Now I'm Very Confused

[Mayu]

I get a lot of conflicting opinions which in turns gets confusing.

I have been told the best thing to do is separate the Molly mom-to-be from the general population, then return her when she's finished giving birth.

I have been told that it's bad to put her in those nursery traps because it's too small and could not only stress her out, but it wouldn't be appropriate for the fry to grow.

So then I decided I'll move her to her own tank and place her back once she gives birth, and let the fry grow up in the tank until they're big enough.

I was then told that's a bad idea because the water conditions won't be the same, and that would kill the momma and I should just add plants for the babies to hide in.

then another website said that the majority of babies will die if loose in the tank, especially if you have active fish, which my fish are... and that I'm better off getting a nursery trap.

So now I'm more confused than ever. I'd like for some of the babies to survive since I'll be getting a large tank in the near future... I just want to do what's right.

do I get a nursery trap, do I get a separate nursery tank, or do I leave well enough alone - let mom give birth in her own tank - and pray for the best?

 

[Mayu]

Ok so far no one's voted for the nursery trap so that's out...

the majority are voting for putting in her own nursery tank... there's one vote for leave alone...

So if anyone else wants to give me their input, I'd really appreciate it. I need to buy the tank today if I'm going to go that route.

I'll check in one more time after I'm done with my work out. (stupid new year's resolutions.) lol.

 

[fry_forever!]

Ok so far no one's voted for the nursery trap so that's out...

the majority are voting for putting in her own nursery tank... there's one vote for leave alone...

So if anyone else wants to give me their input, I'd really appreciate it. I need to buy the tank today if I'm going to go that route.

I'll check in one more time after I'm done with my work out. (stupid new year's resolutions.) lol.

I always left my fish to do it naturally, because that way if some fry got eaten, it was good, because I didn't have to worry about finding homes for 60 fry, but I still got a few healthy fry. Plus, it's fun to catch them.

Good luck.

 

[FWFishLover]

The Nursery Tank Is A Good Idea Because She Can Give Birth Unstressed First Of All And All Of The Fry Will Survive (Unless She Eats A Couple).
And About The Water Changes.......Its Unlikely She Will Die From It. I Changed My Swordtails (A Cousin Of The Molly) Tank 3 Times In 1 Week Once And Clyde Is Still Alive To This Day. For A Tank I'd Recommend A 10 Gallon Tank With 15 Pounds Of Gravel (I Live In The U.S So I Use The Term Pounds For Weight)
Also Be Sure To Buy Plenty Of Decor For The Babies To Hide. When The Fry Are Grown Up You'll Have A Nice BIRTH Tank.

 

[MOW4T]

heavily planted/decorated nursery tank with main tank water used to fill it and some mature media, and just leave her in there would be my choice, but i aint all that clued up, from what ive been led to believe move her quite a while before she is due to avoid her aborting etc

could be complete rubbish but thats what i would do

 

[fry_forever!]

The Nursery Tank Is A Good Idea Because She Can Give Birth Unstressed First Of All And All Of The Fry Will Survive (Unless She Eats A Couple).
And About The Water Changes.......Its Unlikely She Will Die From It. I Changed My Swordtails (A Cousin Of The Molly) Tank 3 Times In 1 Week Once And Clyde Is Still Alive To This Day. For A Tank I'd Recommend A 10 Gallon Tank With 15 Pounds Of Gravel (I Live In The U.S So I Use The Term Pounds For Weight)
Also Be Sure To Buy Plenty Of Decor For The Babies To Hide. When The Fry Are Grown Up You'll Have A Nice BIRTH Tank.

15 pounds of gravel? That seems quite excessive! I'd go with 10 pounds at the max.
Not trying to be rude though, just stating.

 

[Harlequins]

Being a molly which is obviously larger than the platys/guppies i would leave her to drop in the main tank,then catch and fry and put these in a separate tank.-Turkey baster comes in handy for this.
Has long has you got plenty of cover-plants/ornaments the fry will hide pretty well.

You can put her in a separate tank but you will need either a mature filter or do largish daily water changes on the tank to keep the ammonia/nitrite down.
Moving her to a separate tank you will need to do this at least a week before she drops,otherwise she may abort them,and again have plenty of cover for the fry.

 

[Mayu]

ok, so maybe I should just get a breeder trap, and when she gives birth, release her and put the babies in the separate tank? (cause she's showing signs that she may be ready to drop at anytime)

 

[FWFishLover]

The Nursery Tank Is A Good Idea Because She Can Give Birth Unstressed First Of All And All Of The Fry Will Survive (Unless She Eats A Couple).
And About The Water Changes.......Its Unlikely She Will Die From It. I Changed My Swordtails (A Cousin Of The Molly) Tank 3 Times In 1 Week Once And Clyde Is Still Alive To This Day. For A Tank I'd Recommend A 10 Gallon Tank With 15 Pounds Of Gravel (I Live In The U.S So I Use The Term Pounds For Weight)
Also Be Sure To Buy Plenty Of Decor For The Babies To Hide. When The Fry Are Grown Up You'll Have A Nice BIRTH Tank.

15 pounds of gravel? That seems quite excessive! I'd go with 10 pounds at the max.
Not trying to be rude though, just stating.

Yeah It SOUNDS Excessive But I Have 20g And Added 5 Pounds (Pounds=Weight Not Money) Extra And It Seemed Alot Better Than Just 20 Pounds Cuz I Wanted At Least Like 3-4 Inches Of Gravel. Trust Me

 

[Mayu]

I guess, my problem is, I don't have the tank... and by the time it's properly cycled, she'll probably have already popped. So I don't know if I should get one, start it, and put her right in cycled or not, or if I should just get a breeder trap and keep her in her own water.

 

[FWFishLover]

I guess, my problem is, I don't have the tank... and by the time it's properly cycled, she'll probably have already popped. So I don't know if I should get one, start it, and put her right in cycled or not, or if I should just get a breeder trap and keep her in her own water.

At This Point You Have No Choice But To Put Her In Uncycled

 

[OldMan47]

I always put a livebearer in her own birthing tank to drop fry. I do not wait until the last minute, that is for people using breeding traps. By moving my female 2 weeks early, I get results like these in a tank as small as my 10 gallon. this is the molly and her fry the day of the drop.

This is the same female 5 weeks later with the only action on my part being to feed the tank regularly and do an occasional water change.

 

[Mayu]

the problem was, I thought something was wrong with my fish, so I only really just found out he's a she and that she's pregnant... so while I'd prefer to do her own birthing tank... I've been adviced by many times that while I could drop her in an uncycled tank... it could cause her stress because the water levels may be off compared to what she's use to.. and then it would be recommended to do a daily water change to get the water levels to settle which could stress her out this far along.

So I'm going to do a nursery trap this time around so she can give birth in the water her system is use to... and hopefully by next month I'll have my 75 gallon... and I'll keep the one she's in now as a nursery for if (when) it happens again.

Very pretty babies by the way