aquagirl said:
Alright so how many could she have?
She can have a lot. Depending on the size and age, maybe 70-90 max.
Besides putting her in another tank how should I manage the birth?
Keep it stress free. If you stress her, you can have her end up aborting all the babies. If possible, avoid Breeder nets and traps.
Molly fry are bigger then most other Livebearer fry. Maybe [----] that big, or slightly larger.
General tips on caring for them?
If you are going to keep the fry in the tank you put the mother in to raise them, you'll need to set it up.
Temperature is good anywhere from 75-78 F or so. I think a sponge filter is best for a fry tank, so that they can't get sucked up. It's worked well for me in the past, so I would recommend it. Otherwise, you could use a HOB, or other filter and just cover the intake with a breeder net, or Pantyhose, or something similar so they don't get sucked up.
Ornaments can be anything you want...Plants are good, as are rocks, wood and general places for them to hide. Thick plants seem to be afavorite with mine. They can disappear into there, and fool their brothers and sisters as to where they are! Sand is the best substrate. With gravel, they can sometimes get stuck in between the pieces and get crushed. Bare bottom also works, and some find it easier to clean.
Fry need good water quality, and they are sensitive so lots of water changes! Daily ones are okay, once every 2 days is okay too. Just make sure the tank is always clean. You can do water changes using a airline tubing siphon you make, or a turkey baster so you don't suck up the little babies. Acclimation to the tank is impotant too. Take a loooong time...and they'll be better off.
Also, fry need to be fed often! 3 times a day at least, more if you can. When they are first born, Tetramin Fry Food or Hikari First Bites are best for them. Baby Brine Shrimp is good suppliment to this, or you can just feed that but it's best to vary. Once they grow up a bit, you can add in finely crushed flakes and Freeze-dried, frozen, or Live foods, such as Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Tubifex Worms..etc. However, don't feed them just this. These are all high protein foods, and they can cause them to be constipated or get bloated. Fry are sensitive. You can also try small pieces of blanched veggies, like cucumber, zucchini, peas...etc.
How long until they can be put in the tank without being eaten?
General rule of thumb: when they are big enough to not fit in the biggest fish's mouth, or a little after to prevent Bullying.
Will my LFS take some of them?
Really depends on the LFS. Some won't, some will.
