Does my Molly look pregnant?

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jamiegrant1

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Hi,
Looking for some help if possible. One of my mollies looks huge compared to the others. Do you think she's pregnant or just well fed?!
We have moved her into a hatchery as we aren't sure if she's ready to drop or pop.
Any advice greatly appreciated!
Jamie
IMG-20200912-WA0000.jpg
 
I bred platies (mostly by accident as I woke up to fry, but I need them several times afterward), but it seems as if she is pregnant. What was the tank size/set up? What was the female to male ratio? How long has she been this big? What is the feeding schedule?
 
She's a stunning fish. If you weren't so far away, I'd be looking to get some of her offspring! Gorgeous colours.

Yes, she looks gravid to me. I wouldn't keep her in the breeder box though. Those are really stressful for the mother, and stress can lead to labour complications. Better to add a load of floating plant to the tank like a big bunch of elodea or hornwort, or even suction cup some fake plants to the tank so they're at the surface, and let her give birth in the main tank. If the fry can hide in planting, they stand a better chance of not being eaten, and you can net them into the breeder box. Better to lose a few fry than to lose the female, or have her lose all the fry.
 
The tank is 260l juwel Rio 240
pH 7.2
Ammo 0
Nitite 0
Nitrate 5-10
Temp 26C
There is one male and two female we got them with two 50l tanks that we bought 2nd hand she has got chubby rather quickly in the last week I'd say.
I feed twice a day flake food but put a frozen blood worm in twice a week and pleco wafers every night.
they share the tank with.
2x dwarf gourami
5x harlequin raspbora
13x neon Tetra
And one large pleco
 
Definitely pregnant. My momma platy is pretty much same. I left her in the main tank but collected her fry and put them in the box for 2 weeks so it was easier to feed them, then they joined the main tank. I put lots of floating plants in their incubation box and they loved it. Fed crushed pellets 2-3 times a day. Floating plants in main tank and plenty of hiding spaces.
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She's a stunning fish. If you weren't so far away, I'd be looking to get some of her offspring! Gorgeous colours.

Yes, she looks gravid to me. I wouldn't keep her in the breeder box though. Those are really stressful for the mother, and stress can lead to labour complications. Better to add a load of floating plant to the tank like a big bunch of elodea or hornwort, or even suction cup some fake plants to the tank so they're at the surface, and let her give birth in the main tank. If the fry can hide in planting, they stand a better chance of not being eaten, and you can net them into the breeder box. Better to lose a few fry than to lose the female, or have her lose all the fry.
I have put her back in the main tank as she wasn't looking too happy in there I'll just keep an eye out for some fry soon I guess ☺️
 
I have put her back in the main tank as she wasn't looking too happy in there I'll just keep an eye out for some fry soon I guess ☺
When her tummy becomes square like then she's ready. It's like the bottom stops curving and looks like a straight line. Then other fish will follow her closely, she'll look for a covered area to drop.
 
I have put her back in the main tank as she wasn't looking too happy in there I'll just keep an eye out for some fry soon I guess ☺
Please keep us updated! I think it's likely to be pretty soon, although I find it trickier to tell with mollies than guppies or platies. Or at least, my mollies. The photo you shared where you can see her gravid spot, I bet if you looked closely, in person, you'd stand a chance of being able to see the eyes of the fry.

Look up the signs of labour in mollies, then keep an eye on her, should help alert you when they're on the way! They can continue birthing over a couple of days sometimes, but mine are usually finished within the day. I find it easiest to open the tank lid and check the surface for tiny movements - healthy livebearer fry usually go to the surface when first born, hence floating plants being a suggestion, so check there first thing in the morning and before you go to bed for the best shot of getting to them first.

If you keep the adults well fed too (without overfeeding or polluting the tank of course!) then they're also less likely to be bothered chasing down fry. Lots of hiding spaces, well fed, lazy adults, and the fry stand a good chance of making it. My community tank has plenty of other fish including a gourami, but tons of fry survive in there with no extra help other than it's well planted. I don't even bother with breeder boxes or nets anymore:)
 

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