molly fry question - Aquarium Advice

Jaybird · 06-22-2006, 09:30 PM

I've had mollies for a while now, but this is the first time I have had some survive! They usually just end up as tasty snacks.

I have five that are now about 5-7cm long. How large will they need to be before you can sex them. I don't want any inbreeding here

lmw80 · 06-22-2006, 11:05 PM

Not sure how old they have to be, but I know with my guppies I can start to see the gravid spot on the females with in 2-3 weeks

**Zagz** · 06-22-2006, 11:22 PM

I am usually able to sex mollies by their fins in about 3 weeks or so.

Jaybird · 06-23-2006, 08:15 AM

Thanks, guys.

These all look female, so I wasn't sure as to when you would be able to tell. These five have survived long enough that they won't fit into the bolivan's nor the other female mollies' mouths.

Puriti · 06-24-2006, 07:06 PM

Usually when I have molly fry I usually find that it's not the mollies that eat them as much as...every other fish I own does lol. The mollies I have usually only eat a few of them if any cuz I've kept the mothers and babies together before and it's usually my bettas and gourami that eat them not the mollies.

studmaster · 07-04-2006, 04:06 PM

It's tough to sex mollies and sometimes they can change their sex. A lot of people disagree with me here, but I have bought an adult femail silver sailfin molly, a month later I had a male molly in my tank chasing after the females with his gonopodium going nuts. I watch my tanks closely and would notice it if it happened before. It was extremly weird but it did happen.

It takes a few months (3-4) before I can usually sex my mollies and I think it depends on how fast they grow and what you feed them. I feed my Baby Brine Shrimp and they grow twice as fast and you can sex them eariler.

Jaybird · 07-04-2006, 04:44 PM

I have them in with some bolivians and two female mollies. They are too big now for the bolivians to eat.

I would try feeding them baby brine shrimp, but the bolivians would get there first.

Guess I will have to wait to sex them when they are larger. Between the five, they go from nearly all black (except for a little white on the belly) to a honey/golden colour. I'm really interested to see what colours they develop as they grow.

studmaster · 07-05-2006, 09:23 AM

The colouring of the fry sound exactly the same as mine. I have a few pure black fry and some a golden brown colour. The mother was a black molly and the father was either an orange sailfin or a silver sailfin. It should be interesting to see how they turn out.

Jaybird · 07-05-2006, 12:19 PM

Well, they are now about 1-1.5cm long and I can finally tell the sexes. I have two males and three females.

The colourations are the only reason I separated them. I wanted to see how they would turn out, and it seems like I have a whole United Nations of colours

I don't know if I will keep them, but we'll see. Maybe the lfs will want some.

06-22-2006, 09:30 PM	#1
Jaybird Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nairobi, Kenya Posts: 289 Images: 5	molly fry question I've had mollies for a while now, but this is the first time I have had some survive! They usually just end up as tasty snacks. I have five that are now about 5-7cm long. How large will they need to be before you can sex them. I don't want any inbreeding here

06-22-2006, 11:05 PM	#2
lmw80 Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bristol, Pa Posts: 4,805 Images: 40	Not sure how old they have to be, but I know with my guppies I can start to see the gravid spot on the females with in 2-3 weeks __________________ -Lori Join the Eastern PA/Greater Philadelphia Forum! Click here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/groupcp.php?g=7825 Aquariums are like jello - there's always room for more.

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06-23-2006, 08:15 AM	#4
Jaybird Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nairobi, Kenya Posts: 289 Images: 5	Thanks, guys. These all look female, so I wasn't sure as to when you would be able to tell. These five have survived long enough that they won't fit into the bolivan's nor the other female mollies' mouths.

06-24-2006, 07:06 PM	#5
Puriti Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,596	Usually when I have molly fry I usually find that it's not the mollies that eat them as much as...every other fish I own does lol. The mollies I have usually only eat a few of them if any cuz I've kept the mothers and babies together before and it's usually my bettas and gourami that eat them not the mollies.

07-04-2006, 04:06 PM	#6
studmaster Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 139 Images: 1	It's tough to sex mollies and sometimes they can change their sex. A lot of people disagree with me here, but I have bought an adult femail silver sailfin molly, a month later I had a male molly in my tank chasing after the females with his gonopodium going nuts. I watch my tanks closely and would notice it if it happened before. It was extremly weird but it did happen. It takes a few months (3-4) before I can usually sex my mollies and I think it depends on how fast they grow and what you feed them. I feed my Baby Brine Shrimp and they grow twice as fast and you can sex them eariler.

07-04-2006, 04:44 PM	#7
Jaybird Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nairobi, Kenya Posts: 289 Images: 5	I have them in with some bolivians and two female mollies. They are too big now for the bolivians to eat. I would try feeding them baby brine shrimp, but the bolivians would get there first. Guess I will have to wait to sex them when they are larger. Between the five, they go from nearly all black (except for a little white on the belly) to a honey/golden colour. I'm really interested to see what colours they develop as they grow.

07-05-2006, 09:23 AM	#8
studmaster Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ontario Posts: 139 Images: 1	The colouring of the fry sound exactly the same as mine. I have a few pure black fry and some a golden brown colour. The mother was a black molly and the father was either an orange sailfin or a silver sailfin. It should be interesting to see how they turn out.

07-05-2006, 12:19 PM	#9
Jaybird Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Nairobi, Kenya Posts: 289 Images: 5	Well, they are now about 1-1.5cm long and I can finally tell the sexes. I have two males and three females. The colourations are the only reason I separated them. I wanted to see how they would turn out, and it seems like I have a whole United Nations of colours I don't know if I will keep them, but we'll see. Maybe the lfs will want some.