Newbie w/ Molly Fry Overpopulation Issues - Plz Help!

[Nancella]

Hello Everyone,

I'm a newbie to this forum and to keeping aquariums and I need some help.

One of my Mollys gave birth two days in a row. Now, I have 40 or so fry healthy babies in no danger of getting eaten by my placid fish. Before this massive birth...the tank had 3 adult Mollys (1-F/2-M), 1 adult Female Platy, 7 teenage Platys and 1 Cherrybarb. So, I'm thinking that I was already at full capacity before the frys popped out...

So...I'm overwhelmed, concerned and not sure what to do with all these Molly frys. I'm thinking I will get another 10 gallon tank and put the babies and the one female Molly in it. Then, I'll try and give them away to good homes. I would love your advise...

Thanks and Best Wishes,
Nancella

 

[Zagz]

Welcome to AA! Getting another tank would be a good start. The bad news is the mollies will continue to have babies regularily. Even if you get rid of the males the females can continue to have several batches for a few months.

 

[Nancella]

Hi Zagz,

Thanks for the warm welcome and your reply!

So now what do I do with all these little buggers? I can't kill them! Please give it to me straight...

Cheers,
Nancella

 

[Zagz]

I'm with you, can't kill them. Get a 10 gal, then list on craigslist, local aquarium clubs, newspaper and lfs's.

 

[Nancella]

i'm thinking CL too.

thanks, sweets!

 

[mike47517]

Welcome to the sight!!! Oh and i saw your stocking list and yes i would say your stocked up. But what i want to warn you on is the fact that you have 2 male mollies in with one female mollie. The 2 males will harrass and eventually harass her to death. You should have 2 or so females in with every male.

 

[Johnny Tuttle]

Yeah, that's true on mollies, who do really get big themselves. I still think three with a platy or two and the barb would be fine though.

Check with your LFSs, particularly the mom-and-pop style ones to see if they'd buy or trade or take the fry. Some might give you store credit and the like.

And if your fish eat them in the meantime, I'd let them. It sounds cruel, but if you're feeding your fish well, they won't do it anyways. I've got more live-bearer fry than you could shake a stick at.

 

[Nancella]

Hi Johnny,

Thanks for your insight! I wound up giving the female back to the pet store before she gave birth again. I bought another 10g tank for the Molly fry. In my NYC apt, I don't have room for a larger tank...

When they are old enough to determine the sex, I think that I will separate the males from the females and give some away, keep one sex and try and sell the rest to smaller pet store.

What do you think about that? Suggestions welcome!!!

Cheers,

Nancella

 

[FishCrazyBenBOMB]

Sounds good to me. I raised around 20-25 fry in my 20 gallon long and now they are farely big. And a lot of them gave birth again (never seperated males/females.)

So yeah i'm going to check with a local non-chain fish store and see if they need any and they could always give me store credit. But since mollies are very common it prob. won't happen.

But yeah it doesn't hurt to try.

 

[Ziggy953]

Welcome to AA!

 

[Nancella]

Welcome to AA!

Thanks! =)

 

[GIES2525]

So how can you tell the sexes between a male Molly and a female. I think i just made the same mistake you did!

 

[mike47517]

So how can you tell the sexes between a male Molly and a female. I think i just made the same mistake you did!

The top fin is bigger and longer (male). And if you look at the bottom fins thhe female's fins are more spread out and you can clearly count 3.