Really Stupid Question

[locust267]

Hi, a few of you may remember that one of my new mollies gave birth to some fry (4 surviving).

I think the molly that gave birth (and most likely still pregnant) is a white molly but all her young are black. I know that black would be the dominant gene should a black male mate with a white female etc.

The reason I ask is because I also have a female black molly but she doesn't look so round as the white one and want to know for sure on which one to keep an eye on.

Also should it be the white molly what are the chances that within her next batch that the repressive white gene would show in some of the fry?

Sorry for stupid question, I'll probably regret posting it after I've had a good nights sleep!

 

[OldMan47]

I think I would keep an eye on both. Unless you are sure of the first birth, it may be the black gave birth the first time. If your white colored one has crossed with a black male, she could continue to produce black fry for 6 or more months. Unless the black was a cross to start with, the dominant color will show up in all the fry but they will be heterozygotes with the white recessive. This means they would produce 50 / 50 with a recessive colored parent. This is all based on classic genetics and not my own knowledge of molly genetics. The thing I am taking on faith in all this is that you are right about the black being dominant in a dominant / recessive scheme and not some kind of blended genetics as we sometimes see. I am not at all expert in molly genetics.