Ack! Babies!

[rainbowcharmer]

I've been testing my tank for the last week, since the nitrites went down to 0, and all was well - so I went ahead to the LFS and brought home 2 ottos (lots of algae for them to eat now) and 2 sailfin dalmation mollies (both female, to avoid the baby situation). However, apparently at least one of the two was pregnant because I am now finding myself with fry in the tank.

I've caught all that I can find so far (8 total, though I'm down by 2 as not all 8 survived). They are in a breeder net in the tank, and are teeny lil things. I'm feeding them brine shrimp (hatching it here) and also powdered spirulina algae flakes.

The LFS does not want the babies, so I'm going to have to check around for another fish shop or something to take these off my hands once they get a bit bigger. I have no intentions of breeding mollies, and don't want all the babies. I don't have room for them.

Hopefully the other female is not pregnant as well, since their total pregnancy time is like 28 days - correct? I'm sure there is a chance that she managed to get knocked up at the LFS before bringing her home, but I'm really hoping not.

Any suggestions on when I'll be able to tell the genders on the fry? They have about doubled in size in the last couple days, but I'm not sure how long til I'll be able to tell for sure. I'm tempted to keep one baby (female), and the rest will have to go somewhere. Either another LFS or someone who keeps fish, or perhaps the guy at work who would feed them to his turtles, if no other options open up - though I'd rather avoid that if possible.

Emms

 

[afishdude]

chances are both are pregnent, they can carry sperm for up to 3 months and have babies every month. so they can have up to 3 more batches in your tanks. the only way to avoid babies is to get all males.

 

[rainbowcharmer]

Oh well good. LOL

I guess the good news is I've got the breeder net and food - now to find someone to take the babies.

Still though - any idea how long til I can tell for sure on the babies' gender?

 

[afishdude]

3 weeks to 1 month.

 

[Musho3210]

i wouldnt feel comfortable using a breeding net, they may stress out the mom during birth.

 

[afishdude]

she netted the fry and put them in there. you need to read the post before you reply musho

 

[Musho3210]

oh, sorry

No need to snap, i thought we were cool afishdude lol

 

[afishdude]

sorry if that sounded like i snapped. i was laughing when i said it.

 

[rainbowcharmer]

Alright. Thanks!

I've been scouring the net for info on the babies - but so far most of what I'm finding is related to breeding adults - and not much info on the fry.

I'm a little annoyed at the websites telling people that it's loads of fun to breed lots of mollies in a 15 gallon tank. And at the same time not giving them any advice on what on earth they'll do with a gazillion baby mollies in that 15 gallon tank.

*frowns*

Anyhow, I did not realize that my mollies would most likely be pregnant, or that they kept the sperm so long. Anyhow, I'll keep an eye on them and if I find more babies, will scoop them into the breeder net too.

Wondering though - if I leave the fry in the tank, what are the odds they will be dinner, and I won't have to worry about them? And what are the odds they will grow up and I will have to worry about them? *lol*

If the rest of the fish will eat them, then I'm really tempted to let future fry just become dinner.

Ideas on that??

Tank mates currently:

2 female dalmation mollies
2 otos
2 zebra danios (soon to be 4)
1 rubber lipped pleco
1 clown loach
1 male betta

 

[afishdude]

how big is this tank?

the clown loach will eat the fry..

just a FYI clown loaches get to 16" long and need a 75gallon + tank. and they need to be in groups of 3-6

 

[Musho3210]

how big is the tank? With lots of plants and not many fish lots of fry will survive, with not so many hiding spots and lots of fish than not many will survive

 

[rainbowcharmer]

It's a 46 gallon tank, and a ton of hiding places - which means that probably the fry are gonna make it if I leave them in there.

As for the clown loach, I've been told that recently - though my past experience with them was another single clown loach in a 35 gallon tank, who lived at least 5 years before I moved and had to give up the tank. He was about 7" long at the end of the 5 years, and was quite happy and active. Whether he lived after the move to his new home, I do not know - since I never heard from the people who took the tank.

 

[Musho3210]

how big is this tank?

the clown loach will eat the fry..

just a FYI clown loaches get to 16" long and need a 75gallon + tank. and they need to be in groups of 3-6

everyone says they get really big but ive never seen one more than 10"....

 

[afishdude]

a 5 year old clown that is 7" was stunted for sure. a clown loach should live 10years+ when they are stunted it shortens its lifespan. but its alwase your choice what you do with your fish of course.

 

[Musho3210]

i still want proof of clown loaches that big, anyone have pictures?