My First Hatch! Molly Fry. What Do I Do?

[PeachesNCream]

Well I woke up, went to feed my fish, and found some molly fry swimming about! I quickly scooped out as many as I could find and have 8 so far. I believe they are from my Dalmatian that was prego when I got her.
 
Now - What do I do? I have them in one of those little breeder boxes that go in the original tank. I was thinking of getting one of those 2-5 gal tanks with a small filter or an air stone. Advice?

 

[az9]

you should get another tank. my swordtail had babies and i have them in a 10 gallon without a filter. i probably should have a filter though because they are not really growing that much.

 

[fluttermoth]

The key to keeping fish growing is to do enough water changes; this is, of course, even more vital in unfiltered tanks.
 
In those you should be doing at least 50% daily.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Yeah, you really need a filter az otherwise thing are going to be really difficult for you. Also for your fry as they will be more sensitive to ammonia which is more likely to build up!
 
You could either get a fry tank or keep them in the breeding box until they're big enough to release into your main tank, peaches. Just feed them crushed flake or if you fancy getting them something better then microworms will do the job

 

[PeachesNCream]

Thanks! I have them in the breeder box right now and am giving them finely crushed flakes.
 
If I got a 1.5 or 2 gallon would an airstone work or would I need to get a filter? I'm afraid of them getting caught up in the filter if I do get one.

 

[Joshwainwright]

You definitely need a filter. The best to use for fry would be a sponge filter, they're powered by an air pump and won't cause any problems with your fry.
 
The only difficulty would be getting enough bacteria on the sponge in such a short space of time.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Or ... just leave them in the tank. You'll have lots and lots of fry in the future. 

 

[az9]

my fry are all still alive but just not growing and i do a 10% water change daily. 

 

[Mamashack]

Believe me if you want to buy a new tank every 4 weeks or so you are going to be inundated with fry. Mine sproggs every 5 weeks to the day. I leave mine in the main tank and the fastest and fittest fry survive - 6 from each of the last 2 broods. The other fish may get some if not most of them, but practically speaking, if you save them all you are going to need a hell of a lot of space and dosh for the new tanks.
Good luck with whatever you decide!

 

[PeachesNCream]

I don't plan on keeping all the fry born lol, but these are my first so they are kinda special! Plus they are the only ones that i'm guaranteed are not mutts. I'm thinking that in a 5- 10 gallon I could just add fry as they come and move them into the main tank when I think the gourami, cory cats, frogs, betta, and mollies wont get them so easily.

 

[Joshwainwright]

 when I think the gourami, cory cats, frogs, betta, and mollies wont get them so easily.

Wow, that's a variety of stock you have there! 

 

[PeachesNCream]

 when I think the gourami, cory cats, frogs, betta, and mollies wont get them so easily.

Wow, that's a variety of stock you have there! 

I have 3 cory cats, 2 frogs, 3 dwarf gourami, 5 balloon belly mollies, 4 Dalmatian mollies, and 1 female betta. Plenty of mouths! For now they just stare at the fry and try and nip at the sides. they are definantly still eating size lol. The betta practically stalks them.