Cory Babies?

jslinn

My husband and I set up a 10 gallon fish tank two weeks ago (for our 4 year old) and added the following fish last saturday:
2 mollies
2 male guppies
1 chinese algea eater
2 cories (one peppered, one albino)
2 of the fat goldfish-looking ones (name?)

We were told there wouldn't be any babies, so we weren't looking for eggs or anything . . . we were just enjoying our son's enthusiasm and his knack for remembering to feed them! Then all of a sudden this evening babies began to appear. I would have sworn they were coming from our albino cory . . . until I did my homework and found out they're not live birthers . . . so I have no idea where these babies were coming from. I've counted 12 or 13 total, I think! Could you please let me know which of the fish these babies belong to? What should we expect? What can we do to help them? It was very exciting and we really enjoyed it . . . but we are very new to aquariums and have little depth of knowledge . . . any help would be appreciated. Will they live?? Where do we find a good home for them if they do make it? (The pet store already told me 'no way!' to taking them)I know our tank is too small for more fish . . . help?!

Thank you!

jenny

ps - I did some more homework and checked my Mollies - they're both male . . .

tangy

those look like mollies, but either your mollies or guppies could be the culprits. they are livebearer rabbits, expect to see fry every 2-4 weeks, and loads can get from 15-60 fry, maybe more. they are eaten so if you dont want them then just sit back and let your fishies tummies grow.

Lupin

Welcome to Fishforum.com, Jenny.

May I ask pics of those fish quoted above? How about the mollies? Your fry are not cories but rather mollies as far as I can tell.

Falina

Yep def molly babies!

I'm not trying to insult you here but those are molly babies, so I think maybe you should double heck the gender of the 2 adult mollies. Or if you have a photo of them we will sex them for you.

Mollies are not as easy to sex as guppies, the only difference is often the anal fin which will be triangular in female, and pointy in males. I have however heard stories where a juvenille fish appears to be one sex and then, when it grows, turns out to be another.

jslinn

Thanks so much for your help. I found a picture of Molly babies on the internet and thought that's what they were . . . but then I read about the fin and thought . . . well, now what? So there are my two mollies (2 picts each - LOVE digital cameras!). Let me know what you think.

Thanks again for the feedback!
jenny

ps . . . I lost one of the fat goldfish-looking ones last night. In fact, one - since we brought it home - rarely leaves a hiding place under the log, so I can't get a good photo of it and I have no idea if it's happy. But, unfortunately, it was the other one that didn't make it through the night - and it was doing fine (I thought) eating and swimming last night. Now I have NO idea what's wrong. But I'm going to take the departed fish and a sample of my water to the store as soon as it opens today to see if they can help. I'll get they're name when I go in, too. I don't think you want a picture of my departed one . . .

jslinn

Ah-ha . . . I may have the answer . . . I think my fat goldfish-looking ones may be Balloon Mollies. Do they have the same identifying fin feature? My hiding one definitely has more of a fan. The ones pictured above are SO much bigger than my hiding one . . . is that why she hides?Are they okay together? I hate to think she's stressed out. The departed one was male, I think. I'm frustrated because I specifically asked about babies when I bought the fish and the girl went on about the guppies and assuring me I was only buying male guppies . . . poor things. I don't want to watch them get eaten (I still have about 10 babies, I think) and I want happy fish . . . sigh . . . does anyone offer courses on aquariums101???

Your feedback is appreciated!
jenny

Falina

That'll be it then! And yep, you sex them the same way.

Personally I would return the baloon molly because I think she will get harassed by the 2 males. Some female livebearers have been harassed to death. I think this will be why she's been hhiding.

Your 2 mollies are def males though so you sexed them right.

tangy

you should try the one male for every two female thing(if you want fry)