Unexpected Baby Fish

[Autumn11]

I've bought a Black Lyretail Molly (only fish in tank) and I've had her for about 5 days. Come to find out she was pregnant and she didn't look it at all, no boxy shape or anything. Out of no where I saw a little fry swimming around the tank, there's only 3-4 from what I've seen so far. I'm sure most of them are hiding in the Java Moss I have, but what if I can't feed them? But at this point I've accepted the fact that the mama might eat them because I took her out of the tank and temporarily placed her into a bowl of water from the tank (in attempt to catch the little fry) and she jumped out just a few minutes later, this seriously gave me a heart attack. Now I'm wondering if my little fry will live if I can't feed them. What should I do? Just let things happen the way they will?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[fishprotector]

I have never kept mollies before, but have found the jbl nobil fluid artemia to be excellent with other fry in the past. Best of luck.

 

[fluttermoth]

I'd just let things go as they are; don't forget that mollies can store sperm for around six months, so she'll probably have more fry in about a month or so.

If you have your tank fairly well planted, a few of the fry survive; you wouldn't be able to keep them all anyway, as mollies can have 30 or more fry in every drop; that's a lot of mollies!

What's worrying me slightly is that this is a new tank; is it cycled?