Need Molly Help ASAP

[bccromer]

Im fairly new to fish and have a big problem. I picked up 3 balloon bellied mollies from the lfs today. Just got up cause I couldn't sleep and I have babies in the tank. The molly that is the biggest is chasing them. Are they mouth brooders, or is it trying to eat them? Just don't know if I can wait until tomorrow and get a small tank for them or if I need to get them out tonight.

Brad

 

[csr mel]

if mollies are anything like platies and guppies i could get the fry out of the tank asap.

you can house them in a temporary container overlight, a tupperware or just about any container will work nicely provieded it is of sufficent size and is very very clean and never housed harmfull chemicals.

p.s i would use tank water for the fry, not new water.

 

[GuppyDude]

i hate to tell u this but, by tomarrow all ur babys will b gone. most all lvbeaers will eat their yung (this includes mollys) (there r also no livebearing mouth brooders)

very sry

 

[bccromer]

Well I took all the babies I could find and put them in a pot. Should I put the mom in their too incase she has anymore? I know one of my gouramis ate a fry because I saw it suck it up, so I took the gouramis and put them in my old betta tank. Would put the fry in there but it doesn't have a filter. Will the fry be ok in the pot until I get off work tomorrow? Should I leave the mom in or put her and the gourami's back in the tank with the filter? I found 7 babies, plus the one I know got eaten makes 8. How many do they normally have?

 

[shadow]

I'm not sure how many they usually have. Mine have had between 14-18 fry. I would also check the gravel since they do hide there. I let the mother stay in the main tank and had the fry in the breeder net. They were ok with other mollies, betta, platy and a pleco. I would not put the mother in with the fry since she will eat them (more than likely). Good luck with the fry!

 

[jvis0606]

Your fry will be fine in a pot or temp tank even without a filter for a little while. I think mine were in a plastic tank for a week. I did put an airstone in their for them, but otherwise nothing was hooked up and they were fine until I bought a breeding net and put them back in the main tank. They are more resilient than one would think! Last week I had to treat the tank for Fin Rot and they survived that, too. Strong little suckers!

 

[fruity]

I recently invested in a little plastic breeding tank (£3) which floats in the main tank - I have successfully reared my first babies by using this tank for the first 4 wks, until they are big enough to go back in the main tank with the rest of the fish! That way, I didnt need to bother with additional airlines or new tank...... the babies were fine in the little breeder tank but I wouldnt put mum in it, cos its quite small. Plus, yes she would eat the lot.

I have only ever had my babies appear in ones or twos, I guess I am just not quick enough catching them after birth!!!

 

[bccromer]

Well I talked to 2 different LFS today. Both of them told me as long as I take the Gouramis out then the other Mollies shouldn't bother the fry. Is this true or should I still try to seperate them? I ended up getting 11 out lastnight. I am pretty sure that is all of them. Have one other question though. The one I though had the fry I now don't think that was the one. She is still really big and has what I think is a gravid spot (not real sure what I am looking for.....anybody have a good pic of one?). She is being really nippy towards the other 2 Mollies too. Do you think this could have been her but she didn't finish having them because I moved her, or could this be a totally different batch? Also do they come out the color they will be or will they show color later?

Brad

 

[GuppyDude]

i dunno, it rely depend on the size of the adult fish. iv had mollys born big enogh so they wont b eaten but sum time they may not be born as big.

 

[cherokeerose]

I'm new too and ended up with seven black molly fry a week and a half ago. They hid in a small plant really nice until I could get them out of there. I thought I lost one in the community tank but about 4 days later it turned back up swimming around and fine. It was in with a platy, a male and female molly. Good luck. It's been an interesting experience for me. I'm sure it'll be interesting for you too!

 

[shadow]

As far as I know mollies will eat their fry. I have mine in a plastic breeder and my mollies hover underneath lookin and hoping for food. Though, fry are good at hiding.