Gold Panda Lyretail Molly To Deliver Fry A Few Days After?

[mytbrealtor]

Ok so first post...

New Molly was brought home pregnant.

2 days ago she dropped about 5 fry in the community tank. I didn't think she was ready.

They made a good run at it but a glo tetra proved too much for a few and the others unfortunately disappeared too. They even had some good hiding spots, poor guys.

So I set in and expected to have another try in approx a month assuming she has multiple batches coming and that was her first. She barely looks bigger than a mature fry herself!

Well... The next day she had the same frequent stringy poo that preceded the delivery the day or two before. She has had that again today and still has a white spot near the anus. Although its hard for me to tell due to her small size, she still appears squared off.

So the main questions are, is it normal for a Molly to stay square right after delivering fry, and if not, is it normal for a single batch of fry to be spread out over 3-4 days and maybe more are on the way now?!

I hope so and am prepared much better for them now! Please advise and thank you! Couldn't find that anywhere on the web despite the hundreds of "is my molly ready to have fry" questions!

PS I think I accidentally also posted this in freshwater journal by accident thanks to my smartphone! Sorry.

 

[mytbrealtor]

Anyone? Any experienced advice regarding the mother's ability to let more fry drop so soon after but even with going on 2 days in between would be helpful.
 
I do not know if she and I are good for 3/4+ weeks or if I should be planning for her to fry any moment!
 
I am sitting here trying to keep her happy. She still had the stringy poo tonight. Some strands 3". You could tell it made her uncomfortable.
 
Tank is spotless now. She is sharing it with two mystery snails. I separated her from the community because they ate every last one of her fry a couple of nights ago despite their best hiding attempts.
 
If she is not going to continue to have more fry until a few weeks or more down the road, I would like to place her back in the community tank right away.
 
Please advise, I am spending time hoping to see some fry births tonight but do not know if I am just crazy or even worse with the poo, if she may be sick instead. Her box shape seems to have subsided slightly tonight.
 
Thanks again and hoping for some conversation soon!

 

[Ninjouzata]

I'm sorry I don't know anything about mollys, but wanted to let you know that it is late right now so most people are asleep and that is why you're not getting any responses yet. 

 

[ncguppy830]

well van you post a pic?
you make it sound like shes small so this is her first birth?
there is a possiblity with first time mothers having problems maybe thats the case.

 

[mytbrealtor]

Cannot post a pic at the moment but this would I'm sure be her first delivery of fry.

Would a first time mothers potential problems include birthing fry over multiple, spread out days?

May I please get a reference to any information about this topic?

 

[DerpPH]

One of your main problems is parents eating the fry, unless you dont wan the fry. When she looks very gravid just put her in a breeder box. remove her at once the fry start to spew out. If she is still gravid after the birth then she has another batch coming soon. I keep mollies in my pond

 

[mytbrealtor]

Yes but is soon a few days or so or the standard 28+ days between deliveries?

I understand as I lost the first babies and as I've mentioned, the intent is to keep as many safe as possible.

This is why I said I isolated her with some snails in a cycled smaller tank - so te fry will not be eaten. She was not aggressive towards them but the other fish certainly were. Again, if she isn't going to birth again for weeks, I'd like to put her back in the community tank where she will be more social and happy.

 

[DerpPH]

but does she look a bit gravid?

 

[mytbrealtor]

yes. She seemed just as ready to deliver the day after she had the 5 or so fry. This morning she seemed slightly less "square" to me than she has since delivery.
 
Could the stringy poo (exactly the same kind she had for over a day before the 5 fry were born) that she has had the last couple of days be just like an afterbirth of sorts and she will mature the next set of fry int he few weeks to come and deliver in 3-4+ weeks again as would be normally expected?
 
I took that as a surefire sign that more fry were imminent.
 
She still has a white spot near her anus but can not notice a dark area. Not sure if I am looking for the right sign to confirm if she is gravid?

 

[mytbrealtor]

Would a molly remain "squared off" to some degree during the entire length of time of the multiple birthing sessions over months of time?

 

[mytbrealtor]

I put her back in the community tank as she is apparently not hatching any more fry at this time. I would still be very happy to know some educated opinions on my questions. Thank you.

 

[DerpPH]

Would a molly remain "squared off" to some degree during the entire length of time of the multiple birthing sessions over months of time?

 
 
yes. her belly will remain swollen for a span of time. 

 

[Deepatlantis]

It takes a few days for them to recover their shape. Stringy poo...it could be that she was eating her own babies and had quite a feast! I know that's horrible, but it happens.

 

[mytbrealtor]

 
She had the stringy poo before she hatched the small first batch of fry.
 
So as you now, she is back in the community tank since yesterday and seems happy.
 
Today she had another episode of the stringy poo. You will be able to get a good look at her boxiness, gravid area, and poo from the pictures I finally got for you guys.
 
If she is going to hatch the fry still now as opposed to waiting 4 more weeks, I want to continue to be ready.
 
She really seems again today to look ready to deliver another batch of fry. I do not really want to switch tanks on her again but am afraid to leave her where she is because we lost every one last time. If I am not around or asleep it could be too late just like that.
 
I will add some hornwort or such for them just in case and then maybe try and catch and move them over. I don't think I could with a net though without hurting them and have seem people mention using a baster but that seems stressful too. How would I move them to a baggie to acclimate them to the other tank before setting them free for a couple of weeks?
 
Based on the pics and given that it has been 4-5 days since the 5 or so fry were born as food, what do all you guys think? Any time or definitely 3-4+ more weeks for round 2 of fry?
 
Photos were just taken 5PM eastern 8/27/13.
 
:confused.

 

[mytbrealtor]

Community please off some advice or words of assurance. I am worried about the little lady and her next batch of fry to be (whenever they are to come). Thanks!