Oddest thing...

[SittingDuck]

I purchased 4 black mollies about 2 to 3 weeks ago and yesterday in the tank I noticed fry...

The odd thing is that the mollies are all male! When I purchased them they had them divided into two tanks, male and female, and I verified that they were male by the description here:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2089

So, what is going on? Why would male mollies have babies??

 

[Fluff]

You would have to have a female in the group. Perhaps you have a female who is just holding her anal fin up.

 

[QTOFFER]

Well, you either certainly had a female in the group, or you've witnessed a miracle!
I imagine that there are individual variations within the the genders that make sexing mollies something less than a 100% sure thing.
Anyway, congrats on your brood!

 

[TomK2]

well, I do know that there are fish that spend part of their life as each sex, but Mollies aren't one of them! Like Fluff, I suspect a female with a deformed or altered anal fin. congrats!

Why did you want all males,BTW?

 

[Rach101]

Swordtails often change from female to male if there isnt enough males in the group.. but thatd be a fast change.. and its a molly..

 

[SittingDuck]

Why did you want all males,BTW?

My wife picked up this group of Mollies while I was at the fish store. From the begining, I wasn't intentionally trying to breed my fish as it adds a layer of complexity that I'm not ready for at this time.

Update on the fry...I think they've all been eaten. I went to the LFS the next night to pickup a breeding trap and by the time I got home I couldn't find the little guy anymore. I should be more prepared the next time. I've got a swordtail in there whose looking quite plump.

 

[TomK2]

You have other female live bearers in the tank? There could always be hybridization to explain the fry? 3 weeks is rather quick tho. Or the fry were from the other female livebearers. Just a thought.