Mommy finally popped :)

Well I bought this balloon molly the other day that was mega preg and well she finally popped today. I have about 50 fry in a breeder net I am so excited about them. I've been having such a bad day and then I came home to the babies I've been waiting for for almost a week now. :;banaman

I was hoping she'd hold them in a little longer until I can set my other tank up but it looks like she wanted to be difficult. So do you think it will be okay to leave them in the net for now until I get the other tank started. I have a aqua clear filter so what I plan to do is actually just move the whole filter to the fry tank and get a new filter for my adult tank and then just take a part of the media that's in the already cycled filter and put it on my new filter. I might be just taking a filter off my other tank that's already been running for almost a year so what would be better. The other filter is stronger so it will definatly go on my adult tank but what do you think is better for the fish?

I'm worried because I have another that is about to pop as well. But she's a dalmation balloon molly and I don't see very many of them. She was the only one I've ever had at the store I work at. So I'm hoping she passes on her spots

So now that I have babies coming out my ears already I guess I should ask a few more questions about them....
-When do they develope their colors?
-I've heard balloon mollys don't always have balloon babies, is this true, explain?
-How long until they can eat more than baby brine shrimp and crushed flakes, basically how long until they can eat normal sized food?
-How many do you think will last out of the 50 or so that I have right now?
-How should I set up their "playpen" as I call it (their grow up tank)? Post photos of yours if you have one)

Then please post any other advice you may have that will help these guys grow up big and strong haha.

EDIT:
One more question, What would be good to put in the tank with the babies for algea control? A snail? Or would there be something better.

 

Congratulations Grandma! \o/

I've read that mystery snails or ottos are both great in fry tanks.

Moving the whole filter sounds ok to me, there's still plenty of bacteria in your gravel... and you have a second filter in there anyway, yeah?

All fry tanks I've seen have been a really simple set up: filter and water only. I guess ornaments run the risk of them getting caught up.

 

congrats ! always a lovely surprise!

Yes they'll be fine, I've known some people to keep them in the net till they are big enough to join the main tank lol.

you definitely want pristine conditions for the babies, I'd go with the most biologically established filter myself, and watch water params closely.

with my guppy/platy fry I just feed them whatever will fit in their mouths, with flakes they usually will pick at them and tear them apart so i dont worry about crushing them too ultrafine.

Since the fry need to be fed more often its almost unavoidable to have alot of accumulated leftovers, I've resorted to vacuuming every couple days, but going to try out some RCS and see how they do, i think any fry over a week or 2 old should be fine around them, but we'll see, I'll let you know how it goes if you want. I have a few pond snails in the fry tank now and all they seem to do is wander around and make babies lol.

 

Well I'm thinking I only want one mystery snail as then it shouldn't have tons and tons of babies. But what's a RCS? Then I had thought about otos but I know they like to be in big groups and I'll have a 10 gallon tank so I don't think that is going to be the best idea.

 

RCS is red cherry shrimp, a small, peaceful shrimp that is also quite pretty I have them in my fry grow out tank, which i put 3 week old and older fry in. The shrimp pose no threat, they have teeny tiny pincers and are scavengers by nature. They are always busy cleaning up scraps, very useful in a fry tank!

I kept my platy fry in their breeder net til they were about 3 weeks old, when they started to get active. I think it's much easier to feed in a small space like the breeder net, until they are a little older and actually go for their food vigorously (like my adult finny pig platies). Also the net helps slow a bit of the current in the net area, which i find to be a good thing until they are a bit bigger and stronger. Anyway, that's just been my experience so far

Enjoy your new little ones!