Molly fry in my new tank!!!

I had 4 females dropping babies in twos every other week for awhile, I kept all the fry together without any problems. php is right, sex them and pull the males out as soon as you can tell the difference although it took a lot longer than 2-3 months for me to sex mine; mine may have been growing slower or something.

 

okay thanks, great help

 

So my dalmation molly had fry yesterday morning and they started eating today. I was wondering when do they usually start to come off the bottom of the tank and start swimming in the middle and top of the tank. Thanks for the help.

 

So my dalmation molly had fry yesterday morning and they started eating today. I was wondering when do they usually start to come off the bottom of the tank and start swimming in the middle and top of the tank. Thanks for the help.

They will hide until they are big enough not to get eaten. If you have some floating plants they will swim to the top.

 

Thank you so much

 

My platy fry took about 3 days before they were comfortable to swim freely. Hope this helps!

 

one of my dalmatian molly had about 20 fry 2 days ago and ive got a couple of questions. first how long until the fry should be big enough where I can move them from the 2.5 gallon tank into the 10 gallon tank I have they won't be living ful time there of course cuz I'm going to sell them I just want to know how long till they are to big for the mother to eat them. then second I have a 20 gallon with 3 gold gourami that I was considering putting a couple in it but I also need to know how long til they can go in there or whether I can just throw them in there now and hope they survive

 

Hi,
1. They shouldn't be in the 2.5 its to small and they won't be growing much.
2. The Gourami's would eat they fry but a 20 gallon is definitely to small one let alone three.

 

well I was only going to keep them in the 2.5 until they are big enough where the other fish can't eat them then I was going to put them in the bigger tank

 

I'd guess the gourami would eat the fry. Although, if that tank is well planted, they might just survive. And young fry are pretty quick. I wouldn't be afraid to put a few in there just because you'll always have more fry coming!

I think the 2.5g is pretty small. Do you have an empty 10 gallon you could use? You will need about 3mos worth of grow space for them to be ready to sex if you are selling them as sexed.

I think bigger is likely better for them to grow out in.

 

all I have is the 10 gallon and the 20 gallon

 

Get a plastic storage tote from the dollar store and use it as a temporary 'tank' for the babies.

Are the parents in a 10-gallon? 10 gallons really isn't big enough for mollies.

 

With my first fry batch I tried using a 2.5 gallon as well. Everything was good for couple days but then all but two died off; your definitely better off putting plants in the 20 and letting them fend for themselves. You'd be surprised how many will make it in thick foliage.

 

its been 3 days and all 20 of my fry are still alive

 

I'm glad the smaller bowl is working out for you so far.

I would just not wait too long to move them to the 10g. I'd think that 20 fry could produce at least as much waste as an adult, but that is just a total guess and not based on any facts. Are you monitoring your water parameters and changing out the water every day?

I'm pretty sure that I had more fry arrive over the weekend when I was away. My molly, Aurora, had a big belly when I last saw her. Today it's smaller for sure. It hasn't been six weeks since her last batch though...I just know she is no longer square.

 

your definitely better off putting plants in the 20 and letting them fend for themselves. You'd be surprised how many will make it in thick foliage.

I think this is your best option to

 

I have my guppy fry in a 4 gallon tub. I just today moved them to a small 5 gallon tank. Every time I check the parameters there is at least .5 ammonia and 40-80 nitrates and I change 1/2 the water at least every 2-3 days. With a tank that small (your 2.5 gallon) you will have to do water changes every day and even that might not be enough. They sure are messy little things!

 

ya ive been cleaning and maintaining

 

I have fry in with 2 black moors I don't think the moor can see them or they don't care. My big one does eat my baby MS.

 

What kind of plants do you have in your 20g? In my limited experience with molly fry, I think that watersprite is an invaluable plant. It grows fast, but it provides so much cover for the fry, and not so much that you can't look into it and see them hanging out in there.

How long do you plan to keep them in the smaller tank?

 

right now I'm short on cash until I get paid and I think I'm just going to keep them in the small tank for about 4 more days atleast and hope they are big enough that they won't fit in the other fishes mouths

 

well my fry didnt make it in my first trial

 

Sorry to hear that. What happened?

 

I'm sorry. Were they still in the small tank, or did they end up as live food?

 

I have 4 baby fry in my fish breeder. Two are about a month older than the rest. I'm just now telling what kind of fish they really are. As of now I can tell two of the four are Dalmatian mollies. My question is how long till I can place them into the community tank with the other fish? (I have 4 grown dalmatian mollies, 2 Micky mouse platys, 1 guppy, 1 ghost shrimp, and 1 mystery snail) I'm planning to upgrade my tank so I can keep all my fish comfortable together but that'll be a little ways down the road. I'm just ready to release them and watch them interact with my other fish and get that tacky net out of my tank! Lol

 

Platy fry are generally safe to go into the tank with their parents after a couple of weeks. Adult mollies are bigger than platies, but I'd guess that after 3-4 weeks, the fry should be safe. It partly depends on their growth rate, which is tied to the cleanliness of their water and the food they've been eating.

 

I've only fed them first bites fry food mainly because I have no idea what else they can eat. I'm against feeding my big fish the same thing every time I feed them. I switch up their food everyday or 2 days (depends when I feed them). However, my fry have been alive id say about a month if not long but they aren't any bigger than my thumb nail. I've been told shrimp are baby eaters and I'm scared that mine will eat my fry, if they aren't big enough, more than the parents.

 

The shrimp might be a threat -- but another thing you should consider is that confining your fry to a small space can stunt their growth. Are they in a breeder trap or net, or are they in a separate tank?

 

My molly fry Is a dark color.. will it stay a dark color or could it possibly change?

 

I wouldnt expect it to change

 

As they get older, they may start showing a speckling of colors.
But they'll stay dark.

 

Okay, thanks guys! I don't know much about fry so I wasn't sure. It's my first batch

 

A few days ago I thought my black molly was acting strange, hiding and not coming out unless to eat. Found about half a dozen fry so far that have made it the last couple days. I added a penn plax baby hideout plant but they seem to prefer other plants in the aquarium. I have some HikarI first bites arriving tomorrow to feed them. Looks like they are picking off some food from the Marimo moss balls in the meanwhile. Anything else I can do to increase their survivability? My tank is still pretty lightly stocked with just the few mollies and a school of corys. Would like to see at least a couple make it.

 

I got my first load of Mollie baby's about a year ago with a tank that was very mixed specied
Swordtails Molly's platies pleco etc
The first batch I saved and they all grew up in the breeding net
The 2nd I didn't have room for I let them fend for themselves
It wasn't hard for them though because nothing ate them and many of them are still in my tank today
My mollies kept breeding and breeding and I stopped protecting them because theyr out of control
Now from what iv been told the baby's will eat microscopic organisms or matter from the plants and soon they'll be big enough to tear chunks of from flakes
If they are seeking cover I imagine some will make it
Best of luck to you

 

I'd get a breeder and place them in there. That way the adults can't get to them. Just know though, mollies breed like rabbits, so be prepared to have fry every month.

 

Thanks for the info. I'm really interested to see the genetic color patterns that turn out, as I do not know what variant the male Molly was. I do know that they are prolific breeders.

I'd get a breeder and place them in there. That way the adults can't get to them. Just know though, mollies breed like rabbits, so be prepared to have fry every month.

I looked into a hang on back breeder but I actually don't have anymore room for one due to my filters taking up all the room in the lid cutout. Ideas?

 

I actually just found out about those, I personally probably wouldn't get one because I'd more than likely knock it off... The ones I where talking about are the ones that float in the tank, I've got around six of those. They work well for the fry until they can be free swimming.

Edit: Charles556 recommended in one thread to use a water bottle for this. I believe you cut it in half and float it(open side up)?

 

Believe me you'll get some interesting results

These are two of mine
Keep us updated on them please: )

 

I would let them fend for themselves, you'll end up with healthier fish.

 

I actually just found out about those, I personally probably wouldn't get one because I'd more than likely knock it off... The ones I where talking about are the ones that float in the tank, I've got around six of those. They work well for the fry until they can be free swimming.

Edit: @ recommended in one thread to use a water bottle for this. I believe you cut it in half and float it(open side up)?

What brand did you use?