Molly about to give birth?

[annahlee]

I am such a sucker. I went into the pet store, telling myself "I am not here to buy..I am not here to buy...." Didn't last long as I saw a very preg molly. I bought her and she went straight to the breeding net. Shhh, don't tell my hubby!

She is swimming around, then she will stop and wiggle a bit, then go back to swimming around, and repeat... Is this whay they do before they give birth? I missed it when my other two had babies. One gave birth over night, and the other did it while we went to the store for a fry tank. I hope she isn't stressed. She got a bit shaken on the ride home because I was almost in an accident (stupid jerks runing red lights.)

Also, what is a good way to care for the babies? Between my tow other mammas, we had about 25 babies, but only two are left now I have them in a bare 10 gal tank that just has a filter, heater, airstone, and the breeding net is set up in a corner. I am keeping the tank at around 78-80 degrees, and alternate feeding finely crushed flake food and liquid fry food.

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[Becca]

Bumping your post because I have the same questions! I have a female sailfin that I think is due to give birth. She's getting pretty big, not exactly squared off yet though. Her gravid spot is pretty dark (well, darker than it has been) and you can see it from a foot or two away. Also, her behavior is changing. She's swimming almost constantly now (this is akward behavior for her, unless she's hungry...and I've been keeping her good and fed...) Also, she's pretty defensive of her swimming space, which tends to be the top of the tank. Anyone who comes near her gets chased off almost immediately - especially if it's the other female sailfin molly.

Guess my question is just the same as annahlee's - how do I know when it's a good time to move her to my plastic Breed & Show container? I don't want to do it too soon and risk her aborting, but I don't want to do it too late and risk the babies becoming food for my 6 Cories and 1 Pleco.

 

[annahlee]

If her behavior has changed, I would think that is a clue, especially if she is defending a place in the tank. I don't know about moving her, though.

I just bought my gal a few hours ago, so I put her straight in the breeder net. I would not know if this (the wiggling) is "typical" behavior for her or not.

I bet I wake up in the morning to babies and miss yet another birth.

 

[Becca]

Yeah, the problem is I'm relatively sure she's pregnant, but I don't know how to tell how far along she is. I'm not moving her into the breeder's net until I'm sure that she's ready to pop, but on the other hand, I don't want to miss it and have my first batch of fry become lunch.

How good are fry at hiding? I've got 4 small plants, 1 rather large one and 3 caves in the tank - if I let her give birth in the 30-Gallon, do you think they'd be ok and then I can fish them out and put them in their seperate container?

 

[annahlee]

I hear that they hide well.