Pregnant Dalmation Molly

[Lyra0727]

My guppy should any day.. were on her 4th week of being pregnant and they say guppies are only pregnant with 4-5 weeks. I had to seperate her from the others though because the males wouldnt even let her sleep! Problem is her personality is the show off bratty type (haha) so she wasnt happy until I put another female in there (just a second ago)

For a good hour or so last night/early morning I thought she was going to drop because she was darting around the tank nervously and barley eating but shes still big. I'm going to try and feed her again in a few now that shes moving around more with the other female. She only have a single bloodworm this morning.

How long are mollys normally pregnant? I was so tempted to get a couple dolmation mollys from the store today.. But I cant afford getting another tank for them lol.

 

[OldMan47]

Lyra, please do not mess around with ich. It is a deadly parasite infestation if you do nothing to deal with it. I have a link in my signature area to a good site where you can read up on ich information. It not only describes the parasite's life cycle but explains in some detail how to deal with ich with good success. I have used their salt treatment and saved every fish in an infested tank so I have some confidence in their advice.

 

[Lyra0727]

Lyra, please do not mess around with ich. It is a deadly parasite infestation if you do nothing to deal with it. I have a link in my signature area to a good site where you can read up on ich information. It not only describes the parasite's life cycle but explains in some detail how to deal with ich with good success. I have used their salt treatment and saved every fish in an infested tank so I have some confidence in their advice.

I'll take a look at it when its back up again.. it's under maintance right now. I know its serious, since I've seen what it has done. I have added salt on wednesday the day I noticed it and I am suppose to do a water change today(plus the temp is up to 82!). It's only visable on one gourami But I'm sure the others have it too and I'm not seeing it. I had it a while back when I first got my knife fish and I guess it came back or I never fully got rid of it. Thanks for the site! It will help a lot!

 

[OldMan47]

Lyra: move your temperature to 85F if your fish will tolerate it and make sure you have enough salt to kill the infectious stage of the parasite. If I remember correctly that is about a tablespoon per gallon but I would prefer to verify the concentration on the Skeptical Aquarist site before using more than that.

 

[Lyra0727]

Lyra: move your temperature to 85F if your fish will tolerate it and make sure you have enough salt to kill the infectious stage of the parasite. If I remember correctly that is about a tablespoon per gallon but I would prefer to verify the concentration on the Skeptical Aquarist site before using more than that.

Ok will do. I'll add a little bit more salt after I finish this water change..I keep checking but the site is still under maintance. Any idea as to how I can get the ick off my moss balls?

 

[Althamon]

I hope you get the ich cleared up, thankfully not had any disease yet. I am only guessing but I assume to remove it from the moss adding the salt should do it as the parasite will be still affected since it isn't protected under the skin of the fish.

According to oldmans topic his have around 6 week cycle of pregnancy to dropping so I guess I am on the last week.

 

[Lyra0727]

I hope you get the ich cleared up, thankfully not had any disease yet. I am only guessing but I assume to remove it from the moss adding the salt should do it as the parasite will be still affected since it isn't protected under the skin of the fish.

According to oldmans topic his have around 6 week cycle of pregnancy to dropping so I guess I am on the last week.

Yeah hopefully the salt will get rid of it.. I'm thinking maybe I didnt completely get rid of it last time like I thought? When I fist got it I found out the fish I bought from a lfs I no longer go to sold me that had ick and it spread to my tank!

If your molly is on her last week that's really exciting! consider how big she must be I really want to know how many fry she has What are you going to do with them all?

 

[Althamon]

Any that survive to be big enough I will donate a couple to my housemate and put others into free ads if I don't get too attached...

I am looking forward to the colouration of the fry as the female has yellow speckles amongst her black and white markings, as well as some pearlescent scales along her lateral line on both sides (visible at certain angles).

I just wonder what characteristics will show...

 

[Lyra0727]

Your going to get attached, we all do! Especally since we watch them grow up it's hard not to

It will be interesting to see what colors. Do you know what the father looks like?

 

[Althamon]

All I know is that she was in a mixed tank of all dalmatian mollys with varying amounts of white and black markings

 

[Lyra0727]

Hmm.. I'm as to how they'll look now.. Mind taking pics once the fry starts showing lots of color?

 

[Althamon]

here is another pic I took of her a few hours ago and just decided how much easier to post the pics from photobucket instead. You can clearly see the yellow/gold speckles she has with the black and white colouring.

got a couple of things trying to muscle their way into shot like the danio, shrimp and the male molly (has a nice yellow/gold line that runs along edge of top of the fins)

note 1: the fallout figure is only there to be cleaned by my shrimp
note 2: the pink stuff on the gravel is the remains of 50% tetrafood block which they are all still munching on

 

[Lyra0727]

Wow I can see a big different in her belly. And I can see the yellow that you mentioned! Would be awsome if the fry ended up having that too Makes them look special. Sweet tank btw love the ship!

 

[Althamon]

It would be nice if they did get that as it would make them a bit unusual. The molly is still swimming happily nibbling and moving gravel as normal so I doubt it will be today.

Cheers for comments on the tank, I still don't feel it's how I want it yet but then again its only 3 months old and I think I may carry the mixed stones to the new tank (when allowed one) as the White are a large gravel and the black is a small gravel just above the scale for shrimp gravel. And I have a couple of live plants growing behind the ship as cuttings from a mates tank (I know cheapskate lol). The boat is the home to my betta after he stole it from the shrimp and he likes poking his head out one hole and tail out another

 

[Lyra0727]

Hmm well maybe tomorrow.. Will be very exciting to see how many she has considering her size.

How do you keep the plants in your tank alive? I've tried keeping a couple in mine and they die.. only ones that I have now are 2 moss balls and thats because I got them friday. ALthough the tank seems perfect for snail breeding haha... Need a snail?

Poor shrimp loseing their boat lol but the betta must really love it!