There’s Babies In My Tank?!

[alliemac]

I’m so confused. I think they might be from my Silver Molly that I just got a week ago. Oh God. I just upgraded to a 20 long two days ago and put the new light bar on last night. There are little grey babies in my tank! Do Mollys lay eggs or just pop out newborns?

I don’t have room for them. What should I do?

 

[Kolby Holdren]

Molly's are live bearers so they give birth to live fry

 

[MaximumRide14]

Mollies are livebearers, which mean they get pregnant and give birth without laying eggs. I would leave them in the tank becuase some may get eaten. Keep in mind that mollies make lots of babies every month, and you'll have to deal with it for a while. If some grow too big to get eaten, ask some local fish stores to take them for free.

 

[alliemac]

Dang. I took a closer look and sure enough. So far, I’ve only seen two. I had no idea she was a she and that she was pregnant.

Mollies are livebearers, which mean they get pregnant and give birth without laying eggs. I would leave them in the tank becuase some may get eaten. Keep in mind that mollies make lots of babies every month, and you'll have to deal with it for a while. If some grow too big to get eaten, ask some local fish stores to take them for free.

Oh man! My molly does so good with my Betta too. I’m going to a local fish store today and I’ll see if they take in fish. The molly is healthy and doing great, but I can’t do more mollys in this tank or at all. Appreciate the responses guys!

 

[Ravenahra]

Oh man! My molly does so good with my Betta too. I’m going to a local fish store today and I’ll see if they take in fish. The molly is healthy and doing great, but I can’t do more mollys in this tank or at all. Appreciate the responses guys!

This will sound cruel, I know, but another option if the mollies can not he rehome is to euthanize the fry while they are still small enough to do so easily and humanely.

I hope the LFS will take the fry.

The problem with mollies is that if the female is over 1.5 inches and has been in a tank with a male anytime in the last 6 months, then she is pretty muc guaranteed to be pregnant. They can, also, store sperm for up to at least 3 months...so a molly can have just given birth and still be pregnant for up to 6 months after the last time she was in a tank with a male.

I do hope the LFS will take the babies.

 

[SpaceKitten]

You can probably sell or trade the fry to your lfs.

 

[Marzahtha]

If your Betta is in the same tank, you don't have to worry about the fry maturing into fish. They will most likely become dinner.

 

[Harlee]

If the lfs won’t take them you can also post them on the buy trade sell part of fishlore

 

[alliemac]

If your Betta is in the same tank, you don't have to worry about the fry maturing into fish. They will most likely become dinner.

Surprisingly, my betta doesn’t care about them. And my betta is VERY slow compared to them.

 

[PonzLL]

Sounds like you get to set up a new tank!!

 

[Mcasella]

Mollies will eat the fry (long after other fish give up because they have a massive mouth), you have right around 4 weeks before she gives birth again.

Males have a rod shaped analfin and females have a fan shaped analfin.

 

[Marzahtha]

Surprisingly, my betta doesn’t care about them. And my betta is VERY slow compared to them.

That is odd. Try not feeding him in the morning and see if he has more motivation. Mine used to nip at the Platy as they were birthing and I had to separate them when they were due.

 

[Mcasella]

That is odd. Try not feeding him in the morning and see if he has more motivation. Mine used to nip at the Platy as they were birthing and I had to separate them when they were due.

Bettas shouldn't be relied on to eat the fry, they can get sick from it as they are more of a insect diet than fish.

 

[Marzahtha]

Bettas shouldn't be relied on to eat the fry, they can get sick from it as they are more of a insect diet than fish.

Isn't it more of a treat vs. a diet if it's every 30 days or so?

 

[Mcasella]

Isn't it more of a treat vs. a diet if it's every 30 days or so?

Considering a female livebearer can drop from 10-30 fry in that one drop is messes up the diet of the fish unless it is a fish that is mainly eating smaller fish.