If you are already a skilled aquarist in raising Molly fish, you might be fit for knowing about the next level now, i.e., understanding everything related to their breeding. Concerning the breeding, you may wonder specifically if, like other fish species, does Molly fish give birth all at once or not?
Yes, and No, Molly fish doesn’t give birth to all baby fry at once and usually gives birth to around a hundred baby Mollies within a day. They generally have a high ability to give birth to all baby Mollies, but after a little interval between first and rest.
You need to learn in detail about these fish and their birthing process. So, stay right here and read the whole article below.
Does Molly Fish Give Birth All At Once?
As the Molly fish are not large-sized, many people wonder if they give birth to many or a little at once. If you think alike, here is what you should learn!
A female Molly fish usually gives birth to all the fry at once. She seems too tiny to give birth to all at a time, but yes, it is a fact! The female Mollies generally produce multiple births, around 100 at once.
Here, don’t get confused as all the hatched eggs in an expecting Mollies are born at once. This is because they can store sperm from males for a long time. But once the fertilized eggs turn into fry, the pregnant Mollies give birth all at once.
Besides, the Molly fish breeds quite regularly. So, you can expect a large number of fry in the tank when she gives birth. These females take nearly a day to give birth to all the babies they have inside them.
If you don’t maintain proper water conditions, your female molly fish might die after birth. In addition, these mothers can get weak and have a low immune response after giving birth to these many fry. So, act a little considerate and plan good post-natal care for your female mollies.
Molly Fish Breeding
Molly fish are the livebearing fish. This means they don’t lay eggs but fertilize their younger ones and give birth to them directly.
For breeding Mollies, you need not put in many high efforts. If both male and female Molly fish are in the same tank with a suitable setup, it is possible without many struggles.
First, however, you need to understand the breeding cycle of molly fish to get the hang of the workload you ought to complete.
Go for at least 45 gallons of the tank if you plan to breed Mollies in the same tank where they stay. Besides, maintaining the tank temperature, water quality, and proper feeding of Mollies can boost breeding.
However, be careful to maintain a proper ratio of male and female Molly fish in a tank. Because generally, the male Mollies stress the females by their constant pursuance.
I would suggest you keep at least three female Mollies and one male Molly fish in a tank to dodge the case of stressful pursuit for mating.
Besides, in general, the female Mollies can store sperm from the males for an extended period after a single mating.
It means she can give birth to many little Mollies even if there exist no male Mollies in a tank. Then, she carries the sperm and impregnates herself after weeks.
How To Identify If My Molly Fish Is Pregnant?
Identifying a pregnant Molly fish is not difficult if you observe them closely regularly. But differentiating if your molly fish is fat or pregnant is a real deal. So, make sure to understand what I will discuss in this section.
After the mating, the female Molly fish will take a few weeks to give birth to little fry. In this interval, you will see some changes in her if she is pregnant. The differences arise in her physical appearance and also slightly in her behavior.
Some physical changes in a pregnant Molly fish are:
- Swollen belly: The belly of a pregnant Molly fish gets swollen and looks more rounded than usual.
- Variances in the shade: There is the visibility of a small black-colored pattern in the lower stomach of a pregnant Molly fish.
On the other hand, you can note that a pregnant Molly will socialize less with its tank mates and spends most of the time alone. Also, she mostly swims around the water heater placed zone and eats more than often.
By noting female Mollies’ physical and behavioral changes, you can identify if they are pregnant. Also, remember to separate the pregnant molly fish immediately to an individual tank if it is in the community aquarium.
What Is The Gestation Period Of Molly Fish?
I cannot fix a specific time here as the gestation period varies for every Molly fish. But from my experience, I can assure 45 to 50 days on average as a gestation period for Mollies.
However, some Molly fish gestate babies for more than 50 days or 55 to 60 days. Such cases happen as the diet, tank environment, and lighting impact the living of Mollies.
Don’t worry! Till you maintain a comfortable living for Mollies, any problem in their gestation period is uncertain. So you can keep asking how long molly fish stays pregnant and can never have a certain answer until you experience it on your own.
Extra Cautious Is Necessary During Gestational Period. Know Why?
Honestly, you cannot move on to another step without knowing what happens to molly fish when they give birth or are pregnant.
You should thoroughly keep your eyes on the pregnant Mollies in the gestational phase. Because it is a period when the pregnant Mollies face much trouble as they get ill more often. Their tank mates and male Mollies mostly chase and bully them, which is unhealthy.
Hence, it is significant to set some hiding spots, which you can do by placing more live plants in a tank. It will make the pregnant Mollies comfortable and secure.
Yet, I suggest keeping your pregnant Molly fish away from its tank mates in a separate tank to avoid stress and pressure. Or, you can separate her from others, even in the same tank, by using a breeding net.
Through the separation, she will feel secure, and there won’t be any trouble while giving birth. But be aware, the detachment should not be for a longer time. After the delivery, you must keep the female Molly fish together with its tank mates.
Birth Period Of Molly Fish
As stated above, the female Mollies usually store the sperm from males for a long time after a single mating. They then fertilize the eggs inside them and produce.
Later, after a couple of weeks, they give birth to their fry. It can take an entire day for the female mollies to give birth to nearly a hundred baby mollies.
Is My Molly Fish About To Deliver Babies?
As said before, there is no exact time to assure the specific birth period of Molly fish. However, many aquarists proclaim that a V-shaped form is visible around the lower stomach of female Molly if she is about to deliver babies.
Furthermore, a pregnant Molly fish stays away from everyone’s sight and looks for more hiding spots if she is about to give birth to baby Mollies. So, don’t act surprised if your female Molly gives birth at night when no one is around.
Saving the Molly Fry
You can witness the birth of all fry at once.
But do you know the mother Molly fish can eat the fry too? Yes, you read it right!
There is a likelihood that the female Mollies can swallow the tiny Mollies after birth. Mother Molly and the rest of the adult fish in the aquarium can eat them.
So, separating the fry in another tank of at least 10 gallons is significant. In addition, maintaining adequate lighting, warm temperature, and enough live plants is crucial for baby Mollies.
You can feed them some baby brine shrimp, micro worm, etc. Later, keep the fry with other fish in their tank once it turns into adults. Until they fully turn adults, separating them from other fish, including their mother, is essential to keep them safe.
Conclusion
Molly fish are peaceful species that you can add to your aquarium. The beauty can add up if you want to witness them giving birth to little fry. Here, don’t be puzzled as they give birth to all little Mollies at once.
Be aware and keep more female Mollies and fewer male Mollies in a tank for breeding purposes to avoid female Mollies stress.
Also, care for the baby fry after their birth, as staying in the adult fish aquarium is unsafe. Now that you know the Molly fish breeding phase, I am sure you would be an expert aquarist in sheltering them.
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!