Female mollies will gestate their young for about 60 days They can give birth to between 40 and 100 fry
How much time does it take for a fish to give birth?
As examples, the female swordtail and guppy will both give birth to anywhere from 20 to 100 live young after a gestation period of four to six weeks, and mollies will produce a brood of 20 to 60 live young after a gestation of six to 10 weeks
How fast do molly fish breed?
Allow the fish to mate with one another This means the ideal combination of male and female fish is one male for multiple females You may see the male under the female; this is how the fish copulate If their mating is successful, their babies should be born in about 3 to 5 weeks
How do I know if my Molly is about to give birth?
The Eyes of the Fry and Signs of Impending Birth To accommodate the developing eggs, the mother’s body expands, becoming deeper and broader A few days before delivery, she develops a bulge below the gills, her outline becoming fairly square in this region, while the gravid spot has enlarged its area
How do I stop my molly fish from breeding?
How to Avoid Unwanted Fish Breeding in Your Tank Buy only one gender of fish, preferably males If you don’t have male and female fish together, there is less chance for baby fish to appear Choose egg-laying species rather than live bearers Adjust tanks conditions to make breeding less comfortable
Do mollies eat their babies?
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 can mollies live?
The average molly fish lifespan is around three to five years While they aren’t the longest-living freshwater species out there, there is some wiggle room depending on what species you get The quality of care you provide will also impact their lifespan significantly
How many fish do Mollies give birth to?
Gestation and Birth Female mollies will gestate their young for about 60 days 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
How many mollies should be kept together?
Keeping Molly Fish Together You should keep them in groups of at least four or more, they naturally stick together The group should be made of mostly females since males are known to harass them
Can mollies change gender?
Mollies are not able to change gender The gender of these fish is determined by their genetics so it is impossible for them to change sex
Should I remove fish eggs from tank?
Even though these eggs are infertile, you should still protect them from other fish as well It is essential to leave the unfertilized eggs with fertilized ones because once any fish eats an unfertilized egg, it will go for a fertilized egg after that
How do I know if my fish is pregnant?
As your female fish becomes pregnant, she will grow a bulge at the back of her abdomen This typically appears over the course of 20-40 days Does your fish have a red or black spot? Sometimes, when a female fish is pregnant, she will develop a “gravid spot” on the abdomen
Can fish have babies without a male?
After fertilization, the female can produce multiple batches of babies without a male present Egglaying is also what the name suggests: the fish lay eggs instead of giving birth to little fish As the fish grow, they hatch into fry with an attached yolk sac, and then mature into fish
What do I do if my fish has babies?
After Your Fish Gives Birth For many species, it’s important to keep fertilized eggs and newly hatched fish, or fry, separate from the adults Some fish eat their own young while others eat the young of other species Keeping the fish eggs and fry separate from the adult fish may give them a better chance of survival
Are female mollies bigger than males?
Female mollies have bulky figures; they’re wider than males at the rear of the abdomen for breeding purposes When pregnant, she will take on a bulging, lumpy appearance Her fins are shorter; the anal fins are triangular
Can I keep two male mollies together?
Mollies tend to stick together most of the time, which is why you should keep them in groups of 4 or more If you are planning to keep more than 4 mollies, make sure you get a 20-gallon tank at least Since male mollies are aggressive breeders, adding more females should divert the males’ attention between them
How long can molly fish live without food?
Overview chart for individual fasting tolerances of popular freshwater fish Type of fish: Period it can safely live with no food: Danios up to 14 days Tetras up to 10 days Platies between 10 and 14 days Mollies up to 2 weeks
Will baby fish survive in my tank?
Not necessarily Many fish breed very easily and produce great numbers of offspring, simply because very few will survive to adulthood The more fish in your tank, the more you will need to feed them, the more feces they will produce and the harder your filtration system will have to work
Can mollies and guppies breed?
Potential cross breeding between guppies and mollies These adult fish are not fertile and will not reproduce Sadly, most babies from the guppies and mollies will die before, during or shortly after they are born Both guppies and mollies can carry sperm for a long time after reproducing
How do mollies mate?
The Basic Mating Behavior of Black Mollies When black mollies mate, the male will transfer milt, the fluid that contains his sperm, into the female’s body using is gonopodium The gonopodium is a special anal fin that is shaped like a rod rather than a normal fin
How long can mollies hold sperm?
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