How does a pregnant Molly behave?
She starts to hide behind plants or decorations in the tank. She even might stay close to the tank heater to stay warm. During pregnancy, she eats more, but when she is ready to give birth, she will not have an appetite. And, she might start being aggressive towards other fish.
How can you tell if a Molly is pregnant?
How to Tell if a Molly Fish is Pregnant?
- Watch for any behavioral changes in your female molly fish.
- Note if a dark triangular spot has appeared near the anal vent.
- Look for the stomach to change.
- View your molly fish throughout the pregnancy.
How long does Molly pregnancy last?
The gestation period of a molly fish is around 60 days. Female mollies can store sperm for months and may fertilize eggs as often as every 30 days, even when no male is present in the tank. Mollies may release 10 to 60 live fish at a time.
Will Molly fish eat their babies?
In a breeding net, the fry are exposed to the same water conditions the rest of the tank is experiencing. Cannibalism is normal with mollies and other livebearers like guppies and platys. As fecund as they are, you don’t really need to worry about saving every last one.
How long do molly fish stay pregnant?
Do pregnant mollies hide?
A gravid molly will have a change in behavior, usually becoming slower, and tend to hide more than is normal only coming out to feed. Your fish might also become more aggressive to tank mates, particularly those that venture into her hiding spot.
Will molly fish eat their babies?
How often do molly fish have babies?
How long do mollies give birth for?
Female mollies will gestate their young for about 60 days. They can give birth to between 40 and 100 fry.
Do molly fish protect their babies?
Mollies belong to a class of fish called livebearers. They don’t lay eggs; their young come out swimming. Molly babies get no protection from their parents. The tiny fish are just as likely to be eaten by their own mother as they are by other fish in the aquarium, so to survive they’re going to need a little help.
Do pregnant fish sit at the bottom?
Pregnant Guppy Fish in Labor One explanation for seeing a female guppy fish hanging out at the bottom of the aquarium is that she’s pregnant and in labor. If you’re keeping both female and male guppies, chances are very high that they’ll reproduce and that the female will give birth to fry.
How many fry do Mollies birth?
Gestation and Birth They can give birth to between 40 and 100 fry. Mollies that are young or are having one of their first few pregnancies will tend to give birth to a smaller rather than larger number of fry. When a molly female is near her time to give birth, you will need to separate her from the rest of the tank.
Why are there so many pregnant Molly fish?
Male molly fish can stress out females with their constant pursuit. Keeping one male with three females is the recommended ratio for breeding these fish, any more will create too many pregnant molly fish and too many molly babies as a result. You may notice the male molly fish under the female molly, which is how they copulate.
How can you tell if your Molly is pregnant?
Firstly, the thing you have to do is to closely observe the female molly and keep an eye on its everyday behavior. If your brightly-colored molly is pregnant, you will begin to see a black line on its lower belly. This will be a little hard to notice if you have black mollies.
What are the breeding behaviors of a Mollie?
Breeding behaviors in mollies are usually noticed when the male molly goes under the female molly and copulate in order to fertilize eggs. Fishes mate after chasing their targeted fish. Either a male or female or both the male and female can chase each other.
Is it normal for Mollies to be aggressive during pregnancy?
It’s quite normal for mollies to become protective and slightly aggressive towards other tank mates during pregnancy. This is an instinctual defense mechanism, but the aggression is barely dangerous or harmful. But more than fighting, mollies prefer hiding and isolating to protect themselves and their soon-to-be-born fry.