Please Help Newbie with First Fry

[HeatherMW]

Hi Guys !

THanks for helping me out, I'm very new to the tropical fish thing and am somewhat confused and concerned. I set up my 10 galloon heated aquarium about 4 weeks ago and have had no deaths since I started!! whooo hooooo.

I do a 50% water change with a gravel vacuum every week. I add in salt, cycle, and aqua plus to remove chlorine. So far so good! I let my tank run for about a week before adding in any fish. In one day I added 3 male platys and 2 female mollies. All have done extremely well. 3 days after I put them in, I realized my mollies were both pregnant and one was VERY close. I transfered mom to a breeding tank and she had 20 fry! All have survived (and are now 2 weeks old).

I'm thrilled that there have been no casualties at all! LOL

My question is....about two weeks ago I noticed my other mollie (not the one who gave birth) only had one fin on the right side....the left side has nothing!!! I don't know what happened to her, or even if she came home from the Pet Store like this? Not sure...I feel bad for her!! but she doesn't seem to care at all. Still swims great and eats lots. Do you think she will be OK??

Also, the mollie with only one fin is also pregnant and she is looking like she will drop any day now. I moved her to her own breeding tank last night and within an hour she had one still born fry...It didn't look quite fully developed. I went to bed and woke up this morning to another still born.

What is happening! She looks HUGE and is acting the same way that the other one did right before she gave birth.

This morning I let her out of the breeding tank back into the main tank and went to work, so not sure what I will come home to.

Did I stress her by moving her? She didn't act stressed out! Is there anything that I can do to help her? My water temp is currently between 78-80 degrees and I do have some salt in the tank. I don't want any more still borns...

Thanks for any help that you can offer me!!

Heather

 

[Tempestuousfury]

from your post count, 1, I see you're a newbie. Introduce yourself in the newbie section.

It was definitely stress. The fish doesn't have to go insane when under stress. Stress isn't always mental, it's also physical. The temperature in the two tanks should be the same, the salt content should be the same, as should the ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. However, you shouldn't have moved the molly at all because tank changes cause a great deal of stress.

If she survives (which she should with proper water care) she should be ready to drop another batch in 4 weeks. Move her a week prior to that to make sure she's not too stressed out.

As for the molly without a fin, if it's been less than 2 weeks, you should be able to return it. Just say that the fish was messed up before you got it (if you really believe it was injured before). Just add melafix or some other medicines to make sure the molly doesn't develop fungus on its fin. Just do the regular water changes and she should be fine.

 

[HeatherMW]

Thanks for your speedy reply!

I guess I didn't really explain myself too well...LOL

I didn't really "move" the mollie, I put her in a breeding trap within the main tank...so water levels would all have been the same. She only dropped two still born fry. Does that mean she won't have ANY more for 30 days!!?? What about all the other ones in there? LOL she's HUGE and square looking!

As for the Mollie with the missing fin...I could never return her! I love her too much! The two female mollies get along sooo well it's adorable!

When I moved the one to the breeding trap last night the othe Mollie just swam around the little box looking in at her for hours.....it was soo cute!

She is in the main tank right noe and is doing great! Doesn't seem bothered by only having one fin! I'll keep her cause she's "unique"

Thanks for the help!

Heather

 

[Tempestuousfury]

No problem.

If it's a breeding trap, then she was definitely stressed out. My guppy went insane when I put her in so I had to take her back out. My platies didn't mind though.

I'm not sure if the other fish will be still born or not, I hope not. They can take a few days to drop the fry, though, so it doesn't necessarily mean that your other fry are in danger.

 

[cal]

It was probably one of the male platys who did this you may ned to add a few female platys in the tank that will stop the males aggressen.Other than that I dont have a clue?? .I hope the hobby goes well for you godbye!!