Molly Unfertilized Eggs

[sweetp544]

This is really strange and i have never heard or seen this before. I have 2 mollies in one tank, both of them are female. The one hasnt been pregnant in 3-4 months now, maybe even longer than that. Anyway tonight she dropped a sting of eggs. Does anyone know if mollies build up their eggs while they are waiting for a male to fertilize them and if there is no male present they drop unfertilized eggs??

 

[sweetp544]

Really strange, I cant find anything online about that with mollies but i know turtles do that.

 

[paulthegreat]

I have had a Swordtail drop a few undeveloped eggs but it was while giving birth. The Legendary Doris had at one go 120 fry and 25 eggs that were undeveloped or under-developed. I have never heard of a livebearer dropping only eggs. It could be that the pregnancy was a bit too much for her and she aborted.

 

[sweetp544]

I dont think she aborted anything because she stopped becoming pregnant a few months ago and hasnt been around a male at all either. I know turtles can lay unfertilized eggs if they arent around a male so im really curious as to if that is what she did. I dont think its possible that she would have had one last batch and has been holding in for a few months, but who knows maybe.

 

[stargirly1208]

um, mollies are livebearers so why would they lay eggs? i agree with paulthegreat that she probably aborted them. because usually mollies have live babies like humans, you know, whole fish.

 

[sweetp544]

Yes I know mollies give birth to live fish. I have had quite a few females give birth now. That wasnt my question. Mollies have babies for months after being fertilized. Mine was removed a long time ago from any males and has not been pregnant for months and is dropping eggs out of the blue now. My question was that if they have no male present for a long period of time, will they lay unfertilized eggs. Just like humans, if the egg doesnt get fertilized it has to go somewhere.

 

[stargirly1208]

Yes I know mollies give birth to live fish. I have had quite a few females give birth now. That wasnt my question. Mollies have babies for months after being fertilized. Mine was removed a long time ago from any males and has not been pregnant for months and is dropping eggs out of the blue now. My question was that if they have no male present for a long period of time, will they lay unfertilized eggs. Just like humans, if the egg doesnt get fertilized it has to go somewhere.

ooooooooh i see... guess i didn't understand what you were asking.... that's a good question! i'm sure they will then and since there's no male in the tank to fertilize that makes sense why the eggs are just coming out. sorry about that!

 

[sweetp544]

No problem, sometimes i get lost in the topic too. I am assuming thats what probably happened but i really want something solid to back up my theory. I am hoping to find a website or something to prove that.

 

[blitztidus]

They are just like human women, like we all learned in sex ed