Mollie Fry

[azdaboy]

hi my mollies have just had fry a few days ago and was just wondering when should i release them from the breading net and how long will it take for them to grow.
any advice and tips would be great cheers

 

[breezer40]

When the fry are too big to be a mouthful for the other fish in the tank then they will be ok.

 

[Annastasia]

Mollies are pretty slow growers. Depending on which fish you have in the tank, they might be out in 3 months, they might be out in 6. However, if it starts to look crowded in there, just release them. Most likely by this stage, they'll be fine at surviving.

If you want tips...

• Keep the water really clean. Fry will grow the best with good water params.
• Syphon out extra food out of the breeding net maybe once a day, or once every 2 days. It also helps to clean the breeding net every once in a while. You can just transfer the fry to a small container filled with tank water, and then put them back in. It won't hurt them.
• It also helps to clean the breeding net every once in a while. You can just transfer the fry to a small container filled with tank water, and then put them back in. It won't hurt them.
• Feed them at least 3 times a day, 5-6 is better.
• Feed them good foods, too. Not only flakes, but alternate in some freeze-dried foods, or even small Frozen foods. Don't feed more then 2-3 times a week though, because too much high-protein food can cause them to become bloated or constipated.
• Feed them some veggies. Mollies love veggies! You can blanch up some little bits of cucumber, or zucchini. Or even cook a few peas, remove the outer layer, and crush them up.
• Seperate males and females as soon as you can. This will prevent inbreeding, which is good. It also will prevent even more fry.

That's all I can think of right now...

Anyway, best of luck with the babies! They are so cute, aren't they?

 

[azdaboy]

thanks for the advice thats great really helped me with a few queeries there thanks a lot

 

[Annastasia]

You're welcome. Glad I could help.

How many Mollies do you have? Males and females wise?

Because, I'm just thinking, if you have a few females, you could get over-run pretty quickly. You might want to do survival of the fittest with new babies. You'll most likely get some survivors, especially if you plant the tank well. But what fish do you have in with them?

 

[azdaboy]

no i did survival of the fitist there were about 30 to begin with now there is 12 i will see how these fry go and dependant on this will make me think about breading in a seperate tank.

i am enoying my first try at breading and i am hoping to get some know how by doin this as i heard mollies are a good way to get to know about breading.

 

[Annastasia]

Ah, I see. If you are going to breed Mollies in a seperate tank, I'd go for at least a 20. Unless you are talking about a fry tank? But I'd still definitely go over 10 gallons. Mollies get big, and you don't want to stunt them when they are little. Also, the bigger the tank, the easier it is to keep stable.

You seem to be doing pretty well with your breeding. However, eventually, you will have more fry then there is room for...it just always happens with Livebearers. If you don't raise all of them now, you can save a few from each batch. It's all totally up to you though, of course.

After you breed Mollies, are you moving on to some other fish?

 

[azdaboy]

yes i was thinking once i get the nack of this movin onto something a bit more challenging like a mouth breader but nothing too ambitious just yet dont want to get in over my head