jmccurry

I recently set up a new Freshwater Aquarium. I set up the tank 8 days ago and added my first 2 fish 5 days ago(dalmation mollies). I know have 6 fish!! There are 4 babies in my tank! Is there anything special that i need to do or just go about things as normal? Am i supposed to feed these separately? They seem to be staying close to the bottom of the tank. My tank is 55 gal. I have heard talk of a maternity tank, but since they are the only fish in my tank is that even necessary? This is a big surprise to me!

sirdarksol

Welcome to Fishlore!

Some mollies will eat their own fry, which is why some people do the maternity tank. You let the mom drop the fry and then pull her out so she doesn't make them into dinner.

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
Read this article. It's a bit long, but it's got really important information regarding tank health.
The short of it is that, with fish in an uncycled tank, I would suggest doing daily partial water changes (with an understocked tank like that, 25% a day would probably be good). Test your water every day, just before the water change. Once you get to the point that you've got no ammonia, no nitrites, and a nitrate reading, your tank has cycled, and you can switch to weekly water changes.

Lucy

Hi Welcome to Fish Lore
I'm sorry, I can't answer your question about the babies.

If by maturity you mean cycling your tank, yes it's necessary. Here's a bit to read to understand how a tank cycles:
http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm

We recommend that you cycle without fish, however since you already have fish, you'll need to start daily water changes to keep the ammonia levels down because they're toxic to your fish.

Do you have a test kit? The API Master kit is highly recommended and very accurate.

Congrats on the babies and good luck.

Lucy

Sir, you ninja'd me? lol

Blub

Also, don't add any other fish until you are fully cycled. It can be deadly for them! There is a product called Tetra safe start or Bio spira, that instantly cycles your tank. Safe start is fairly new, some people have not had success with it.

peacemaker92

Congrats on your new tank and babies!!

Hatchet is right. You can't add any fish yet. And also it is highly recommended that you remove the baby fish and put them in another tank where they are safe from the parents eating them.

Steve113

if you will leave the babies in the main tank - you should put something in for them to hide - like a bushy plant or moss - decoration os something to hide in, or behind.

Otherwise they'll just get eaten.

They are small fry now and will hide, but they'll get a little bigger and as they do, will become a little more daring and curious - they venture out to get food and they'll just get eaten.
.
Feed them with crushed flakes - sink the flakes for them to save them having to come up to find them

Blub

That is, if you want to be overstocked by Mollies.

Steve113

hehe yeah.
Good point. Do you want the fry to live!