Pregnant Molly having problems

[studmaster]

Hello all,

My Balloon Molly is pregnant (and yes I know they usually have a big belly) and having major problems delivering....she is almost laying on the bottom of the tank, and even letting some of the smaller pond snails crawl on her. Her birth canal (for lack of a better word) seems really big, and it's been that way for a few days. She looks like she is about to die. Is there anything I can do for her?

Any suggestions?

[Zagz]

Best thing I can think of is to do a water change if you haven't done one for a couple of days. Water conditions can help ease stress. Sometimes livebearer's have difficulty giving birth. It's unfortunate but true. Hopefully someone will have more insight than myself. I would still do a water change. It certainly can't hurt. What size tank is she in and what are the other tankmates?

[studmaster]

I just did a 30-40% water change yesterday, I've seperated the other two mollies she was with from her, and she's in a 10gal.

She must be having some complications, and I dont think she will last the night.

I know giving birth and being constipated aren't the same thing, but I'm almost thinking about putting her in an epsom salt bath to help her along. It worked last time she was stuck up....but that was because she was constipated. Obviously I'm grasping here.....so much so that if she dies before I go to bed, I might play doctor to see if I can save any of the fry.

[Zagz]

Epsom salts do help when fish are constipated. I'm not sure it would help your molly but I don't imagine it would harm her, just be careful how much epsom salts. Don't want to stress her more. I've lost livebearer's due to complications giving birth. I've always attributed it to nature's way. Nothing you did caused her distress. I appreciate how much you care about your molly. Good luck, I'll be hoping she makes it ok and the fry too.

[studmaster]

The only thing I don't like about the epsom salt idea is that last time I gave her a bath of concentrated epsom salt/water mixture for about 30 seconds, and catching her in a net right now would stress her out too much.....so I have to make a decision....either she dies in my tank or she dies while I'm trying to save her. I know it's only a $2.99 fish, but it's still hard.

[Zagz]

Rather than a net why not use a plastic container? Put the container in the tank and gently swoop her up. She'll be less stressed that way.

[studmaster]

well I managed to get her out with very little stress, gave her a nice epsom salt bath (at least the darn snails trying to eat her got what they deserved with the salt). I put her back in, but I guess time will tell how well she does. She's not moving, but her gills are still puffing away.

[Zagz]

How is your molly today?

[studmaster]

Unfortunately my molly died that night :-( After she died I did an autopsy on her, and there were a bunch of dead fry in her. There were all HUGE and deformed but still egg shaped, so the stress of not being able to give birth to the fry must have been what did her in. They had to be at least double the size of my one week old fry (from another molly).

Thanks for the help anyways.

[Zagz]

So sorry to hear of your loss. You tried very hard and I'm sure she knew that.

[OceanMaiden]

:*( That is so terrible. I feel for your grievious loss. You did your best to help and make her comfortable, that's all you can do some times. So don't go beating yourself up, I admire that you were stong enough to open her and see if you could save any fry. I don't know if I would have been able to do that. Well I have to go check on my Platy I think she is having her babies too. Take care StudMaster!!