Molly fish are freshwater species that can be present in places like the southern United States to the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico. They tend to migrate during the nighttime, but they also do it during the day. The reason for this is unknown. However, some scientists speculate that migration may help them escape from predators like other fishes or crabs. Another point worth noting is while most animals stop moving around when darkness falls, these creatures start swimming more actively under the moonlight. But do molly fish give birth at night?
Molly fish do not give birth at night or during the day. The gestation period is about three weeks long, which means that they will usually release their fry after two months in a tank.
There are many questions about what time of day baby mollies are born. When you can’t find an answer on Google, where else can you go for answers? This article will provide you with some knowledge about this question!
Do Molly Fish Give Birth at Night?
Molly fish are a type of freshwater tropical aquarium and pond fish that reproduce during the day. They do not give birth at night but typically produce their offspring in ponds or streams, which later hatch into fry when they reach the water temperature conditions needed for hatching.
Molly Fish usually spawn during daytime hours because males can easily find female Mollys by their bright colors, allowing them to choose the best mates. Also, because Molly Fish don’t need food from sunlight like land animals, they can keep eating 24/hrs a day if there is enough prey available. Molly Fish is also capable of producing up to 40-100 fry at once.
Molly fish will give birth to fry after about four to six weeks of impregnation. Then, the fry matures into adults depending on environmental conditions.
Why Do Molly Fish Give Birth At Night?
Molly fish are nocturnal animals. They will lay eggs at night, but the male Molly can fertilize them during the day. Although there is no specific time for the birth of Molly fish. But the nocturnal delivery might be due to:
Avoiding Sunlight
Molly fish don’t want their young ones exposed to sunlight or any other light because this might cause them harm (such as blindness). It also would make it easier for predators to find the babies since they’ll shine like jewels if you spot them in broad daylight.
Molly Fish that are pregnant will live in cover such as rocks or plants, which provide shade from sunlight to protect them from potential prey animals like birds who feed on live food sources, including fry.
Perfect Environment
Molly fish often mate in the shallows of streams and rivers. They lay eggs at night because they have a perfect environment- cool water temperature and predators are less likely to disturb them during their critical time for incubation.
Temperature Of Water
Molly fish live in water with an average temperature of 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit and a pH level between six to eight. Molly fish need this environment to produce their young ones. So, Molly may give birth at night because the water is warm enough.
Predators
Molly may not want predators to find and eat their eggs if they lay them during the daytime. However, if Molly lays them in the evening or early morning, a predator won’t have as much opportunity for success. Therefore, Molly might give birth at night as her last line of defense.
Diet Of Mollies
Molly fishes eat algae found on rocks and plants by scraping them from surfaces using specialized teeth called “labial tooth plates.” The food they feed off has nutrients that are essential for the growth and production of fry. So Molly would also want to protect these resources by giving birth at night.
What Happens When Molly Fish Give Birth?
When Molly fish give birth, they produce babies through sperm-dependent parthenogenesis(gynogenesis). First, mollies will give birth to diploid eggs. These eggs then fertilize externally when male mollies deposit their sperm on them. This process is pseudo-fertilization.
Depending on their location or habitat, the female Molly can lay up to 100 fry per season, typically between late spring and early summer.
In captivity, these animals usually only breed once a year due to lack of stimuli from other males and decreased availability of food sources in their natural state. However, they might have multiple breeding seasons each year, with approximately six to ten long gestation. Molly fish usually produce fry in clusters.
Molly Fish Reproduction: An Overview
In general, Molly fish reproduce by laying diploid eggs and fertilizing them with milt released into the water column for external fertilization. They breed once a year in captivity, but Mollies have multiple breeding seasons each year in their natural state.
Gestation time is approximately three months long, and Molly can lay up to two hundred eggs per season depending on location or habitat. These animals most commonly give birth at night due to nocturnal tendencies as well as being less susceptible to predators during this period of time when it’s harder for humans (and other mammals) to see what going on due to low light conditions potentially making things easier for Molly fish to give birth.
Molly can lay eggs in clusters, and gestation typically lasts three months from mating to giving birth.
How To Know Molly Fish Is About To Give Birth?
Just like the signs of pregnancy, Molly fish will show some signs before giving birth. The symptoms may be:
- Molly fish will be more active than usual. She may even appear to play with the baby Molly Fish inside her, for example, by nudging them or swimming in circles as if she is playing a game of chase. Molly fish are predators, and they often behave this way when hunting their prey before eating it;
- Molly fish’s stomach area will look like something is moving around the belly button area (usually looks similar to an upside-down pear) – some people call this ‘her potbelly.’ It can happen up until about two weeks before birth;
- Swimming away from light sources such as lamps, candles, etc.;
- Being more active at night than in the day;
- Molly fish are more likely to live in a dark or shadowy tank area near the surface. It will appear like Molly is trying to escape;
- Molly Fish might exhibit unusual behavior such as hiding out and disappearing for extended periods. This can also happen just around birth too.
Some FAQs
How To Know Molly Fish Is Pregnant?
Molly fish’s belly starts getting rounder as the Molly fishes are pregnant. Some of the subtle signs of pregnancy in Molly fish are:
- Molly fish starts to lose appetite
- It will move slower than usual, and Molly fishes are darkening in color.
- Molly fish’s stomach starts to protrude.
- They may have a clear discharge from their mouth or anal opening.
- Molly fish will act lazy and not as active compared to other times of the year.
How To Care For The Molly Fish Pregnant?
You need to pay attention if Molly is pregnant because there are some things that you should do for Molly fish expectant mothers can be healthy and safe during this time:
- Give them more food than usual, but make sure they get enough exercise, so they don’t become overweight when fry comes out!
- Provide places where female Molly fishes can lay eggs.
- Molly fishes will also need a lot more water than usual to carry the fry.
- They need about 50% more water to carry the fry, and you should give Molly fish a larger tank if they are pregnant.
- It would help if you gave Molly fish about three times the amount of water Molly usually needs.
How To Take Care Of Molly Fish Fry After Birth?
Molly’s fish fry is tiny and can be hard to take care of. Molly fishes will need a lot more food than usual when they have baby Mollyfishes.
It would be best to give Molly Fish Fry extra attention because Mollyfish expectant mothers should not eat the first few batches of Molly Fries that she brings on the first day Molly Fish Fry is born.
Molly fish fry will not be able to swim for a few days and need help getting around in their tank, so you should give Molly fish extra time when they have babies. It is important because they can’t fend for themselves at this point in life.
Pregnancy and Mourning
Molly fish give birth at night, so it is not much you can do about it. But if Mollyfish is pregnant when they die, you should keep them out of your tank for two weeks before adding their carcass back into the aquarium. This way, Mollyfishes’ body has time to decompose enough that you don’t expose the fry to decaying matter as soon after Molly fish’s death.
Conclusion
Molly fish give birth at night, so it is not good to have a Molly aquarium during the day. The most appropriate time for Molly fish breeding is in the middle of the night when the other aquatic animals or people disturb them, such as yourself feeding them. You must keep this timing consistent if you want Molly fish to reproduce.
Hopefully, you will find this article helpful! Keep exploring as Molly fish are fun and relaxing to keep.