sail fin mollies-is she pregnant

[willowbree]

I have a male and a female sailfin mollie. The female looks pregnant, she has looked pregnant on many occasions but has never had her babies. I know that if she gets stressed she can abort her babies, but she shouldn't have been too stressed, I have not touched her, moved her, etc. I put her into a breeder net finally after 3 months, when she looked like she was going to bust, and .... nothing. I did notice that my male (bubba) stayed in one corner of the tank (50 gallon) and pouted while she was in the net. He wouldn't move, only for food. Otherwise he pouted in the corner until I finally decided to let her out of her net. He came to life, he was his old self again, but I have noticed, on many occasions, that he is constantly poking around her underside. Could he be finishing off any fry she is having? I have never noticed, but it could be anything at this point.
I have decided to put them together in a small tank until she has her fry, and then remove him as soon as she starts. That way he doesn't die of loneliness.

 

[tank212]

well one things for sure that male wont eat all the babies at once so you need some grass at the bottom of that tank and keep a watch for babies and sometimes fish pick at each others butts ive noticed when they take a poot

 

[paulthegreat]

It is a good idea to keep livebearers in a ratio of one male to two or three females. That way they have someone to chase while the Mommy is off in the maternity ward. The females generally do not eat the young while birthing is under way but it is good to get them out soon after they are done or the fry become snacks.