Balloon Molly Being Harrassed! Help!

Austin

My balloon molly that just gave birth is being harrassed by my two males. :( I already made a topic about it but I didn't get to ask what to do. I had some suggestions but I just have a question about which of the few options I have I should take:

Move her in with my baby fish (not the new ones... haven't moved the new ones to my 10g yet)
Keep her in a breeder box or net for a day or two.
Let her be harrassed by both males... they'll give up after a bit?

By the way! As I was typing this I saw two babies swimming around the tank. 2 of the babies she gave birth to were curled up and I touched them and they came uncurled and they are still alive right now. :) So that makes 7 babies total! Healthy ones. :) And might still be more in the tank. she gave birth to more I think when I let her go... or the ones she already gave birth to are just finally swimming around.

I can't sit around and watch her be raped to death! :( It's making me sad! She has a few white wounds/spots on her now... cus she's so stressed... What to do?? My other ones never had a problem that I noticed when the gave birth! :(

fryup

if i was in your position i would move the FEMALE in with the babys as long as there not too small to be eaten .....the harrasing should stop after a few hours well done with babys tho :):):)

Austin

It's been around 20 hours since she was in the breeder box giving birth... :/

And I just thought about how I've seen a few ich spots on the babies every now and then. Don't have an outbreak but I notice some of them have a spot or two... I'm trying to treat it... don't wanna risk bringing it to this tank. Though these two tanks share water often... for example I moved a pretty large baby into this tank the other day... it didn't bring ich that I know of. Plus all the babies from this tank go in there eventually.

fryup

well maybe turn out the light so the males carnt see the female this will deffo allow her to rest and the males wont see her so they wont harras her ...good luck with what you do....but personally i would try this then if this fails then put her in with the babys .....as long as they arnt small enough to be eaten :):):)

TankMAster

At the time of birth, mollies are 0% pregnant (some cases)

This is the reason that your female(s) are being chased. The male just wants to pass his genes and insure HIS next spawn.

Mollies may store sperm but i haven't heard of a molly spawning 2 or more genes in one drop. Just leave them be. She should be fine in there with the males 48 hours after birth.

Austin

TankMAster... the only thing that worries me is the small wounds it looks like she has. I've never seen two male livebearers chase one down so much that it looks like they are seriously trying to kill her... when there's 4 total females in the tank.

but thanks for the advice guys. I think I'll leave her be and turn the lights out.

TankMAster

Hmm... If there are injuries you should isolate her from the males for a week longer. Put her back with the males. She should be pregnant by then from stored sperm. The males wont chase her down as much anymore because she's already been "hit".

TankMAster

Make sure it's safe

fryup

yea that sounds a good idea :):):)

Austin

I decided moving her is probably going to end up being more stressful...

Also I can't keep the lights off forever... i kept them off most of the day today and they started chasing her once i turned them back on...

I decided to put her in the breeding box...

I don't know which is more stressful to her... leaving her with the males... or keeping her in the breeder box a few days... sigh.

I feel so bad. :(