[MidnightBaelfire]

Hello, once again I have been absent for a while. My new tank is doing a lot better than when I had just the 10 gallon. Yang (mostly black molly) gave birth again last month although I've only seen two fry. I don't know if she had more and only they survived, or if she only gave birth to the two.

Anyway, lately Yang has become obsessed with one corner of my tank. At night I will catch her swimming up and down in the same corner. I'm getting a little concerned because she has started swimming up and down on her side. She will do this a few times then straighten herself and swim around like normal. Then she will go back to that same corner and swim up and down. Sometimes on her side, sometimes not.

Every now and then one of the other fish will swim near that corner but not to the extent that Yang does.

Is this something I should be concerned about? Or do I just have a fish with an odd habit?

 

[MidnightBaelfire]

Also, just curious: Ying (my other adult molly) started out almost completely white. You can see a pic of her in the post "Midnight's Tank" (or something like that).

She is now almost completely black like Yang. Is gradual colour change like this normal?

 

[hallie56]

I am no expert... but my platy did just that for about 2 days before giving birth..... I ended up with 46 babies... *S*

 

[OSagent23]

That is typical mollie behavior before she gives birth. Expect babies soon.

 

[MidnightBaelfire]

More babies? Exciting. Although if she keeps giving birth like this I may have to buy another tank lol.

I have to admit to some surprise though. She's chosen a very open corner of the tank. Its right in the front with no plants around.

 

[MidnightBaelfire]

bit of an update: Yang did not give birth but stopped her strange behaviour shortly after my last post. (My apologies for prolonged absence once again. This time I have an excuse: a very rough pregnancy of my own )

I have discovered that one of the babies is actually male. I don't really want any inbreeding in my tank. Is there anyone in the Fergus/Guelph area of Ontario that would like a young dalmation molly? I don't know anyone, other than my mom, with tanks and hers are still too full. (Although my brother's friend has tank a lot of them)

 

[Sylverclaws]

Yup, it can indeed be a sign of labor. I have a few mollies and platies that do this.

It's also normal for them to give birth to a couple fry here and there, stop, and then resume 1-7 days later. Usually it means they were growing multiple broods, but it could also mean she paused.

As for your molly changing color, they were younger mollies. =) With he type you have, it's VERY common for them to get darker as they get older. Full-blood Marble or Dalmatian mollies usually start out white and grow in their spots and darker colors after they hit the month mark and usually continue for the first year and a half. However, they also tend to get darker with age, though some actually go backwards and will get lighter. lol I had a molly that started out white, got a few spots in after it was a few weeks old...stayed half black and half white for the first five months, and then suddenly started turning all black aside from the white lines marbles usually keep. =)

Also, just in case! I'd feed your mollies a pea. You can give them a cooked, shelled pea once per week. I've found females, especially during pregnancy, tend to get constipated often. Giving them a bit of a pea once per week will help keep that from happening and make them more comfortable, it's also good for them. You can do it twice per week if you want, but I'd not give more since it IS a laxative, as good for them as fresh greens are. ^_~