Please Advice... Molly Ready To Burst At Any Time

[Mayu]

Hey Hugh, thanks for your advice.

I've been traveling from site to site because the split was basically 50/50 here about if I should use a trap or if I should transfer to tank.

Someone on another site said the same thing you did. If I couldn't cycle the tank properly, I'd have to do a partial water change almost every day to keep the levels where they should be, and not only could the move stress her out this far along, so could the constant interferance.

So I went to Drs foster and Smith, where I got my head/tail light fish... and ordered the nursery trap. That way she can have her babies in her own water that she's already use to, and be released when she's done, without having to move her from tank to tank.

I'm going to be looking around for my 75 gallon and keeping the 20 gallon as a nursery tank should (I mean, WHEN) this happens again. (and with Mollies you know they will.)

keep your fingers crossed that everything goes ok

 

[hughessomefish]

Glad you took my advice good luck

 

[Mayu]

well, kind of sort of.

I did do the 10 gallon tank, but the tank's pH and Nitrites are still off... so I think it's not appropriate to put her in. She'll only get stressed out and either die or abort the fry.

I ordered the fry trap, but it was so teensy... the stress of trying to get her in alone was starting to worry me... then she looked so big in such a tiny spot it almost seemed cruel. She looked almost panicked.

So I decided in the long run... I'll let her have her babies in her tank with the freedom to swim around, I planted more plants for the fry to hide in. hopefully some will survive... if not... I'll have the 10 gallon ready for next time I have a pregnant molly. by then I'm sure I'll get the levels under control so the transfer will be as stress free as will be possible.

 

[OldMan47]

Good luck with the fry trap. I never use the one I have and it is twice the size of the one in that picture. At one time they were called guppy traps, which was an appropriate name for a larger one. A molly is quite a large fish for a breeder trap and should not be put into one unless she will drop in the next few hours, maybe a day. If you are that confident in choosing the right time, it will be fine. I leave my female in a separate tank because it is healthier for the female and the fry. Changing water every day is not a problem for the fish, it is just a bit of work for you. A single bucket full of water really isn't that much work for you either. It is less effort than you will spend trying to judge the exact moment to move the female into the trap. That is just my spin on things though.