[eaglesfan3711]

This isn't a question...just a thought...

I am obssessed with getting different balloon mollies, and breeding them to get a lot of neat variations. Last weekend, I bought a ripe balloon mollie, that was in the shape of a ball.

As the week has progressed, I have been feeding her to prep the fry for their birth. It has been a week since I bought her, and she is starting to sag, litterally. Her belly is so big that she is turning egg shaped. She can hardly swim. I have her in a breeding cage to prevent her from hurting herself.

She just needs to pop, but she just won't. I want to let her out, but I know its for her own good.

 

[petlover516]

i'm not the molly expert but i think that might mean your female is gravid(filled with young).

 

[roc-aquarium]

Most likely pregnant. Just in case, try feeding her a pea (just the soft inside). It should clear her out.

 

[eaglesfan3711]

Really, a pea would work?

It doesn't really matter, because I have good news. She dropped Friday night.

About 35 fry in all. Hopefully the will make it!

 

[Fishboydanny1]

are the fry by themselves? platies are about the least likely to eat their own babies, but other fish will eat them.......

 

[eaglesfan3711]

Mollies?...

Anyways. yes they are. I know better than to do that...lol

I wouldn't have any left soon!

 

[Fishboydanny1]

well, that's what ive read and that my platies don't eat their babies, the other fish do.

what about mollies?

 

[eaglesfan3711]

Ya, I believe platies are probably the least aggressive livebearer, swords being the most.

Mollie fry are HUGE when they are born. Once, one dropped in my tank, and my dad wondered where I got all the new fish. They were that big already! I think that they might make it. I just don't want to take the risk.

 

[Fishboydanny1]

swordtails are NOT the most aggressive livebearer, mosqitofish are. they seem to kill anything that isn't a cichlid, mosqitofish, wild molly (they look similar to a mosqitofish) or anything big enough to eat them! very cannibalistic!

 

[eaglesfan3711]

Wow nasty little craps. I've never had them but I've had the four common livebearers. The sword is the most aggressive that I had.

I'm grateful I never had those fish!

 

[Fishboydanny1]

good for feeders though. surprisingly, one of my mayans would not eat them! he would suck them in, then spit them out - dead. the little mayan would then eat it!

 

[Watertiger]

Congrats!!! I have a really nicely shaped pair of Balloon Mollies - The female is unbelievably round and gorgeous and when she is gravid, omigod, she looks like a baseball with eyes!! She drops fry like clockwork every eight weeks - her tiny male companion is completely orange - we love them, they are so whimsical and hilarious!! For awhile they were in a tank of their own with a few small cardinal tetras, but I've recently added them pair to a 60 gal community tank. As far as I can tell neither the male or female ate a single one of their fry when they were in the tank along with them. Cool fish, great parents. Good luck with all your new little ones - would love to see pics!!

 

[eaglesfan3711]

good for feeders though. surprisingly, one of my mayans would not eat them! he would suck them in, then spit them out - dead. the little mayan would then eat it!

Mayans? what are they?

Congrats!!! I have a really nicely shaped pair of Balloon Mollies - The female is unbelievably round and gorgeous and when she is gravid, omigod, she looks like a baseball with eyes!! She drops fry like clockwork every eight weeks - her tiny male companion is completely orange - we love them, they are so whimsical and hilarious!! For awhile they were in a tank of their own with a few small cardinal tetras, but I've recently added them pair to a 60 gal community tank. As far as I can tell neither the male or female ate a single one of their fry when they were in the tank along with them. Cool fish, great parents. Good luck with all your new little ones - would love to see pics!!

I simply buy mine pregnant from the stare, this gives the fry a little more diversity. The only problem is that you can't regulate what they breed with then. Good luck with yours. I had older fry, about two months old. They were from a different batch. The female that had them was huge, but only dropped four live for some freson, of those, two died. Two remained and I just saw today that the larger of the tow is a male! I am so excited.

Is your male a sailfin? That is my goal when I get mine. They look so much cooler when they do. I have one that doesn't have a hifin and it disappoints me. He is a marble which is so cool, I just wish he had a hifin.