Pregnant molly... Dieing?

crssrunner

My dalmation molly i purchased from the pet store about a week ago, has noticably stopped being so active just in the past 10 hours or so. She is pregnant an she didnt eat anything this evening. Whats going on with her?

ladayen

This is normal for fish in advanced stages of labour. They become very lethargic and wont eat. Could be like this for a week or so.

BarbH

Hello and welcome to TFK I would say that is does sound like she is getting ready to drop fry. Has she been hiding lately? Keep an eye on things, most livebearers tend to drop their fry in the early morning hours. Also just to make sure is this a new tank or has it been running for awhile? What are your water parameters, level of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates?

crssrunner

well she died last night. and it was a new that i set up for the fry

ladayen

it was a new tank that you set up just for the fry?

crssrunner

yes and when i saw her just laying at the bottom of the tank i figured it was about time for her to give birth and switched her over.

Santaclaws

I am sorry your molly died was your new tank cycled if not take some of your old filter media from your old tank and swish it around in your new tank then add some to the filter .I find this is the best way to cycle your tank. Your tank should be good for fish in 48 hrs. If the tank was not cycled it was probably a shock to her. Hope this helps PatPs I have had the odd pregnant molly just die

BarbH

For my tanks I run sponge filters, especially like them in fry tanks because you do not need to worry about the fry being sucked up into the intake. With a sponge filter you can let an extra filter run in you cycled tank to allow it to seed and then move it over to the new tank. Also if you are using sponge filters you can take the filter from the cycled tank and place it in the new one, and place a new sponge filter into the old tank. If the old tank is cycled than you would have enough benificial bacteria in the substate, on the glass and the decor to allow the new filter to seed and should not have any problems with a cycle.