How long do mollies give birth for?
The gestation period of a molly fish is around 60 days. Female mollies can store sperm for months and may fertilize eggs as often as every 30 days, even when no male is present in the tank. Mollies may release 10 to 60 live fish at a time.
How long does it take for a fish to give birth?
As examples, the female swordtail and guppy will both give birth to anywhere from 20 to 100 live young after a gestation period of four to six weeks, and mollies will produce a brood of 20 to 60 live young after a gestation of six to 10 weeks.
How do I know if my molly fish is in labor?
The Eyes of the Fry and Signs of Impending Birth To accommodate the developing eggs, the mother’s body expands, becoming deeper and broader. A few days before delivery, she develops a bulge below the gills, her outline becoming fairly square in this region, while the gravid spot has enlarged its area.
How long are fish pregnant for mollies?
As I’ve mentioned above, mollies are usually pregnant for a period anywhere from 20 to 40 days (average 30 days). Of course, that would be how long they’ll last from conception to birth. But before this period, there is usually a courtship period between the male and female molly, which can last another couple of days.
Do Molly fish protect their babies?
Mollies belong to a class of fish called livebearers. They don’t lay eggs; their young come out swimming. Molly babies get no protection from their parents. The tiny fish are just as likely to be eaten by their own mother as they are by other fish in the aquarium, so to survive they’re going to need a little help.
How many babies do mollies have?
Gestation and Birth Female mollies will gestate their young for about 60 days. They can give birth to between 40 and 100 fry. Mollies that are young or are having one of their first few pregnancies will tend to give birth to a smaller rather than larger number of fry.
Why does my fish look pregnant?
Dropsy refers to a condition in which fish often have hugely swollen bellies, and the continuing use of the term probably has to do with how it so accurately depicts the visual symptom: the belly drops down. Sometimes the condition is also known as bloat.
Do fish give birth out their mouth?
This process is called mouthbrooding. Sometimes the female fish will carry the fertilized eggs in her mouth, or the male and female will trade off, which is called biparental mouthbrooding. Typically fish that are born via mouthbrooding are underweight at first and require recovery time to feed and grow.
How long does a molly fish live?
The average molly fish lifespan is around three to five years. While they aren’t the longest-living freshwater species out there, there is some wiggle room depending on what species you get. The quality of care you provide will also impact their lifespan significantly.
How does a pregnant fish act?
Watch your fish swim and see if the female is prone to nesting. Pregnant fish will typically slow down and act sluggish, lethargic, and less mobile when getting close to giving birth. You will also notice pregnant fish enjoy resting along your tank’s plants or accessories in the days before giving birth.
How do you tell the difference between a male and female Molly?
Males and females can be differentiated by the shape of their anal fin. Males have a anal fin that points backwards. Females’ anal fin looks just like the rest of their other fins. More than one molly can be kept in a tank together, however, they have been known to nip the fins of others in their tank.
Why is my Molly hiding?
New Surroundings. If a fish has been recently added to the tank, the most likely cause of hiding is that it is simply feeling nervous about its new surroundings. Given a few days, a new fish should become comfortable with its new home and spend more time out and about.
Will baby fish survive in my tank?
Not necessarily. Many fish breed very easily and produce great numbers of offspring, simply because very few will survive to adulthood. The more fish in your tank, the more you will need to feed them, the more feces they will produce and the harder your filtration system will have to work.
Will adult mollies eat baby mollies?
They will eat almost anything that fits in their mouth. The new born babies are very small just about the size of a pellet food which is why molly are seen eating their own babies after giving birth.
Should you separate baby fish?
After Your Fish Gives Birth For many species, it’s important to keep fertilized eggs and newly hatched fish, or fry, separate from the adults. Some fish eat their own young while others eat the young of other species. Keeping the fish eggs and fry separate from the adult fish may give them a better chance of survival.
Can mollies and guppies breed?
Potential cross breeding between guppies and mollies These adult fish are not fertile and will not reproduce. Sadly, most babies from the guppies and mollies will die before, during or shortly after they are born. Both guppies and mollies can carry sperm for a long time after reproducing.
How do you take care of baby black mollies?
Raising Fry The fry should be fed a quality food, such as baby brine shrimp, baby fish food, or quality flake food ground into a fine powder. Feed the fry small amounts several times a day. Maintain good water quality by performing regular water changes.
Where is the gravid spot on a Molly?
The Gravid Spot Is Very Visible The spot is triangular in shape and gets darker and larger the closer a molly is to giving birth. The spot is located towards the anal vent of the pregnant Molly.
How do you know if a fish is dying?
Signs That Leads a Fish to Death Fish Gasping for Oxygen at the Surface of Water. When the water is highly intoxicated with ammonia and nitrite, it will not hold any oxygen for the fishes to breath. Disease. Loss of Appetite. Strange Swimming Patterns. Mentation of Fish. Respiration Rate. Color Fading.
Why is my fish really fat?
Overfeeding – Sometimes a fish may become fat or swollen as a result of his diet. Often, overfeeding or the wrong types of food can cause constipation and other digestive issues. You can try to feed your fish less or healthier types of food, which varies depending on the species of fish.