My daughter brought home for Christmas break seven mollies from her college dorm room and put them in our aquarium. These mollies had been reproducing in her dorm room tank during the first semester, and she and her roommate were up to 40-something fish.
Anyway, my daughter said that a pregnant molly gave birth in our tank (she didn't see it happen, but the fish was very pregnant and then not pregnant). I see no evidence of any baby fish, but my daughter insists that, although some get eaten by their parents, others hide in the tank until they are big enough not to get swallowed, and then join the community.
I've looked intensely for signs of any baby fish in our tank but see none. There are not many places to hide (just one living plant, for example). My daughter thinks they hide in the gravel (since her tank has no plants or other decoration).
Is it possible that there are baby mollies that can live undetected for days/weeks at a time? (One thing our tank has that hers doesn't is an adult angelfish.)
I'm wondering because it's time for the weekly siphoning of the gravel and I don't want to inadvertently kill any baby fish ...
Anyway, my daughter said that a pregnant molly gave birth in our tank (she didn't see it happen, but the fish was very pregnant and then not pregnant). I see no evidence of any baby fish, but my daughter insists that, although some get eaten by their parents, others hide in the tank until they are big enough not to get swallowed, and then join the community.
I've looked intensely for signs of any baby fish in our tank but see none. There are not many places to hide (just one living plant, for example). My daughter thinks they hide in the gravel (since her tank has no plants or other decoration).
Is it possible that there are baby mollies that can live undetected for days/weeks at a time? (One thing our tank has that hers doesn't is an adult angelfish.)
I'm wondering because it's time for the weekly siphoning of the gravel and I don't want to inadvertently kill any baby fish ...