How Will I Know When My Mollie Is Due To Give Birth?

[Jozlyn]

Just wondering if there were any "tell tale" signs of impending birth?

We've had her for about 8 weeks now, she started to get fat about a week after we got her, so I'm assuming she's pregnant!

I don't have a spare tank to keep the fry in, and although there are some hiding places in the main tank, there are not really that many. There are plenty of plants but I can't really see that they will supply much cover.

Can the fry go in with my Betta? Or will he just eat them?

 

[Amunet]

Betta would probably just eat the fry if you put them in there. You could get a breeders net or a breeder box.

 

[kribensis12]

When she looks almost block shaped means about 5 hours before birth in my experience. You might get more help in the livebearers section.

 

[Jozlyn]

I'll probably have to, although I'm not keen on them, after what I've read on here.

Also, how quickly will I be able to tell what colour they are? I'm guessing she'll probably have different colours, even though she's a dalmation she has some gold shading on her.

And, how big are they when they are born and what will they look like? I have no idea what I'm supposed to be looking for in the tank!

 

[kribensis12]

When they are born they will already be full of color( unlike swords, platys, and guppies). They will be about 6mm long( depends on how big the mom is. I would put her in a breeder to keep them and it is better so the mom isnt begged for sex right after birth.

 

[Jozlyn]

She wont be hassled as I have no male Mollies. She was pregnant when I got her! She's about 6.5 - 7 cm's, does that mean the fry will be even smaller? LoL I wont be able to see them!

Will she stop her usual swimming around and head for a corner to have them, or will she just keep swimming, swimming, swimming? and have them like she's having a poo?

 

[sic0198]

She'll go to the bottom and hover over the substrate. Get some grass to float in the tank the babies will go tp that.

 

[Jozlyn]

Hmmm don't have any grass, will take weeks to get any through LFS

 

[millym]

can you float some of the plants you already have at the top of the tank? or do you have silk or other plants that you could float up there for the babies this will give the fry some cover. as said just before mollies give birth they get very 'box shaped' /square looking especially when you're looking at her from her back end. and all the mollie bubs we have had are usually around 5-6mm when born .
good luck

 

[theotheragentm]

There are no exact signs of pregnancy that lead to exact times of when a birth will take place. Fish commonly birth along the substrate, but I've seen my fish birth at the top. There is no exact place they birth, but generally they like to hide away, which is the reason for hiding along the substrate.

Fry don't need plants to hide in specifically. Drop some marbles into the tank and line then up near each other. The fry can hide in between the spaces of the marbles that the adult fish can't get in between. If you don't have marbles, almost anything will work as long as it doesn't decompose. For temporary hiding places, you can even put string tied together in bunches to float on the top for the fry to hide in as well. I would change out string weekly as I don't know what is commonly found in string, although I doubt it would be bad for the aquarium.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

If you use string you also have to make sure you either boil it or wash it in really hot water first. And make sure it isn't any colored string as the dye can come off and go into the water

 

[theotheragentm]

If you use string you also have to make sure you either boil it or wash it in really hot water first. And make sure it isn't any colored string as the dye can come off and go into the water

It's a good idea to boil anything you are going to put into your tank, but dye should not come off of thread in water.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

If you use string you also have to make sure you either boil it or wash it in really hot water first. And make sure it isn't any colored string as the dye can come off and go into the water

It's a good idea to boil anything you are going to put into your tank, but dye should not come off of thread in water.

Trust me, it has happened to me before. Not sure why it did come off but for whatever reason it did! Not a pretty sight!

 

[Jozlyn]

I have quite a lot of Vallisneria Spiralis, so I'll chop some bits of that and float them in the top, thanks for all the advice