I JUST started my fish tank with 3 starter fish not even a week ago. My Molly fish just had 4 babies, more might come. The cycle has not even started, in the middle of begining. What should I do with the babies? How do I take care of them? Any special needs?
2007-02-08 04:16:33 · 10 answers · asked by nekoboymax 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
Fry (the babies) are pretty tough, but you musn't forget that they are just baby fish. They will not be able to handle a lot of ammonia or nitrites - which you get when you use fish to cycle.
If you leave the fry in the main tank, you run a serious risk of them getting eaten by their parents and the other fish. You can either get lots of plants for them to hide in, or you can get a breeding box - which hangs in the tank, the babies can stay in there but their parents can't eat them, or you can set up a new tank. A 5-10 gallon tank with a small filter and a heater set to 78F would be just fine. You can feed them powdered flake food - just mush some of it up in your fingers.
In the meantime, be sure to do small (10%) DAILY water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down for both the babies and the adults.
2007-02-08 04:21:33 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm afraid because I don't want a tank full of hundreds of mollies, I try to ignore them and those that survive their hungry mummys and daddies are downright lucky. However, I realise that not everyone is as hardhearted as I am so:
You need a breeding tank in which the babies can shelter or make sure there's lots of greenery in which they can shelter. I have also used a seperate fish tank for this purpose. You buy special baby fish food, too, which is usually in a liquid form.
And that's about it. Be aware that most fish shops will not take fish from a non-registered breeder so like me, you might have millions of live bearers! Mollies are really fruitful and you can expect a new bunch every 30 days or so.
2007-02-08 04:21:34 · answer #2 · answered by True Blue Brit 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with Zoe except that I would suggest you do slightly larger daily water changes something on the order of 25% or so. It will slow the development of your cycle in the tank a bit, but it will also insure you don't get a high ammonia level in the tank over the next few weeks. Cleaning the gravel during those water changes will be essential as the baby fish are not good at eating yet and you will have lots of left over bits of small food.
2007-02-08 04:42:33 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can get a breeder net to keep the babies in, or just make sure they have lots of hiding places for them in the tank (java moss, real or fake, is good for this). Feed them finely crushed flake food (just crush it in your fingers until it is a powder). Unfortunately, since your tank is not cycled, I would not have high hopes for them surviving the ammonia and nitrite spikes.
2007-02-08 04:23:07 · answer #4 · answered by Liz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
keep the baby's away from the bigger fish as the bigger fish will eat them and make sure you crush the food up really small
2007-02-08 04:24:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
first--once you think your molly could be pregnent, positioned her in a sepporate tank. if she's looking extremely swollen, hiding, or being harrassed via the different fish, that is time. as quickly as she has the toddlers, get her out of that tank, and positioned her interior the traditional one. neat trick my chum got here up with: get a huge-@$$ turkey baster. with this, you are able to suck up the fry (toddlers) one via one, and flow them the place you will like. you will come across a "fry playpen" at maximum puppy shops. it surely sounds like a playpen, which hooks into the area of your fishtank. this might save the toddlers removed from the different fish, yet you would be waiting to maintain them interior the comparable tank. all you may do is fill the tank up so as that they have adequate space to swim interior the water, yet no longer so the right is roofed via water. this makes feeding / changing water a sinch! speedy issues you will could do: -purchase infant nutrition. as quickly as the fry start up similar to surely fish, you are able to slowly get them to start eating overwhelmed up flakes, or regardless of you feed your molly many times. be certain there is often nutrition availible, so as that they are in a position to have the potential to advance. -it rather is recommended to grant them a small piece of plant of their "playpen", merely so the fry have something to cover in -confirm you hold an outstanding eye on the water temp and clean extra in many circumstances, because of the fact of ways small and gentle the toddlers are whilst they are too enormous for the mouthes of the different fish, you are able to enable them to out to discover the tank! maximum fish won't difficulty something that's on the brink of a million/2 of their length, so which you will be advantageous. dont' get discouraged if a pair die, for the reason that's usaully unavoidable. good luck nonetheless!
2016-11-02 21:39:16 · answer #6 · answered by barn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you need to give a hiding place for your babies to go to. mommy fish will eat them. you should really take them out of the tank until they are bigger.
2007-02-08 04:20:33 · answer #7 · answered by Dana 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get a breeding net or some breeding grass so they can stay away from the adults and other fish. The others will eat them.
2007-02-08 04:19:37 · answer #8 · answered by another_greeley 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
separate them from the bigger fish because they will be eaten.....and just feed them regular fish food
2007-02-08 04:20:19 · answer #9 · answered by i pack a 44 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think just leave well enough alone, unless you notice a bigger fish eating them. then they would have to be seperated.
2007-02-08 04:21:47 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋