Sailfin Molly fry

[lixx]

Hi all. I discovered some sailfin molly fry in my tank today and was wondering if they are safe to stay there. From what I have read, they usually do not bother their young, however they are not the only fish in the tank. Would the danios, tetras, minnows or plecos bother the fry at all? The tank is a 20g.

Thanks!

 

[Devilishturtles]

I would add in some extra plants if you don't have any already.

For the most part, yes, your fry will be fine with the other mollies. With the tetras though, they will usually eat whatever can fit in their mouths.

You can buy a breeding net at any LFS or retail store. This keeps the fry sectioned off in a little net until they get larger.

good luck!

 

[Toirtis]

From what I have read, they usually do not bother their young,

What you have read is incorrect...mollies will quite merrily eat their young until the fry to too large to eat. If you wish to preserve all the fry, I suggest that you seperate them to a breeder net or small grow-out tank ASAP.

In fact, your adults probably already have snarfed a few.....especially if you have less than 25 or so.

 

[whitetiger_CJ]

I agree with Toirtis, I breed sailfin mollies, and they will eat any oy the babies that they can find. a breeder net is best to maximize fry survival. However, a female may refuse to give birth in the net, so you may have to wait until you see the fry, and then net them into the breeder, or another tank.

 

[lixx]

Okay, the fry are doing well (I think) I was wondering when they would be sexually mature? Do you go by age or size? How soon will I be able to tell sex to seperate them?

 

[whitetiger_CJ]

usually it is four to five months to maturity, and two to three months before gender is apparent. You will notice that one gender will outnumber the other. The PH in your tank is one of the determinants in the gender of the fish, forgot the exact effect though.