Tropical Fish Forums

ClaytonM · New Members Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Location: South Carolina

I would first like to say thank you for all of the time, effort, and advise posted on this board. This is the best aquahobby site I have found. This morning my kids and I found that our female molly had given birth to over twenty fry. I have just constructed a breeder net and have rescued over twenty of them in there. Of course, all that were birthed did not make it, but the majority did. These are the first fish that we have bred as I have only been a part of the hobby for a few months. As most of the posts on this site for feeding fry suggest, I'm feeding them finely crushed flake food. If you have any further suggestions, I will gladly accept your advise. Thank you and Happy New Year!!!
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tkipfer · Regulars Joined: 02 Nov 2006 Location: Ontario, Canada

try some baby brine shrimp
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ClaytonM · New Members Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Location: South Carolina

OK. Great. Can someone tell me the approximate amount of time I will have to leave the fry in the breeder net before they will be able to survive on their own?
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Corkiddy · Members Joined: 30 Dec 2006 Location: Michigan

Congrats on the fry! As for when they will be able to survive on their own? My guess would be until they are big enough so they wouldn't be eaten. I'm not quite the fry expert, but I have read once they're just big enough so as to not be eaten, then they'll be able to survive in the tank with your other fish.
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ClaytonM · New Members Joined: 23 Oct 2006 Location: South Carolina

Yeah, that's sort of what I figured too. I just wasn't sure if it was weeks or months.
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29 Gallon Freshwater Planted

DF Bobo · Exemplars Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Location: Canada

you can put them back in the main tank once they are big enough and no longer in danger of being eaten. fry are best to develop in a separate tank until they are large enough so if you gave a spare tank, dump some gravel and stuff from your main tank to quickly cycle it and move the fry there. heres an article on quickly setting up a small tank for the fry. brine shrimp are the best food for most fry since they are small enough for their mouths but they are also very nutritious and high in protein, which will help the growing fry develop faster.
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spacecadet · Regulars Joined: 15 Aug 2005 Location: Ky

I have found that 10 to 15 days they can swim well enough and avoid being eaten. Have even had swords and guppies to grow up in the tank all by themselves if you have stone and plants and plenty of hiding places. They seem to be most in danger the first few days, and especially right after birth. This has been my experience. and they seem to manage to find plenty of food down in the gravel where they hide out the first week or so. Those tank dividers also come in handy for newborns. Laughing

Brave Dave · Regulars Joined: 25 Oct 2006 Location: Boise ID

What other species of fish are in your aquarium? If its just mollies id say to just let them go in the tank. They hide well in plants, or I have read a lot of posts about piling rocks and they will hide in the little creveces.
Now if you have a bigger fish like an angel they won't stand a chance until much bigger, but you will have a happy angel with a full belly Laughing

Good luck raising the fry!