My Mollie gave birth!!!!!

[Mariah]

So im sitting at the computer about to roll up the rim on my Tim Hortons cup and I just happened to glace over to my aquarium and I see this tiny black thing swimming near the top of the tank!
I kicked the chair I was sitting on backwards and opened the top of the tank to see more little fry hiding in the water sprite I had floating on the top of the water! I ran downstairs to search for the tank that the fry goes in when there little but couldnt find it!
I ran back upstairs and the fry were gone! I start seraching the water and eventually catch 6 little black lyetail fry
Im so happy! Like this is the greatest thing ever!
So now here come the questions....

1) I have them in a net at the moment cause my other fish will eat them and I want them to survive. Should I get a baby tank that goes in my tank?
2) How much food to feed them?
3) Should there be a floating plant in there with them? Thats what I have in there right now.
4) Will my other fish in the tank be stressed out because I was catching the fry?
5) Should I put any type of chemical in the water in case the fish are stressed?
6) My temp is at 79 F. Is this ok?

THanks so much everyone! This is my first experience with fry so help would be great!

 

[joanne61451]

I can not answer most of your ?,,but I have been told the tank temp should be kept at about 71-72 degrees and you need alot of hiding placing for the fry- such as dence live plants or anything that the fry can hide in.

 

[Raechal]

1) Are they just in a regular net like the net you use to scoop out the other fish? I would get a breeding net to keep them in until they are about an inch or so long and can find food and strong enough to get their own food in the main tank. This could take up to a couple of months. I had 7 dalmation/calico molly fry and I kept them in a breeding net for about 4 or so months and when they were about an inch I put them in the main tank and they are doing fine and are very healthy. Some people say that they grow slower in the breeding net since they don't have any gravel to scavenge food from, but I added a little gravel in their net so they could scavenge for the leftover food.
2) How much food to feed them? I fed mine around 3 times a day, but I think twice a day would be fine. I fed mine crushed up flakes and crushed brine pellets. They seemed to like those and it was easy for them to eat. I would make sure some would float to the bottom as some of them didn't like coming to the top to feed and would rather have it sinking infront of their face.
3) Should there be a floating plant in there with them? Thats what I have in there right now.- I never kept a floating plant in my breeding net, well I did keep some clippings from some plants that got too big in there, but they just collected a bunch of leftover food on them and got dirty so I threw them out. Breeding nets can get VERY dirts VERY quickly so I suggest trying to gravel vac it out once a week.
4) Will my other fish in the tank be stressed out because I was catching the fry? When I caught my fry none of my fish were too stressed out. I caught them fairly quick though as they were all at the top of the tank huddling together. None of my fish really seemed to mind.
5) Should I put any type of chemical in the water in case the fish are stressed? If your fish are acting really stressed you could add a little stress coat to help them out, or a little pinch of aquarium salt if your fish tolerate salt.
6) My temp is at 79 F. Is this ok? I kept my temp at around 76-80 so I would think 79 would be fine. I also heard that fry grow quicker in warmer water, but I am not 100% sure if it is true or not.

Good luck with the fry! You'll have a wonderful time raising them.

 

[Mariah]

1) Are they just in a regular net like the net you use to scoop out the other fish? I would get a breeding net to keep them in until they are about an inch or so long and can find food and strong enough to get their own food in the main tank. This could take up to a couple of months. I had 7 dalmation/calico molly fry and I kept them in a breeding net for about 4 or so months and when they were about an inch I put them in the main tank and they are doing fine and are very healthy. Some people say that they grow slower in the breeding net since they don't have any gravel to scavenge food from, but I added a little gravel in their net so they could scavenge for the leftover food.
2) How much food to feed them? I fed mine around 3 times a day, but I think twice a day would be fine. I fed mine crushed up flakes and crushed brine pellets. They seemed to like those and it was easy for them to eat. I would make sure some would float to the bottom as some of them didn't like coming to the top to feed and would rather have it sinking infront of their face.
3) Should there be a floating plant in there with them? Thats what I have in there right now.- I never kept a floating plant in my breeding net, well I did keep some clippings from some plants that got too big in there, but they just collected a bunch of leftover food on them and got dirty so I threw them out. Breeding nets can get VERY dirts VERY quickly so I suggest trying to gravel vac it out once a week.
4) Will my other fish in the tank be stressed out because I was catching the fry? When I caught my fry none of my fish were too stressed out. I caught them fairly quick though as they were all at the top of the tank huddling together. None of my fish really seemed to mind.
5) Should I put any type of chemical in the water in case the fish are stressed? If your fish are acting really stressed you could add a little stress coat to help them out, or a little pinch of aquarium salt if your fish tolerate salt.
6) My temp is at 79 F. Is this ok? I kept my temp at around 76-80 so I would think 79 would be fine. I also heard that fry grow quicker in warmer water, but I am not 100% sure if it is true or not.

Good luck with the fry! You'll have a wonderful time raising them.

They were in a regular net that I scopped them up with but I got my dad to pick up a "floating fish hatchery"... Thats the name on the box and there in there now. Is that the same thing as a breeding net? Does anyone have any experience with this type of breeding net? Its made by "Marina"
I have a piece of water sprite in the box with them. Some are in the plant some are not so I guess they like it?
What is the survival rate of the fry? Will they all make it? Oh and it the big tank I do have hiding places for the fry... But there in the breeders net now, I guess the plants helped them survive since I was not here when she gave bieth but thanks for the heads up!
Thanks for all the advice

 

[Raechal]

I don't think I used that exact one, but is it like a plastic frame and a net fits around it and ties? And the net is white? I think they are all pretty much the same. Well the 7 fry I found in my main tank all survived and they are all really healthy. The same dalmation molly just gave birth a few days ago as well and I only found three so they are in the breeding net now. They are considerably smaller than the first batch she had, so hopefully they will all survive.

Keep the water sprite in there if they like it then, just make sure not too much food collects on it.

 

[Mariah]

I don't think I used that exact one, but is it like a plastic frame and a net fits around it and ties? And the net is white? I think they are all pretty much the same. Well the 7 fry I found in my main tank all survived and they are all really healthy. The same dalmation molly just gave birth a few days ago as well and I only found three so they are in the breeding net now. They are considerably smaller than the first batch she had, so hopefully they will all survive.

Keep the water sprite in there if they like it then, just make sure not too much food collects on it.

Its a plastic frame that just floats in the water but I tied it to the sides of the tank because I didnt feel comfortable with it just floating all over the tank. It can also be used when the mama is going to have the fry you put her in there and when the fry comes they can get to the bottom where the mama cant. I think its neat
My mollie is almost back to her normal size, will she have more fry?
Thanks

 

[Raechal]

I don't think I used that exact one, but is it like a plastic frame and a net fits around it and ties? And the net is white? I think they are all pretty much the same. Well the 7 fry I found in my main tank all survived and they are all really healthy. The same dalmation molly just gave birth a few days ago as well and I only found three so they are in the breeding net now. They are considerably smaller than the first batch she had, so hopefully they will all survive.

Keep the water sprite in there if they like it then, just make sure not too much food collects on it.

Its a plastic frame that just floats in the water but I tied it to the sides of the tank because I didnt feel comfortable with it just floating all over the tank. It can also be used when the mama is going to have the fry you put her in there and when the fry comes they can get to the bottom where the mama cant. I think its neat
My mollie is almost back to her normal size, will she have more fry?
Thanks

After my molly had her 7 fry she went back to her normal size and the next day she was fat again. even though there were no other male mollies in my tank, female mollies can hold a male's sperm for months and keep having fry every month or so.

 

[Mariah]

I don't think I used that exact one, but is it like a plastic frame and a net fits around it and ties? And the net is white?  I think they are all pretty much the same. Well the 7 fry I found in my main tank all survived and they are all really healthy. The same dalmation molly just gave birth a few days ago as well and I only found three so they are in the breeding net now.  They are considerably smaller than the first batch she had, so hopefully they will all survive.

Keep the water sprite in there if they like it then, just make sure not too much food collects on it.

Its a plastic frame that just floats in the water but I tied it to the sides of the tank because I didnt feel comfortable with it just floating all over the tank. It can also be used when the mama is going to have the fry you put her in there and when the fry comes they can get to the bottom where the mama cant. I think its neat
My mollie is almost back to her normal size, will she have more fry?
Thanks

After my molly had her 7 fry she went back to her normal size and the next day she was fat again. even though there were no other male mollies in my tank, female mollies can hold a male's sperm for months and keep having fry every month or so.

Well thats good news! I want more fry! Its so exciting

 

[Mariah]

UPDATE: I just found another fry hiding in the water sprite so now I have 7 frys in total in the breeders net!!

 

[mollie fanatic]

i think your supposed to leave the fry in the breeding net until they double in their size. just crush up a little flake food, they better they eat the faster they grow. Your tank and other fish should be ok, they know you. hope this helps,

 

[Elisabeth83]

Fry like the water quite warm...I keep my fry tank on 82


I feed mine about 5-6 times a day. I feed them Bloodworm, Brine Shrimp, Flake, fry flake and sometimes a wafer.

Good Luck

 

[Mariah]

Ok thanks

 

[Mariah]

Also I have noticed that the breeding net is already getting dirty... Its probably not that dirty but Im a neat freak so.... I was told by a previous poster to use a "gravel vacume thing" to clean the mess but im afraid of sucking up a fry! Is there any other way to clean the breeders net?
Thanks