The fish birthing process can take
1 – 24 hours
. It sounds like your molly gave birth while you were away, but the rest of her offspring became food for the other fish. It is unlikely that the baby fish will be able to survive around the other fish.
How long does a fish stay in labor?
Female guppies usually spend
between 2 and 8 hours
in labor. Sometimes labor can last as long as two days. Many factors can affect how long a guppy's labor takes including the size of the female, the temperature of the water, and whether or not environmental factors are stressing her.
How do you know when your molly fish is done giving birth?
As the molly fish is pregnant, the spot becomes darker and darker. As it becomes darker, the gravid spot also becomes opaque, and when the molly fish is close to giving birth,
the spot will be completely opaque
.
Do molly fish protect their babies?
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.
What do you do with a pregnant molly?
How can you tell if a balloon molly is pregnant?
The gravid spot will become visible around halfway through the pregnancy and grow with time
. The gravid spot is nothing more than the female's eggs becoming visible through the abdomen. You can later see the silhouette of the fry once they hatch and begin to develop inside the female molly.
Why is my molly sitting at the bottom of the tank?
Swim bladder function
The bladder contains gas, including oxygen, that lets the fish float upright at the desired depth.
When the swim bladder malfunctions
, the fish has trouble maintaining his level in the water and can sink to the bottom of the tank or be stuck near the top.
How do you take care of baby mollies?
Feed your fry small amounts of food, about a pinch at a time, several times a day
. To make it easy, feed the fry immediately before or after you eat. Clean any uneaten food from the tank. Use a net or a skimmer to get powdered food off of the surface of the water.
How often do molly fish have babies?
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.
How does a pregnant molly fish look?
The Gravid Spot Is Very Visible
The dark spot under the Molly's belly will now be at its most visible point
. The spot is triangular in shape and gets darker and larger the closer a molly is to giving birth. The spot is located towards the anal vent of the pregnant Molly.
How long do balloon mollies live for?
The balloon molly fish has a life expectancy similar to those of other types of mollies kept in captivity:
three to five years
. This life span is based on ideal conditions, such as brackish water or saltwater rather than freshwater, which can make a balloon molly fish susceptible to disease and illness.
How many mollies should be kept together?
At least three or four mollies
should be kept together. Mollies are shoaling fish, which means they're more comfortable living with fish of the same species. While you should keep several mollies together, be sure not to overcrowd the tank.
Why is my molly wiggling?
It occurs when fish are under severe stress, most often because of environmental problems
. The classic scenario is when mollies are kept in soft or acidic water conditions. Though tolerant fish in many ways, they do not do well in soft or acidic water, and it is very common to see mollies kept that way start to shimmy.
Do mollies sleep at night?
Do mollies like to hide?
The mollies just hide in the tank
. One in the bottom in one corner in a plant, and the other on top in the other corner by the filter. Sometimes they will swim around a little bit together, but as soon as they see someone they hide.
What do Newborn mollies eat?
The fry should be fed a quality food, such as
baby brine shrimp, baby fish food, or quality flake food ground into a fine powder
. Feed the fry small amounts several times a day.
