Molly fry not swimming well...

F

FishGirl65

AC Members
Apr 16, 2008
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My platinum sailfin lyretial molly had fry. I've got the fry in a frykeeper. My question is this. Several of the fry seem healthy and strong. They swim, eat and rest. Some of the other smaller fry are eating but spend most of their time at the bottom of the keeper. They seem to have difficulty gaining altitude (I know, wrong application) and often if they do, drop to the bottom seemingly exhausted.

The fry are about four days old. Am I right in assuming that they may be underdeveloped? Will their ability to swim correctly develop still?

I purchased the fairly mature mother about a week and a half ago. She's in with another male (14 gal tank) who has pursued her relentlessly since I brought them home. Could she have had the fry early because of these two stressors? Actually the mom seems okay. I was just wondering if those babies will develop or will they remain weaker if they live.

Thanks for your input.
 
You may have to cull some of the fry, otherwise you run the risk of the weaker fry growing up and mating with healthy fish and producing more weak fish.
 
i couldnt cull or kill the babies, but i guess thats the way to go if you can?
id just let nature take it's course and if the lil ones dont make it which might or might not happen, then they dont make it.
you know, premature human babies and runt puppies arent "culled".
i guess its just my opinion though to let nature take its course.
 
Culling is a common practice, and although it may be debated, it's probaly the most humane in the long run. The question arises: Which to cull and how do I know that by culling I am being more humane?

But in the case of starving to death or culling... :(
 
I would also get another female molly. she ( the one you have not) will be run to death by the male sooner then later.
 
Hm-m-m. I picked up a little two gallon tank to put the fry in, but now I'm thinking that it might be a good place for the mom for awhile. Just a few days and she's already beginning to swell with the next babies... Separating her in that 2g would give me some time to get my 75g up-and-running. I was hoping to not buy more females right now but I agree, Mr. Wonderful needs a harem. I was really wanting a few months just to let the babies grow out and then use them to breed later. We'll see how that goes.

It does not seem wise for me to raise weak, disease-prone fish, however, I'll give the weak ones a little more time. It's interesting that there was a marked difference in strength and health right from the start. They're eating fresh hatched brine shrimp among other things so the strong are getting stronger/bigger and the weak seem to be just maintaining.

Thanks to all of you for your advice. I just wanted to make sure that health-wise the babies didn't continue to develop lungs/gills/whatever makes them float up-and-down after being born.
 
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