Baby red mollies! help!!!

[EleniStarlight]

Hey,
I'm new here and I joined cos I have a problem with my baby mollies! My fish somehow had their babies INSIDE the filter, and I have only managed to get two of them out, because those two were quite mature (they had already turned red) There are LOADS more tiny white ones now in the filter, which needs cleaning anyway, but I don't know if I should attempt to get those out, or if doing so would hurt them, cos they're so small!:shake:

Also, I'm not really sure what to do with the other two I've saved. I put them in a bottle, which I placed in the tank with the top sticking upwards so they have air and heat, but are they ok in there? I tried using a hatchery when my guppies had babies years ago, but they just kept swimming out the holes and eventually got eaten! And what do I feed them? Sorry I'm asking so many questions, but I'm really worried about them and don't want them to die cos I get really upset when my fishies die!!! I've just been feeding them tiny portions of what my other fish eat, and they seem ok with it, but I really have NO idea what I'm doing here!!!! :confused: Please help!

Eleni

[OrionGirl]

The bottle won't work unless there's flow through--the water in there will accumulate toxins very quickly and kill the babies. Leaving them in the filter is a mixed bag--okay short term, but makes cleaning the filter hard, which won't help in the long run.

Adding floating plants for the babies to hide in, or setting up another tank for either the parents or the fry is your best bet for survival. However, unless you have plans for the fry, letting nature take it's course is best. Livebearers will over run you, otherwise.

[EleniStarlight]

Thanks!
I'll just leave them there then, for now. I can't put plants in my aquarium cos....uhhhh, I can't remember which fish it is, but the pet-shop man told me that they eat them in no time and not to put. I definitely can't afford another tank, though if I could, I'd do that...it's certainly the best solution. I think if they survive and grow a little bigger, I'll probably take most of them to the pet-shop - there's too many for my tank!
Thank you very much for your advice though!:)

[Dahlia]

Plastic plants work just as well for baby cover, and I'm pretty sure your fish won't eat them unless they are VERY strange. :)

Your baby fish probably got sucked up the filter intake after they were born. You can put nylon (panty hose) over the intake and secure it with a rubber band. Just make sure not to put the hose inside the intake because it will block the flow, and stretch it tight so the holes are opened up.

[EleniStarlight]

Oh yes! Plastic plants! lol, I totally didn't think of that, how thick of me! Thank you, I'll do that!:)