Overdue Females and Confused Males - Mollies

[Puriti]

My female mollies that are pregnant are a couple weeks overdue (well 2 out of the 4) and I'm not really sure if that's much of an issue but I'm just asking if it is^^; ... and I separated my males from the group because they were breeding my females the second I took them out after giving birth and they began breeding them again, and since I've separated them they keep trying to breed each other...is that normal? Should I separate the males but keep them close to the other tank so they can see the females and vice versa? I'm trying to keep them from breeding cuz I already have 40 babies, not counting the ones all 4 of my females are carrying now due to my males Also, should I take my baby male out, he's about 2 months old and he's trying to breed my adult females @__@

 

[Billsgate]

I don't think it's an issue that your mollies are overdue. They will give birth when they have to, but it may be that your tank is overcrowded with 40 babies, and that's why they are holding them up.
What are your tanks parameters? Size? Inhabitants?

I had too many guppy babies and got me some killyfish. They are great for cleaning up excess babies.

 

[greenmaji]

take the baby male out.. hes not a baby any more!! LOL.. and it does sound like there holding.. your tank is probably not big enough.. or you need a grow out tank for the babies.. a 40long or 55 gallon should suffice.. if there isnt enough room you will likely have uneven growth.. some of the babies will be bigger then others.. if your trying to sell them to a pet store this is a sighn to a experienced seller that there was not enough room or adiquit nutrition.. I hope this helps..

 

[Puriti]

The babies are in a completely separate tank

I would try selling them to a petstore but they're hybrids >< Most of them are dalmation/silver molly cross

And unfortunately, I dont have the kind of money or space to be buying a 40-55 gallon tank x3 ....that and my mom told me no more fish tanks -.-...

Most of the babies are the same size except for a select few runts of the litter

I let both of my females i had in the breeding cage out for a while because I had to clean the tank... they were so happy they were with the others I didn't want to pu them back in @___@ ....which i didn't.. until one of them started to seclude herself for a few minutes... and then I put her in the breeding cage and she just kinda swam around trying to find a way out ^^;

As far as my tank goes, I have a... I think it's a 10 gallon but I'm not sure because one of my friends gave it to me for my birthday.

!_____! *hides my babies from your killyfish* If I was that mean I could just stick them in my tank now, my gouramis and danios would have a feast.

 

[RoK]

Most mollies are the same species and I'm pretty sure the silver and dalmation are. Therefore, they most likely aren't hybrids, just different color variations.

 

[Puriti]

Yeah....it's just...yeah they're different ^^; It's like a mutt for a dog...not purebred ^^;

 

[gheitman]

Just for your information, separating the male from your females won't stop more mollies from being born. Molly females, like a lot of livebearers, store sperm and can give birth for months after the male has been removed from a tank. I know from experience.

 

[Puriti]

Alright, thanks, but at least I wont have as many @___@

 

[FinkAlmighty]

As for the male mollies, they do that...

Most live bearers get "frisky" when there are only males in the tank.

 

[Toirtis]

Putting the females somewhere less crowded, doing a water-change or two, and making sure that their food has plenty of plant-matter (like spirulina flakes) in it can induce them to give birth.