Pregnant Molly?

[Sam8656]

Please bear with me as I'm new to this forum.. We brought a small fish tank(30litre) about a year ago we had some small fish amongst these was 2 mollies one black spotted Dalmatian and 1 black Molly about 4 months ago to our surprise we had some fry in the tank they all survived and are very healthy. Just before Christmas we brought a bigger tank 130 litre and we've since had some platties (not sure of spelling sorry) clown loach and plecostomus. Now the point of this post is that the Molly looks like she's pregnant again has done for a while is it possible that they can hold onto the eggs and not fertilise them if their is bigger fish in there now?? Should I set the old tank back up and put her in it?? Or just leave them to get on with it.. Also how can I tell how far she is/ when she going to give birth?

 

[KrazyKuhli]

I believe they can hold sperm packets for 6months so i probs likely she is preggers again...

 

[Sam8656]

Thanks I'm sure she is wow 6 months well the last lot of fry she had was 4 months ago and they all survived. She just seems to have looked pregnant again for ages unles she's about to drop..

 

[the_lock_man]

KK is correct, but they (as far as I know) can't stop the sperm from fertilising.

I know it's a little off topic, but you ought to know that Clown Loaches grow way too big for a 130l tank, and feel a lot more secure in groups of 6+.

There are also lots of Plecostomus species that grow way too big for your tank too, do you know which particular species it is?

 

[Sam8656]

Thanks we have 3 clown loaches and they have settled in very well I was told that they would be ok for our tank. I'm not sure what the particular species of plecostomus is but they are still quiet small we will eventually be getting a bigger tank...

How can I tell when she's going to give birth and are the other fish likely to eat them?

 

[KrazyKuhli]

Easy way to stop your fish breeding....Slap an X-ray machine on it instead of a lighting unit hehe

 

[the_lock_man]

Thanks we have 3 clown loaches and they have settled in very well I was told that they would be ok for our tank.

IMHO, you were told wrong. They grow to 16"+

I'm not sure what the particular species of plecostomus is but they are still quiet small we will eventually be getting a bigger tank...

It would be sensible to find out exactly what species it is. Some can grow over 24". Let's hope that bigger tank is big enough!

How can I tell when she's going to give birth and are the other fish likely to eat them?

Two signs of impending birth are (1) the belly squares-off, in other words where the corners of the belly are fairly rounded, they go to nearly 90degree corners, and (2) the female goes and hides.

The other fish, and indeed the female herself, are likely to eat the fry. When I kept platies, I never even saw a fry, let alone had one survive. With decent planting in the tank, some fry will probably survive.