Pregnant Mollie (Again I Hear You Say)

[Gavin3171]

Not sure if our mollie is pregnant. We purchased the fish like this a week ago and it hasnt grown much over the time. They sell the mollies as "assorted" so that means it could come to us already pregnant? am i right in saying that?

I didnt want to upload a load of rubbish pictures so i made a quick video.

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3TvT2MOUBs

 

[Gavin3171]

Any ideas guys.

Its hanging around at the top of the tank now. Looks like its gasping for air.

I have a tetra aps 400 pumping more than enough oxygen in and nitrites and ammonia are fine?

 

[Curiosity101]

I haven't had a massive amount of experience with mollies, but seeing as no one else has replied. To me it doesn't look heavily pregnant, maybe pregnant but not heavily.
Assorted normally means either mixed colours or mixed types. However from what i've seen most split males and females, however the only way to be sure is if you'd checked for males at the time of buying. Or you could go check if the shop is nearby?

As for the gasping, if you have 0,0 ammonia and nitrites and plenty of surface agitation and the other fish look fine then I wouldn't worry about it too much. I could be wrong and she might be pregnant/ready to drop. Taking themselves to a quiet/dark corner when they're heavily pregnant is a sign they're ready to drop...

How are the other fish?

 

[Gavin3171]

Thanks for your reply.

The other fish are all fine. Active, feeding and "playing"

Its just hiding in one corner at the top of the tank breathing heavily.

 

[Curiosity101]

Problem is breathing heavily can be all sorts of things and there normally isn't all that much you can do if it's an isolated incident.

Can you see any other symptoms? Flicking? Redness? Funny coloured/textured patches on the scales? If not then personally I'd just ignore it, fingers crossed she's about to drop rather than something more sinister.

 

[Gavin3171]

No other signs of illness.

Not sure if its even pregnant thats the problem.

 

[littlenemo]

yes gavin she is preg mate, she will get really big and her belly will square off near the time of drop

 

[Gavin3171]

Thanks. Is she close to dropping as in a week Or few days? So will she square off more at the rear?

Sorry about the seriously noobie questions but ive got my mrs saying its not preggers (far from an expert) the local know it alls on our estate saying it is preggers and some online saying its just ill and could be droppsy as its bloated. (i thought dropsy they went like pine cones)

We already have fry in the tank but didnt know a mollie was pregnat untill we saw the fry and it died!

 

[littlenemo]

if its dropsey she will go pine cone. yes she will square off front and rear. have a look in the live bearer section old man is the chap who knows all he has a great post on there

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/285369-a-mollys-story-from-one-drop-to-the-next/

 

[Curiosity101]

Dropsy ends with pineconing but starts just with bloating/expansion. I don't think it looks like an unhappy fish in that video though.

If there are no clear symptoms that anything is wrong, and it's just the one fish then try not to stress about it. If you're worried about saving fry (without stressing the female out putting her in a breeder) and if you don't have a seperate tank. Then I'd suggest setting up a dark corner with lots of java moss. If you can suspend a load of moss at the waters surface in a dark corner (I've found most of my livebearer fry make straight for the back of the filter). Then any fry will probably congregate there, hopefully faster than any fish will catch them. To make it dark you could position a triangle of cardboard or paper above the corner to give a nice shadowy area.

 

[Gavin3171]

Thanks for your advice. Its very helpfull and putting my mind at rest.

I have moved my larger fake plants to one corner in a hope they can get some cover in there. Will havevto invest in some java moss. Wheres the best place to get it from?

 

[Curiosity101]

There is often some for sale on here in the plants classifieds section.

Or there is ebay, just be careful not to buy from china and that the tank it's coming out of is free of chemicals, particularly insecticides.

You've probably done enough with the tall plants. I'd be tempted to darken it by using a piece of card or something though. I've had quite a few fry go to the filter and ending up getting sucked in

 

[Gavin3171]

The filter has a large grate at the top so may try and add exta sponge untill we can catch them all.

We have 4 mollies,

4 male guppies

2 yoyo loaches (was 3) one just dissapeared checked Everywhere!

2 bristlenose plecs

What out of those is more liky to eat her fry?

 

[Curiosity101]

The other mollies will probably have a go. Guppies would have a go but might not bother depending on how big the fry are when they're born.

Your loaches wont both the fry based on where the fry will choose to hide. And the BN plecs definitely wont go after fry. Then may nibble on dead ones on the floor, but certainly wont hunt them.

 

[mcqc4]

I have about 20 mollies in 4 different tanks. She is pregnant. I'd say another week or so. But be warned, they breed like rabbits!! They are usually preggers when you get them and they don't need a male in the tank with them to have more babies. They can hold sperm for up to 6 months after they mate. I've breed many, many mollies, raised hundreds of fry to the size that I could give them away and she will probably have anywhere from 20 to 100 babies at once. If you have any larger fish in the tank they will eat the babies. In my experience the parents will normally leave the babies alone but many people have told me the parents will eat their young. If you have many plants in your tank, the babies will hide until big enough not to be dinner. If you want to save the babies, you can put them in a breeder net after they are born. I NEVER put the mothers in breeder nets because I think it cruel and it is EXTREMELY stressful on them. I tried it once and the mother constantly banged against the sides, so much so that she hurt her mouth. After that, I just let them in the big tank and let happen what happens. I know I wrote alot but I hope I helped.