Molly Obsessed! Help!

[Lorraine1983]

Hi

I have 4 pregnant mollys. I bought them about 4 days ago - all of them quite young..

The first one seemed huge and veins showing through. Since then she has gone more square looking but flatter. I know if they become square its a sign that they are almost ready to pop! But im unsure whether she has already had them and become flatter? Or whether that is quite normal?? also i noticed the colour of her belly is not so black as it was???

The second one began to hide - the common signs. I put her in the breeding container and in the morning i found her dead ( I think she must of been stressed and passed away?

The third one seems to be on the same stage as the first one but is showing signs of aggression to the males? She also seems to be hiding out in the conors quite often! Keeping a close eye on her but after finding the second one dead, i refuse to put her in the container till she i'm 100% shes ready.

The forth one is not quite there yet. She has put on alot of weight since i've had her tho but she seems like the only normal one out of the lot!! lol

I would really appreciate any advice!!

 

[Battersea]

Is the first molly really skinny? she could have given birth in the tank... look closer!
If you dont want to use a breeding trap, i highly reccomend getting a seporate birthing tank. It dosn't have to be big, 5-10 gal will do! I had my poor platy in a trap, she thrashed and freeked out so i let her back out into the tank... where the males chased her about untill she was gasping for breath, so the next day i bought and set up a fry tank! Within 12hrs while i was at school, or earily in the moring, she had 7 helthy babies! I put her back into the tank after another night, and scooped up the babies into the trap to make room for my molly. They can grow up in there for awhile untill you have room for them and there big enough.
hope this helps!

 

[Lorraine1983]

Is the first molly really skinny? she could have given birth in the tank... look closer!
If you dont want to use a breeding trap, i highly reccomend getting a seporate birthing tank. It dosn't have to be big, 5-10 gal will do! I had my poor platy in a trap, she thrashed and freeked out so i let her back out into the tank... where the males chased her about untill she was gasping for breath, so the next day i bought and set up a fry tank! Within 12hrs while i was at school, or earily in the moring, she had 7 helthy babies! I put her back into the tank after another night, and scooped up the babies into the trap to make room for my molly. They can grow up in there for awhile untill you have room for them and there big enough.
hope this helps!

No there not skinny. They look ready to pop!! lol I keep thinking todays the day then they get a little bigger and more of a box shape. Now there is a little white spot by the anal fin? What is that?? LOL

I have a bio tank which I can set up no problem... would that be OK? i have the heater, light etc with it.... They are rubish for fish to be honest but I thought it make the perfect nursery for the babies?

Thanks for your comment, any help is loads of help right now

 

[Battersea]

if a "bio" tank is the plastic ones, that you can put all kinds of critters in, then i say yes! (Thats what i use... lol didn't want to be so expencive with mom) If they look ready to pop put them into that tank and wait! im sure they'll drop soon by your description! just make sure you remember the heater and filter, fry like things close to perfect! Put a bunch of plants in there for them to hide in, also. I can't wait to hear about the babies!!!

 

[Lorraine1983]

All done! There in the tank - both of them! lol So im trying to be as patient as possible! Really excited... ever had baby fish before! D

 

[Battersea]

Me eather 'till a cuple of days ago!!! ]
there gonna be really cute! i promise u that!

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum Lorraine.

This is what my mature girl looks like the day before she drops fry. I never judge mollies by their size which could just be good eating. Instead I go by the shape of her belly. This girl was definitely looking square but I would not expect a shape quite that extreme in a young molly. The shape is called squared off because she drops right down from her gills to a flat belly, then the belly jumps right back up at her anal fin. It sort of takes on the shape of one of those rounded dice that you get with kids board games.

 

[Lorraine1983]

Me eather 'till a cuple of days ago!!! ]
there gonna be really cute! i promise u that!

I will defo post pictures. My collegues think im nuts lol lol

 

[Lorraine1983]

Welcome to the forum Lorraine.

This is what my mature girl looks like the day before she drops fry. I never judge mollies by their size which could just be good eating. Instead I go by the shape of her belly. This girl was definitely looking square but I would not expect a shape quite that extreme in a young molly. The shape is called squared off because she drops right down from her gills to a flat belly, then the belly jumps right back up at her anal fin. It sort of takes on the shape of one of those rounded dice that you get with kids board games.

Aww Thanx

My fish looks exactly the same shape!! Well both of them!! Its truely amazing! If i post some pics could you judge them for me? There in a Bio tank (round shape tank) to give birth so pictures may be difficult but i can see what i can do. But I really have no idea on Mollys. I've never kept them or any livebearers so i'm exreamly excited Thanks so much for the picture too. She's a beauty!

 

[OldMan47]

Actually I posted a set of pictures every few days through the last pregnancy that I bothered to save fry from. There is a link to it in my signature area called molly progress.

I was working with some other members to try to put together the full story but decided to go ahead and post when I had my picture series because nobody else was ready at that time. I was doing mollies and others were doing other fish. The idea was to get enough pictures that the people with no experience could start comparing pictures at each stage of a pregnancy with their fish and judge things for themselves. It is not that I wouldn't try to help you but I can't see your fish as well as you can. Each picture in the series cost me tons of time to get a shot that would be easy for you to see the shape of the female. Many of them also have pictures of fry because I just left the fry with my female between 2 successive drops.