[monsterchic6643]

I just bought 2 mollies from the pet store and requested that they already be pregnant so we searched for 2 possible winners.

Now I need everyone's opinion as to whether or not they are infact pregnant.

Dalmation Molly:
IMG067_zpsec87c0e2.jpg Photo by monsterchic6643 | Photobucket

Gold Dust Molly:
IMG066_zpscc9a2568.jpg Photo by monsterchic6643 | Photobucket

 

[DragonFyre14]

They definitely look like they are pregnant. If they are females and were kept in the same tank as male mollies, it is almost guaranteed that they are pregnant. If you aren't sure whether or not they are females, let me know and I can post pictures and such to help you find out.

 

[monsterchic6643]

Yes please help me out with the male and female thing. I have a tank that is 55 gallon which we were just putting fish in for color because its in the family room. This tank is in my room and i would like to have baby fish so I do not have to keep buying fish.

I am almost positive they were kept in a tank with males and females I got them from Jacks pets and aquarium.

 

[DragonFyre14]

Most places I've been to keep male and female mollies together.
Note how the male has a genopodium (long tube like fin) rather than an anal fin like the female.
here is a side by side comparison

 

[monsterchic6643]

Both Molly's look to be female to me. Is there any way to tell for sure if they are truly pregnant and how much longer they have?

 

[DragonFyre14]

There isn't really a sure fire way. Usually if you just look at them to see if they are bulging out like this:

The best way to tell if they are close to giving birth, is to look at the stomach and see if it is squared off. The stomach usually squares off a couple days before she gives birth.

 

[monsterchic6643]

Ok. neither one of them look like their stomachs are that big so I will just have to keep and eye on them. They are in a tank together with no other fish and once they give birth im going to put them in the larger tank so the possible babies have a chance to grow.

 

[DragonFyre14]

The bellies don't always get that big but If the bellies are bulging a bit similar to that they are fairly pregnant. I've had one or two guppies who have given birth to 3 or 4 fry without getting big at all. I didn't even know they were pregnant.

 

[monsterchic6643]

Are molly's known to eat the babies? I have a ceramic car in the tank so they can use it to hide but im not sure if its good enough. Unfortunately I am unable to get a breeding net until next week or possibly later.

 

[DragonFyre14]

Mollies will eat their babies like nearly all livebearers do. I can't say if that is enough hiding space for the fry. If the tank is heavily planted, more fry are likely to survive. My guess is you won't have fry until next week but it's nearly impossible to tell right now. Even if you miss this batch of fry, there will be another one in a month or two.

 

[monsterchic6643]

So would it be best to get a breeders net or plants? in your opinion

 

[DragonFyre14]

I personally went for both. I don't much like putting the females into the breeders net as they often get stressed out and it can be harmful to their health. So I let them give birth in the main tank and then fish out as many fry as I can fish out and raise them in the net. But it's really up to you. You could always try leaving the female in the net to give birth and if she seems distressed just put her back

 

[monsterchic6643]

ok i will try and get both im just worried out over crowding in the tank its only a 5 gallon. now if they were in a tank with different colored molly's is there a way of telling if the babies will be the same color as the mothers?

 

[DragonFyre14]

The colors are often hard to tell until later. You can usually tell though if they are going to be dark or light within the first few days.

As for having those fish in a 5 gallon, your tank is pretty overstocked. Mollies usually do best with a minimum of two gallons. If you could upgrade you could use the 5 gallon as a great nursery for the fry. If not, just try and keep up with the water changes.

 

[monsterchic6643]

I plan on using this tank as a nursery tank but would rather have the mollies in here till the give birth and then will put them in the 55 gallon tank so the babies can grow and then when they are large enough i will put them in the large tank as well. And the dalmatian molly was being mean to the mickey fish I had in here so I moved the Micky to the large tank.

 

[DragonFyre14]

Okay just making sure. Sounds like a good plan.

 

[monsterchic6643]

Only problem is that if in fact they are both pregnant and are not going to give birth at the same time then I will still have 1 adult in with all the babies.

 

[DragonFyre14]

True. If you get a breeders net, you could move the fry to the net until the other molly gives birth, or put the molly into the net. Usually the mollies will only try to eat the fry for the first day or two after birth and then they leave the fry alone for the most part.

 

[monsterchic6643]

Ok Thank you for all of your help. I have not had a pregnant fish in about 5 years. I have a Mickey mouse fish and a swordtail in the other tank and i do not think they will mate they have been together for a year. So i put up my old tank again to add life to a bedroom and decided to get hopefully already pregnant fish so that the large tank can have the adults and the small tank can be a nursery until they get bigger. In hopes of not having to buy fish for a while.

 

[DragonFyre14]

Well, Mollies are definitely good ways to go if you want color, life, and lots of fish. They breed like crazy. And, like most livebearers they can store sperm. Which means they can have 3 or 4 batches of fry without being in contact with a male.