Can My Balloon Mollies Breed?

[tanafish]

i have three balloon mollies and they mate ALL the time, but i never see fry!! its driving me crazy because everything else in the tank breeds like crazy and they never seem to give birth. i've tried breeding nets, salty water, low light, high light, plants, small spaces, large spaces, and anything else i can think of (berry white even!!) and... nothing, no babies. there are two females (i added another in hopes that if the male was distracted with one, the other one could give birth) i know its not the male because we've had fry with him befor but after he lost his mate, no more babies.

could he be lonely?

do i need to try another female?

could they not be able to have babies?

ive also seen him "biting" at my females sexual organs, is that normal? Could he be eating them while they're trying to be born? maybe the other fish are throwing off hormones?

i dont know. im at my wits end. help me figure it out!!!

 

[stucolls]

im inquisative, I have 3 balloon, 1 male 2 female, how do you know when they are mating???

 

[tanafish]

im inquisative, I have 3 balloon, 1 male 2 female, how do you know when they are mating???

oh you'll know if you watch, the male swings around his little anal fin and *pop* into the female. mine mate ALL the time, and im convinced that all male live bearers are sex addicts, and if you dont see this behavior, it might just be that the male is too young. give it time and keep an eye out

 

[stucolls]

lol swings it around hahahahahaha I must try that sometime hahaha

thanks, I will feel like a bit of a perv watching them for it now lol

 

[altselgreen]

You could try putting in another female and see if that works. Have you tried changing the temperature? I don't know if it will make a difference, but some fish need the correct temp to breed.

 

[omega59]

i must say swinging around sounds like fun

 

[kribensis12]

i must say swinging around sounds like fun

lol, i should try it!

 

[Sharon B]

i have three balloon mollies and they mate ALL the time, but i never see fry!! its driving me crazy because everything else in the tank breeds like crazy and they never seem to give birth. i've tried breeding nets, salty water, low light, high light, plants, small spaces, large spaces, and anything else i can think of (berry white even!!) and... nothing, no babies. there are two females (i added another in hopes that if the male was distracted with one, the other one could give birth) i know its not the male because we've had fry with him befor but after he lost his mate, no more babies.

could he be lonely?

do i need to try another female?

could they not be able to have babies?

ive also seen him "biting" at my females sexual organs, is that normal? Could he be eating them while they're trying to be born? maybe the other fish are throwing off hormones?

i dont know. im at my wits end. help me figure it out!!!

I have 4 Balloon mollies (one male and 3 females) which I bought a month or so ago out of a tank of mixed males and females. They just had their first fry!!
I wonder if your "mating all the time" male is stressing your females. I understand moms can absorb their babies if too stressed. Just a thought.
I noticed with mine that the male wouldn't have much to do with the female that gave birth (she most probably came pre-impregnated) till after the blessed event... then he was constantly chasing her to mate ... like you say "mating all the time" (he also would bite at her as you described). After a couple days he is once again not interested in that particular female. Interesting.
Best of luck!!!!!!!