Pregnancy Spot?

[molly girl]

Hi, I just have a quick question regarding pregnancy in my mollies. How long does it take after fertilization before the gravid spot appears? I've seen two of my mollies performing mating rituals (male nipping at anal fin of female, following her closely...) and know that the male has most likely gotten the female pregnant, so I am curious how long it will be until I know for sure.

 

[mommyof2bettas]

It depends, some fish show it right away some don't show it until they're almost ready to give birth. Look at her from different directions, sometimes you can see it better from other directions. Also look to see if she's bloated.

 

[Annastasia]

The gravid spot should always be there, since it isn't a sign of pregnancy. All females will have it, pregnant or not. It just gets darker as the fry grow. However, sometimes fish won't display a gravid spot at all, or you will only see it once it's gotten darker with fry. I've noticed this issue a lot with Mollies.

If you have a male in with the females, I can pretty much guarantee she is pregnant.

 

[theotheragentm]

Also, don't worry if you see it and then it seems to disappear. I've found the lighting angles make a huge difference.