Silver Molly Fry (First experience)

Jasey

My silver molly had babies! I got her from Petsmart, and for the past couple of weeks I thought she was a male and that she was bloated. I've had her for about a month. Now the thing is, I don't know if she got pregnant at Petsmart, or by the black molly we have. The black molly and the silver are not in the same tank anymore, but they were for a few days. I'm not sure if my black molly is male or female.

There are about 16 fry that my boyfriend discovered today in the 10 gallon, and they were hiding in the floating Hornwort. He moved them to the 5 gallon which also houses 2 guppies. Also, he put some panty hose over the intake tube. We fed them some finely crushed flakes and saw some nipping at them.

This is my first experience with any type of fish breeding/fry.

southafrica1001

congratulations and hope things go well im flooded with livebearer babies and i love watching them grow. female live bearers have a triangular anal fin where as the males have a gonopodium and is described as a rodlike extension, where the females have the triangular anal fin. hope that helps and good luck

Cody

I as well have 2-4 survivng baby fry that are in my 30 gallon tank. Took me completey by surprise. I think they are at the size where the cant be eaten now.

I leave them in my tank because I would have to take out everything and try to net small, quick fish.

Congrats!

Jasey

Thanks for the replies. :) The silver molly definitely has a triangular anal fin. Pretty soon I'll have to get a bigger tank because I had to move the guppies back up to the 10 gallon with the Dwarf Gourami and molly.

southafrica1001

hehe good luck i love watching the fry grow. hehe cody i know what you mean, fry are really difficult to catch, but ive come up with an easier way to catch them (well for me anyway) I trap them against the side so that when they swim back they swim into the net

herefishy

Cogratulations. Chances are she was already pregnant.

I love the enthusiasm and excitement of a new person having spawned their first fish. A great thing.

Jasey

Thanks! Some of the fry look dark, so I'm guessing that the black molly in our other tank got the silver one pregnant. I got a closer look at the black molly and it has that rodlike extension, whereas the silver one has triangular fins. They were in the same tank for a few days so I'm guessing thats when it happened!

I smashed up a pea and put it in their tank today. I'm worried they're not getting enough to eat. I see some nipping at the tiny flakes and peas, though.