Is This Normal?

[Lindsey88]

Is it normal for baby balloon mollies to have constant poop strings like this?

 

[stiffler69]

Feed them a little less thats pretty big poop but looks healthy enough

 

[FishySarah]

I don't know about mollies but my baby platies poop like that all the time. I think all those babies do is poop and eat. It's incredible how much more they produce than the adult fish...

 

[5teady_2012]

Babies (fry) motableism is very fast compared to adults, going by the pics your overfeeding them..

Feed them small amounts every 2-3 hours.. 3-5 times a day..

 

[Lindsey88]

Babies (fry) motableism is very fast compared to adults, going by the pics your overfeeding them..

Feed them small amounts every 2-3 hours.. 3-5 times a day..

Thats what I do.

 

[5teady_2012]

Babies (fry) motableism is very fast compared to adults, going by the pics your overfeeding them..

Feed them small amounts every 2-3 hours.. 3-5 times a day..

Thats what I do.

Feed them a bit less then lol

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

BTW, what are you feeding them at the moment?

 

[dunchp]

Crikey, you guys get worried about things like the length of your babies excretions!!!

I have never worried about the length or otherwise of fish's poo, I only really worry about the colour. If it is pale or white then that could be a sign of problem.

I am not sure about whether you are overfeeding your fry, they certainly have full little bellies, but I am not sure that is a bad thing. When feeding fry, the main thing to remember is to give them a proper balanced diet, even if you feed your adults flake only then take a bit more time with your youngsters.

The best food is live food such as newly hatched brine shrimp and whiteworms, but if you cannot manage that then frozen brine shrimp is also good. If you cannot manage that then try feeding liquidised, blanched vegetables. Flake is fine aswell, but as part of a balanced diet. I know of breeders who feed flake first half an hour before feeding live foods as it apparently makes the live food stay in the gut longer.

ZM foods also do a good granular food which you can buy in different sizes.

I am not trying to contradict you 5tready, small feeds three to five times a day is great advice, but sometimes it is not possible. I work quite long hours so I cannot feed my fish five times a day. A good way around this is to feed live foods such as whiteworm and brine shrimp which survive in the water for four or five hours and give a supply of food for a longer period of time.

The best I manage is some decapsulated brine shrimp before I go to work, some granular when I get back from work and some frozen before I go to bed. In the summer I give lots of live foods as this coincides with the fish breeding.

 

[5teady_2012]

.

I am not trying to contradict you 5tready, small feeds three to five times a day is great advice, but sometimes it is not possible. I work quite long hours so I cannot feed my fish five times a day. A good way around this is to feed live foods such as whiteworm and brine shrimp which survive in the water for four or five hours and give a supply of food for a longer period of time.

The best I manage is some decapsulated brine shrimp before I go to work, some granular when I get back from work and some frozen before I go to bed. In the summer I give lots of live foods as this coincides with the fish breeding.

Yeah good point, 3-5 times a day may not be possible for everyone so dunchp has made a good point about the live foods to give a supply of food for a longer period of time.


Although, feeding them in a morning, at teat time, and at bedtime is good enough but i think, the more often is better and helps them grow quicker and stronger

 

[Lindsey88]

I feed mine about 4 times a day. I will start giving them a little less. I need to go get some frozen brine shrimp all I have right now is flakes to give them and they are thriving on them.

 

[dortiz24]

Wow, how did you get such great shots of your fry!

I'd definitely say just from over eating. Just like human babies. haha Every time they eat, it just comes right out the other end. LOL

 

[Lindsey88]

For getting shots of my fry I put my camera in macromode and I covered the flash with a piece of paper. These turned out the best after I used that method. Well these guys are supposed to have rounder bellies than normal I believe because they are balloon mollies. The platy babies don't have pot bellies like these guys do.

 

[dunchp]

For getting shots of my fry I put my camera in macromode and I covered the flash with a piece of paper. These turned out the best after I used that method. Well these guys are supposed to have rounder bellies than normal I believe because they are balloon mollies. The platy babies don't have pot bellies like these guys do.

It's baby brine shrimp (artemia naupli) you need. You could also try searching for decapsulated brine shrimp eggs on ebay. Decapsulated eggs have had the hard shell removed and can be fed direct to the fish. Or you could try hatching brine shrimp eggs, it is the best for the fish and you will really notice the difference in growth rates and it is easier than you think.

 

[dunchp]

I just thought I would show you a typical set up I have for some of my livebearer fry.

Notice the greenwater. I do also feed the various other foods which I listed above, but don't forget algae is a great source of food for most livebearers.