breeding mollies

[Brock Fluharty]

I have a male and a female molly, and the female is pregnant. When should I put her in the breeder? How long will she carry the eggs? She is in a saltwater tank right now. Will this be suitable for the fry? What do I feed the fry? Do they lay eggs or livebearers? I need all the steps!



Brock

[jman785]

They are livebearers...the fry can normally survive off of flaked food (crushed flake food), or mine could from when I was a child. Although mollies are a brackish fish, a full saltwater setup might be ok, although I've never bred them in a full salt tank. They also thrive in freshwater as well. Hope this helps Brock.

[Brock Fluharty]

They are doing fine in the saltwater. Do you know when the babies should be born?


Brock

[jman785]

I'm not too sure Brock...just wait and see, and it shouldn't be too long...be careful as sometimes the parents will eat the fry if you don't feed them regularly.

[Brock Fluharty]

Ok the female had the babies, and I only got 4 into the breeder. The rest are either hiding, or still in her stomach. I have 2 clowns, 1 black box, 1 chocolate chip star, 1 three stripe damsel, 1 fiji devil damsel, 1 yellowtail blue damsel, 1 camel shrimp, some snails, and some hermits, as well as a gold coral banded shrimp. Will any of these fish eat the fry? I think she had the fry last night, and they were in the tank all day while I was at school, and it doesn't look like they are trying to eat the fry.

[FishinInTheDark]

The fish would all be thrilled to eat the fry.

[Brock Fluharty]

how many babies do they usually have at one time?

[bigfoot]

feed thf fish alot then play with your decorations and see what you find

[jman785]

The fry are either in one of the stomachs of the other fish, or the female hasn't released them yet...sometimes it can take a while.

[bigfoot]

have a net handy! damsels are quick little butt heads!

[DKWICK]

I use to have a molly tank set up some time ago in a brackish setting. They can have up to 30 or more. Normally I would say 10 would make it and then get eaten soon after. I always tried to save as many as I could. I have never tried to put them in a salt setting. I think it would be cool. I have a 90 gallon tank with 135 lbs of rock in it. I bet those fry would have many places to hide in my tank. I may have to try it. Anyone have knowledge of how long it takes to acclimate a molly to a salt tank?

[jman785]

bigfoot,

We are talking about Mollies, not Damsels :)


DKWICK,

I'm not sure, you could probably do it over a period of a week or more to be totally safe.

[DKWICK]

Yeah, I might try it. I would slowly increase the salinity of the tank. I will think about it.

[DKWICK]

[quote="jman785"]bigfoot,

We are talking about Mollies, not Damsels :)


I think bigfoot was referring the Damsels that are in the tank eating the fry.

[Brock Fluharty]

I just acclimated my mollies the same as any other saltwater fish (not the best thing to do...). The babies have doubled in size in just 2 days. They are growing very nicely!

[DKWICK]

BIG QUESTION.... Anyone ever put any other non saltwater fish into salt tanks?

Meaning fish that you would normally call brackish or freshwater!

Just wondering. Thanks!

[Brock Fluharty]

You can put brackish fish into a complete saltwater tank if acclimated the right way. You CANNOT put freshwater fish into a saltwater tank.




Brock

[DKWICK]

I know. Has anyone done that with any other fish than mollies?

[Sugar Magnolia]

I've only seen it done with mollies.

[FishinInTheDark]

I think I have seen brackish puffers converted to saltwater, but I don't swear to that.

[DKWICK]

I think so too. I have not seen it either. Just wondering if anyone had as I may try it.

[bigfoot]

well i just cant win ariund here anymore now can I? i used to have a figure eight puffer that was total saltwater :-D