molly with black spot

[choc 1]

Hi Everyone,

Well what it is i've had some lyretail molly's in my tank for a while now and i've noticed that one of them seems to have like a black spot in its abdoman, i noticed it about 5 weeks ago but looking at it yesterday it looks as though it might be getting a little bigger.


Its definately not on the outside so dont think its a parasite and the molly is feeding fine and swimming round the tank with no problem at all.
Can anyone advise me to what this might be???

my tank is a 90 litre
i have 13 neon tetras
3 lyretail moll's
2 julii cory's
2 albino cory's
6 guppy's
2 golden rams

 

[Annastasia]

It sounds like it may be a gravid spot, which means she is pregnant. If it's been 5 week since it appeared, I'd expect some fry soon!

 

[choc 1]

ok thanx a lot,

not had any fry before will i have to buy a small tank to keep them in, hope she is pregnant, like the idea of have little ones. she has got a little bit bigger lately, i noticed also that when you look at the spot in the light it looks like an electric blue colour.

 

[Annastasia]

Yep, I've noticed that with some of my fish. The gravid spot is actually the fry's eyes, so the light can reflect off them differently.

You can buy a small tank to put them in. That would be best, since Molly babies are one of the bigger Livebearer babies. I'd use a sponge filter, so they don't get sucked up, and the flow isn't too small. And then a sand substrate, or barebottom, so they don't get crushed in the gravel. Plants, rocks, and caves, are also a good idea.

 

[shuhu]

mmmm someone here told me that mollyes don't have the gravid spot, only guppies, could someone please confirm this ?

 

[Annastasia]

Hmmm...as far as I was always told, Mollies get gravid spots. At least, the lighter ones. If they don't, and I was told wrong, choc 1's Molly may be getting markings then.

Edit: Been looking around...most places say they do get a gravid spot. Okay....I am confused now.

 

[acetennis2002]

my swardtails have a gravid spot so as far as i know guppys arnt the only ones.

 

[Annastasia]

I know Platies get Gravid spots too...because mine have some right now.

So Guppies definitely aren't the only ones.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

All livebearers technically have a gravid spot but some may not show it due to very dark coloring or thick skin i.e a black or dark dalmation molly.

 

[shuhu]

well thank god they do have a gravid spot, because my pregnant silver molly has a little black dot on her bellie and she is about to pop any momment

maybe the guy who told me was wrong or got confused