My Bully Molly Is Pregnant

[Nikkig85]

Hi!
I got 2 dalmation mollies a couple of weeks ago. i have a male and a female. They are really nice fish and i don't really want to get rid of them... but the female molly keeps chasing the male around the tank. is this bullying? or has she just got issues? if any one can help i will be grateful!

This fish is now having babies i think.... Please help

 

[rabbut]

It's usualy the other way arround....

If you have space in the tank, and the tank has been fully established with fish for a while, it might be an idea to add another female to spread the agression

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Nikkig85]

Thanks for that!!!
I've added 2 more bigger mollies (green sail fin, male and female) and she hasn't really calmed down much but she now lets the male dalmation near her as a result i think they did the business I think shes pregnant!!!

which gives me a problem as i have no idea what to do if she is. any advise would be nice!

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Nikkig85

That's good news!

I'll move your thread to the Livebearers section where the members who know the most about them post. You'll get some good information there.

 

[Nikkig85]

Thanks for that!

 

[OldMan47]

A pregnant molly is not a problem. If she is in a tank that only has mollies it it, some of the fry will likely survive and the population will expand some. If she is in a mixed species tank, even the large molly fry will have a hard time surviving unless you provide lots of cover for them. The other options for a livebearer are to place the female in a separate tank to give birth or to place them into a breeding trap during birth. I avoid the breeding trap as I feel they are a cruel confinement but I know full well that many successful breeders use them and they can work. Even a dyed-in-the-wool trap user will limit the time in a breeding trap to only a day or two. Edit to add pictures:
This is the result of a female molly being in a separate tank for a few days before giving birth. At the time of the pictures the fry were only a few hours old.

They are now a week old and the mother is still ignoring them as they grow bigger. I think it is time to move her back to the community tank but with mollies there is no hurry. If you did this with a platy or a guppy, you would pull the mother out as soon as the birth was complete.

 

[Nikkig85]

Thank you soooooo much for the info. Ithink thinking of setting a new tank up soon so i'll use that for her when she drops.

Thanks again!!!

 

[Spishkey]

you may need to purchase another couple of females. the ratio should really be 2 females to every one male to spread out the harassment the females receive a bit.

i too have a 'bully' female, just one of those things i guess. she goes after every fish in the community if they get too close. shes so nasty the males dont get chance to go near her, therefore she sadly has never bred.