Hello From Florida's Space Coast!

[jessithebuckeye]

Hello hello!
 
My name is Jessi and I am 24 years old. I live in Florida and am relatively new here to aquarium "life" in a more "dedicated" form of the word!
 
A little over a year ago I got a little Betta and named him Neil. He had a regular bowl with no filter. After a little while, I got him a little 2.5 gallon tank with filter (though I know now they don't need it!) with glass rocks and two fake plants.
 
Sadly, he passed away July 27th. =[ I was crushed.
 
So I went to Petco and asked for some advice, I wasn't sure if I wanted another Betta or to try something else, and got was told a Molly and Platy would be okay together in a 2.5 gallon as long as I kept up on the water, which I do! So there I went.
 
Next day, my Platy had passed on. I got the water tested and it was okay, it must have just been a sick fish. I decided to just keep the Molly. I named him Buzz!
 
Well quickly I found out Buzz was not a HE, Buzz was a SHE! I saw little babies floating around. I called Petco and was informed of the Mollies "live-birthing" and quickly ran out to get a breeder trap and a bigger tank. 
 
They were born on August 1st and all 14 Molly fry are still here. =] I was NOT expecting this and so I joined for advice and a little guidance on my way with all these Fry! I'm pretty sure I'll need a bigger tank. =] 
 
They are still in the breeder so the filter doesn't suck them up but the fry and mom seem to be doing well. I just need some helpful advice! 
 
Sorry it's so long, thanks for reading!
 
Babies at 8 days old. =]

 
Mama  Buzz and some of her lil baby fries!

 

[karlnina]

hello jessi

 

[ncguppy830]

welcome to the forum!

 

[daizeUK]

Hi there Jessi!  That's a lovely molly you've got!
 
I'm afraid that Petco gave you bad advice about housing a molly and platy in a 2.5 gallon tank.  Mollies will grow quite large (about 3 inches) and as a fully grown adult she will ideally need at least a 2.5ft tank of about 30 gallons to be happy.
 
Female mollies (and other livebearers e.g. platies, guppies) often arrive from the shop already pregnant and she will store the sperm inside her for about 6 months.  This means you can expect her to give birth to fry every month even with no male present in the tank.  You may find yourself quickly overrun with fry!
 
All fish produce ammonia as a waste product and they require a mature filter to process the ammonia into less toxic substances.  Even bettas do need a filter so you did the right thing to get him one!  Fish can die of ammonia poisoning if a filter is uncycled or if a mature filter is overloaded with too many fish.  I would recommend investing in an ammonia test kit of your own so that you can check if your filter is coping with the new bio-load.  Also when you do get a bigger tank then keep in mind it will probably not come with a mature filter.  You can find lots of advice here on the best way to cycle a new filter so that your fish do not suffer from poisoning!

 

[fm1978]

Hi Jessi in Florida!
 
Welcome to the forum. Looks like you have your work cut out for you with all those fry and the ones still to arrive, most likely...
 
A bigger tank would be a very good start, as daizeUK already said.
 
The only thing I can advise is to not immediately take the advice of your local fish shop; ask us here first instead. There are some very experienced members here and between them they will probably know the answer to just about any query you could have!
 
Good luck and once again, Welcome!

 

[meandmykribs]

  Jessi

 

[Megalodon]

hello.s
 
mollys require more brackish waters as opposed to platy who do not. also mollys get larger.

 

[ncguppy830]

mollys can be in all 3 water types so it reallty doesnt matter but the tank size is to small.

 

[Megalodon]

really?
 everytime, i research them i hear they do better in more brackish water. which has always keeps me from considering them as tank mates...i migh reconsider a gold doubloon molly in the future.
 

mollys can be in all 3 water types so it reallty doesnt matter but the tank size is to small.

 

[ncguppy830]

no your right about bracksih they do thrive but i dont think the OP should really worry about it.

 

[jessithebuckeye]

Thank you for the advice so far! And all the welcomes! Yes, the man there I guess really didn't know what he was talking about!
 
My mollies seem to be doing very well in the 10g so far. I've come to accept I will have to get another tank as they grow.
 
I've been doing water changes every day and been very concious of trying not to over feed them (I am actually a recovering anorexic, and would never want my fishies to feel that pain!) and they are doing well.
 
I actually had to go to the other coast of Florida for 4 days and leave my babies all alone and they all survived! =] I'll have to get that test kit probably!
 
I'm definitely trying my best and am pretty sure more fry are on the way - oh boy! 

 

[MrsEspoNYC7]

Hi and welcome, I pretty new here too and if there is one valuable lesson I learned so far it is to NEVER listen to the people at chain pet stores or Lfs . Always come here and ask these people for advice lol...good luck with your grand-frys ( that's what I call my fry since my guppies are like my kids lol) keep us updated.

 

[jessithebuckeye]

Here is a picture of the lil babies at 16 days old with momma Buzz looking in! All 14 are still here! YAY
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:70862]

 

[daizeUK]

Is that fish food at the bottom of the tank?

 

[MrsEspoNYC7]

Wow they are so cute, keep us updated as they grow