Pregnant Firebelly Molly

[chemflex]

I have a pregnant firebelly molly. In the space a going out for a couple of hours her belly seems to have shrunk. In hope I have put her in a breeding trap, have I done the right thing?

Should I leave her in there or let her back into the main tank?

 

[William]

Have a good look around the tank - shrinking would suggest she's dropped some fry- the only way to be sure is to have a look. Molly fry will get eaten by other fish but they tend to have so many that some should still be in there after a few hours unless you've got some really mean fish!!

If she has dropped some chances are there are still more within her so the breeding trap placement sounds like a good idea it may be too late, but the good thing is that it is too late for her to abort the pregnancy, keep an eye out in the trap for young ones if you've got a bit of elodea place it in there to prevent hte mother (and hopeful fry) getting too stressed.

Let us know if she does drop some babies!!

 

[chemflex]

Definitely no fry in the tank. She doesn't look too happy in the breeding trap. Do you think there's a good chance thar she'll drop some more?

 

[chemflex]

When I got up this morning she still hadn't given birth and looked relatively slim, so I let her out of the breeding tank. She seems really weak and can hardly swim, any ideas - she wasn't like that when I went to bed?

Also I've got a pregnant female guppy who is swimming very close the the surface all the time (not gasping for breath though) does this mean she's ready to go into the breeding tank?

 

[chemflex]

The molly has now died Anyone know why?

 

[William]

The stress of birthing can be quite great for livebearers especially as the fry born are quite large in relation to the size of the mother and there is also a large number of them.

RE: up at the top of the tank - this isn't a good sign and is usually due to lack of oxygen - what filtration do you have? what are your ammonia and nitrIte readings? Are any other fish doing this? When birthing the mommies tend to go to the bottom of the tank and hide in any plants you have there.

Sorry to hear you molly and I hope you have better luck with your other mollies breeding, I am sure you shall soon be overun

 

[chemflex]

She only goes to the top when she feels like it....definitely not an oxygen problem......I'm sure she'll give birth soon.

The mollie never went to the bottom or hid in plants before giving birth.