Help Please! Pregnant Balloon Molly?

[Meggie :)]

Hi...
I'm new so I'm sorry if something I say or do is unclear

I just bought 2 female balloon mollies from the petstore about 3 or 4 days ago. I'm pretty sure the gray one might be pretty pregnant, but I'm not completely sure, especially since I never saw her before she was this big. If what I think to be her gravid spot really is a gravid spot, it's almost black and it is awefully big. She eats a ton and never stops pooping. She chases around the black female balloon molly sometimes, but she isn't agressive. Often I see her hoving near the top of the plant with leaves all around her so it's kind of hard to see her sometimes, or sometimes I'll see her hovering near the filter. I don't think she really hovers at the bottom of the tank very much, though. But she still swims around alot. More often than not I see her darting up and down in the tank, nibbling at the top of the water (if that makes sense) then spitting out the bubbles, and trying to eat algae. I fed her blood worms last night.

Does she look pregnant and if she does, then about how long-ish until she has her babies...?

Here are a few pictures...let me know if any more are needed

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gytas]

anyway of getting bigger pictures?

 

[Meggie :)]

I tried to I had to make the pictures smaller just to get them to fit...haha...I guess I can post them one by one

The first one is a little blurry but these arent

Are these better?

 

[fluttermoth]

If your mollies have ever been in a tank with males, they will be pregnant! They can also store sperm for around six months, so even if there's no male around now, they could still produce a lot of fry...

My more immediate concern is, is your tank cycled (ie; has the filter grown a good bacterial colony)? If it hasn't, then fry are the least of your worries, as the fish will be poisoning themselves with their own wastes.

Keep testing for ammonia and nitrites, and if you ever get any readings above zero do a large water change to keep them down.

Don't use a breeding trap or anything like that; they are very stressful for the mother fish and can cause her to miscarry; add a nice big clump of fine leaved pond weed, like elodea or cabomba for the fry to hide in and eat from

 

[micko]

She looks like she's about to pop alright.

 

[Meggie :)]

I have had my tank for 2 and a half years and my chemicals have always been perfect for more than 2 years...I just got the water tested, too. I don't have any balloon molly males in my tank right now but they were with some when I bought them a few days ago...I wouldn't use a breeder net but I would like to know since I have to find someone to take them if she does happen to be having them soon...I have a store to give them to but it's about an hour away if not more and I would like to give them to someone who I know will take care of them..


Does she look pretty pregnant to you right now?

Thank you for responding!

 

[fluttermoth]

I just wanted to make sure, sorry for all the questions!

She does look pregnant, but all balloon mollies do to me; they're not a fish I have any experience with. What other fish do you have in the tank? As with other fish and the mollies (who will eat their own babies; they really are that stupid!) unless you actively go out of your way to give the fry places to hide you won't get too many.

 

[micko]

I find a bit of natural stone floor slate works well in the bottom of the tank for fry to hide. I just use the gravel to make a dip where only fry can get to. There's only livebeaers in that tank anyway.
As already stated, plenty of cover, live or even fake plant works well. Lots of it too.

 

[Meggie :)]

Unfortunately i just had a really really bad case of ick in my tank recently...it was aweful...All of my fish died but all my chemicals remained perfect. I spent so much money treating it and followed all the instructions given to me but they all died. 2 ghost shrimp lived, though. I let the tank run for a few weeks with just the two shrimp and kept treating it for it just to make sure it was all gone. The temperature was raised a little, too during that time. I went to the pet store to get my water tested and to see if new fish were okay yet and I was told to add them slowly, like 2 or 3 at a time until i reach the maximum amount. So far everything is fine; the chemicals are all perfect. I currently have 4 ghost shrimp, one with eggs, and 2 female balloon mollies. I am not planning on keeping more than at least 2 of the fry if my molly really is pregnant. I have a fallback family owned store to give them to, but I would like to know about when-ish she will have them so I can start trying to find friends to take them

Oh and I have a big plant where 10 fry were able to hide last time. And I just recently added another one. Unfortunately they are both plastic, but they work i guess

 

[micko]

I would strongly suggest you buying your own test kit. Its worth it in the long run and you'll know for sure what's what in your tank then. I wouldn't trust any LFS on telling me my water stats.

 

[Meggie :)]

Yes I think I am going to get a tester kit soon. About how long-ish do you think it will be until she might have her fry? Should I post more pictures?