Giving Birth Naturally

[TheSims3Dude]

This is a pic of my tank currently:

Do you think that's enough cover for the fry in about 2-4 weeks when they come? I mean, I'd rather like the mama give birth naturally, not to stress her out, but I'd like to keep all the babies alive if I can, without getting eaten, (as I'm selling most of them to my LFS)
I have 2 female mollies, and 1 male, those are the only fish in the tank (10 US gallons)
What do you think? Will doing it naturally be okay? Even if I get 10 fish or so grown up, that's fine with me! (both females are preggo) you can see in my other post, again, sorry to bug ya guys, just need to plan ahead, My other option was to use a big breeder box (it can hold like 2-3 females)
But just to let her give birth I mean, will the babies grow faster in the main tank anyways?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mattlee]

if your keeping the fry in that tank you might want to cover up the inlet for the filter as they will get sucked into it
also fry in my experience of any species of fish do better in their own tank, this way you can give them plenty of clean water and they arent in competition over food with the parents and other inhabitants of the tank and most of all nothing can eat them....! also any fry that dont make it can easilly be spotted and removed. it also gives you better viewing on the surviving fry for deformaties etc as they will be out and about instead of under a plant or ornament. a small sponge filter is ideal for a fry tank as it wont harm the fish

 

[Harlequins]

It would be good to have some more plants for the fry to hide in,TBH if they both had large drops then the tank won't be big enough to handle a vast amount.
Plus you would be better putting a sponge over your intake on the filter,or small fry will get sucked up...

Good luck

 

[TheSims3Dude]

I changed my filter right now, lol (back to the old one) it's the tetra whisper? something like that, it has the slits instead of the suction thing, I've had that one when fry were born in it, and they were fine,
I would get a tank just for the fry, but I've got no room unfortunately, so the parents have to stay in there with them, if I buy another plant, the parents won't mind right? I mean, do mollies like lots of plants in the tank?

EDIT:
I don't really mind how many babies they have, I'm gonna sell them anyways,
it's just to let them grow up

 

[mattlee]

I changed my filter right now, lol (back to the old one) it's the tetra whisper? something like that, it has the slits instead of the suction thing, I've had that one when fry were born in it, and they were fine,
I would get a tank just for the fry, but I've got no room unfortunately, so the parents have to stay in there with them, if I buy another plant, the parents won't mind right? I mean, do mollies like lots of plants in the tank?

EDIT:
I don't really mind how many babies they have, I'm gonna sell them anyways,
it's just to let them grow up

im sure they wont mind a few more plants....

 

[TheSims3Dude]

okay, I'm not sure if I have the money for a new plant right now, (as I'm not working) but I put the "Leaf Zone" plant food in, I've used it before and it greatly made the plants grow, (as I have a few weeks before the fry are born anyways) It should give me plenty of time
Will the parents be okay in there with the fry though? I don't have any more room for a fry tank
I only have like a 900 square foot house I think, and the fish tank is in my room currently,..

 

[mattlee]

okay, I'm not sure if I have the money for a new plant right now, (as I'm not working) but I put the "Leaf Zone" plant food in, I've used it before and it greatly made the plants grow, (as I have a few weeks before the fry are born anyways) It should give me plenty of time
Will the parents be okay in there with the fry though? I don't have any more room for a fry tank
I only have like a 900 square foot house I think, and the fish tank is in my room currently,..

i dont think there is a choice so they will have to try and grow up in the same tank....

it might be worth putting the plant towards the rear right corner so itsaway from the filter and in a corner i will cover up more space for the fry to hide

 

[TheSims3Dude]

Okay, I'll have to put some money aside and buy another plant next week!

 

[chesterscot]

hi where you from I can post you some spare moss if your uk

pm me if so
regards scot

 

[TheSims3Dude]

Darn! I live in Canada, thanks though Scot! That's really nice of you!

 

[OldMan47]

If you work on getting your plant growing it will fill the tank and make a good place for fry to hide. I have used those plants as cover in the past and found them quite good for preserving fry.

 

[TheSims3Dude]

Nice! Yes, I think they were called Hornwort & Cambomba? Something to that effect
lol

 

[OldMan47]

I could not think of the name earlier but the one that I find useful is hornwort. The cabomba/elodea has larger leaves unless I am mixing things up again.

 

[TheSims3Dude]

Yepp, the one in the front (the big one) is hornwort, I remember now, and the other one said cambomba, I always seem to get those plants, although, petsmart near my house (bout 15 min away) doesn't really have a good selection of plants

 

[rhstranger]

My platy babies all hide in hornwort quite a bit. They love tucking away in Java Moss too.