Need to repopulate tank

[Alien Anna]

OK, I've had my mollies a couple of months now and I think I've got a better grasp of their needs. I have 3 females and a male sailfin in a 30 gal tank, with 8 guppies and an SAE. I plan to get 2 or 3 more SAEs but in the meantime the tank is a little bear. My plants aren't doing too well and I blame a lack of fish poop

My female mollies have got fat, and then thin, but no evidence of fry. It is possible the fry got caught in my Fluval 3 filter, so I'm thinking of putting some kind of net over the intake (any other ideas gratefully received). Or maybe the fry got eaten by somebody, or maybe there weren't any fry. I'm not sure but I'm getting a little fed u of just having 4 mollies in there and would like to increase the population.

Has anyone any idea where I go from here? Should I transfer a female mollie to my hospital tank for a few weeks, until she gives birth (assuming she's pregnant)? Should I put a mollie in a breeding trap at a particular cunning moment? Should I put a breeding mat or some kind of fry hiding-place in the floor of my tank? I need ideas, folks.

 

[pondfreak4365]

hi Alien Anna,
If I don't capture the fry and place them in a seperate tank, the parents absolutely eat them. I use one of those floating type breeder containers so that they have a chance to get away

 

[Alien Anna]

hi Alien Anna,
If I don't capture the fry and place them in a seperate tank, the parents absolutely eat them. I use one of those floating type breeder containers so that they have a chance to get away

At what point do I put the pregnant molly in the trap? I don't want the poor creature spending the next 8 weeks in it!

 

[MountGuppy]

you put her in when she looks more square than round from the back wiew.I would do the hospital tank though hate those breedeing net 5 fish died from one.If it is big enough you could just leave her in there for a longer time.

 

[pondfreak4365]

I agree with Mount Guppy, she will look squarish usually. I have been surprised by finding fry days before I though she was ready to drop. My dalmation female is usually very predictable, I watch for her to resist the male, she wants nothing to do with him. He will appear to nose at her anal fin..it's time to put her in the breeder container. She's rarely ever been in for more than 48 hours, usually much less. I have also had an experience of placing a heavily gravid molly in the breeder box and giving up after 72 hours, returning her to the tank and watching her give birth immediately afterward.