only got a 10 gal tank for the next 5 mos- so I really don't need lots of fishies swimming around.