I have three balloon mollies (one male and two females) and I am eager to breed them. I have never tried breeding before, so I haven't a clue where to start. If anyone could give me some advice on where to start (the environment, how I know if she's pregnant, caring for fry, etc.) it would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!!!
that's all you need to do, once she gives birth. about six weeks after becoming pregnant you should move the fry to a breeding net so that the parents don't eat them. your females are probably pregnant already. Also, survival rate will be higher if you're keeping them in brackish.
Ok! Thank you very much! Is there anything special that I should do? You said they are probably pregnant already. They have been in the tank for several week now and they look the same as they did when I put them in. How can I be sure that they are pregnant. They are also in the tank with many other freshwater fish (the water is already brackishwater). Will the other fish affect the spawning? You mentioned a net of some kind...will a separate one gallon tank work just as well?
no way, a 1g is way too small for anything to support life.
just get a breeder net, they just hang over the edge of your tank, kind of any eye-sore, but it keeps the fry from being eaten.
The reason they don't really look preg. to you is because they were probably pregnant when you got them, mollies are always pregnant IMO, as long as there is a male and a female in a tank together there's going to be fry.
The females should be chubby, which is hard to tell with balloon mollies =)
You should be able to see about 40 little eyes in her belly, or at least see the extra bulge.
Sometimes the female's sides are not the right coloration to see the eyes.
Such as black, orange, brown, etc colored Mollies. Only whites are what you can really see.
When they get closer to giving birth, it will become apparent when they will drop as they get fatter.
If you loose the first batch, don't freak out. Mark the day down and then count six weeks [I believe] since then and the next batch will be on its way cause Mollies, Platies, Guppies, Swordtails can produce many litters from one breeding.
The other fish won't effect spawning except for eating the fry most likely.
