Molly Fry

[CamG369]

So I bought a molly a couple of weeks ago... two days later it fired out fry. Saved 1 and have had them in one of those plastic containers that stick to the tank.

My issue is that my 105L tank cant take a total of 12 mollies (already have two females), the 3 guppies I have and the 7 neons

Does anyone have any tips on what I can do?

 

[Retired Viking]

My LFS use to take some of my mollies and other fry my fish had. I also gave them away to friends. Just about everyone I knew had fish fry from me.

 

[Byron]

Unless you can find a store or an aquarist locally who will take the fry, I would not attempt to save any of them. Not all of them will get eaten, though at first they might. But a female molly once impregnated can deliver several batches of fry without a male present. And your 105 liter (roughly 30 gallon) tank is no where near adequate for all these fish. Female mollies grow to five inches (some report close to six inches) and growing fry need more space around them in order to develop properly.

Another problem will be the fry themselves...if male and female are present, the females can be impregnated very early on, and then you will have their fry to deal with.

It is best with livebearers to only acquire males. If one does want to breed them, have several various-sized tanks ready to move the fry around as they develop.

 

[Retired Viking]

@Byron is right, when I was breeding mollies I had 6 tanks, at first it was fun but it didn't take long before I was overwhelmed with fry. I had the same problem with African Cichlids . I was given 8 and before I knew it I had over 50 in my 55 gallon tank.

 

[CamG369]

Yeah we are aware of all of these problems. Guilt got the better of us though and we didnt want to watch them get eaten.

Would your suggestion in this case be letting them loose and keeping those who live?

 

[Colin_T]

buy another tank and put it on a double tier stand