Female Better With Molly Fry?

[Debbie_19]

I have 3 black molly fry at the moment that i am thinking about realising into my main tank. They are 4 weeks and 5 days old and i am wanting to realise them when they turn 5 weeks.

Do you think a female betta would be able to fit them in her mouth? They are probably just a tiny bit under 1 inch long from head to tail. I tried realesing them last week when they turned 4 weeks old but the female betta kept following them eveywhere, which made me a bit nervous. She might just be wanting to investigate what they were because she has done this in the past when i have added new fish into her tank. She follows them around for a day and then doesn't bother with them at all. I think the fry may actually be too fast for her too.

But any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Glod]

It doesn't have to fit the Bettas mouth for the Betta to kill it. It may be that she is just curious, but Mollies are brightly coloured fish, she may see them as possible threats to her territory.

You can see the size of the fry, and the size of the Betta, if she can catch them, she may eat them. Or she may just investigate, lose interest and go back to "doing her thing". It's nigh impossible to predict, but personally I wouldn't mix them. I've just seen my Betta kill one of the shrimp he's shared his cube with for the last 6 months . Now I have to go try and catch the other two to protect them.

 

[kewskills]

bettas are pretty slow and molly fry are pretty quick, as long as they have a few places to hide it should be OK

 

[Debbie_19]

Ok thanks. My molly's aren't brightly coloured they are just black. No other colour in them at all. I have a few rocks with holes in them and some big leafed plants so hopefully they should be ok. They place the fry are in the moment are getting too small and it is probably a bit cruel to keep them in there. My betta will hopefully lose interest with them. She has done with every other fish.

Thank you

 

[girl4God81]

I disagree that thye won't be eaten. I have had my betta eat my platy AND molly fry. If they wiggle, and are smaller, the betta will want it. My betta was eating a platy that was about 2 months old, plenty large enough to be in the main tank. While it was too large to eat in one bite, he ate several before I could get to them by tearing them into shreds. I would definately not suggest it.