Molly Has Been In Labor For 2 Days! What Is Going On With My Baby?

[Ginsamom]

I have a creamcicle lyretail molly that has been in labor for 2 days. She gave birth to
a single fry 2 days ago. She is still HUUUUUGE!!!!
She has been rocking her body back and forth and hovering. Not eating.

What is normal? Is this normal behavior?? I Have her in a 5 gal nursery tank. I can not
put her in the big tank as I have a ginormous fantail goldfish that eats her fry
every time. This is the first time I have separated her to deliver fry in hopes
of saving some. Previous to this, I have never seen a single fry and this is her
5th drop!

 

[fluttermoth]

Do you have a cycled filter in with the molly? Females can hold onto their fry if they feel stressed or sick. Have you tested the water? Done a big water change? Do you have plants and hiding places in there for her?

 

[Ginsamom]

Do you have a cycled filter in with the molly? Females can hold onto their fry if they feel stressed or sick. Have you tested the water? Done a big water change? Do you have plants and hiding places in there for her?

I just checked on her and she looked dead!!  So, I poked her with the net and she moved. I moved her back to the big tank to see if maybe she would perk and and sure enough! Shes swimming around and looks a lot better. The male is harassing her, again, though. 
I think it was a water quality issue (I am out of test strips), so I took out the one little fry and put it in some water from the big tank and cleaned out the nursery tank really well and put in fresh water. OMGosh, the crud in that tank was unreal!!! Ive had the tank set up for over a year and only had one other little fish in there while she was healing up from a tail bite. Its deffinatly more than cycled. But my guess is that even with the live plants, there was a ton of ammonia in the water.
 
I hope she survives and drops her fry. I have never seen such an enormously pregnant fish.

What I am worried about now, is that the birthing tube has a little bubble there now. I will see if I can get a picture to upload.

 

[DJH584]

(I am out of test strips)
 
There is your first problem. You really need to invest in a good quality liquid test kit.  A lot of people on here, like myself, use the API kits. Test strips are NOT the best thing to use.
 
How often do you do a water change? In a cycled tank - from what I have read - 50% minimum WEEKLY is recommended.

 

[AdamTheZombie]

What ever became of this situation? I'm very curious.