# I have babies !!!



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

WOW - I bought my 4 Balloon Mollies only a couple of days ago - this morning I was adding extra plants cos I thought one female was very fat - good job I did. There's lots of tiny black wriggly babies in the gravel *w3. Sooooo happy.

As it's a well planted tank (well especially so now) I've decided to let the majority take a chance but have popped 3 babies in a breeding net with a bit of gravel piled in the centre so they feel more secure. I'm leaving the light switched off today too as mum is still popping em out.

I've had guppy babies before so I assume these are treated the same ie feeding crushed flake?


----------



## choutman (Mar 6, 2012)

yea iv always used crushed flake and congrats on the babys!!


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

I have only just decided to let the 'saved' babies back into the tank. I was watching how the other fish react to the free babies & they didn't really take any notice of them. The babies are so quick & there's loads of hiding places for them. I felt mean hanging on to the others in that net - but that's me.

They're all doing fine - some bigger & stronger than the others. The mum's had loads more too. Must be about 12-15 now. She's being harassed constantly by one of the males though - poor thing


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

Well - day 5 now - the babies are getting bigger. I'm doing pwc's every other day & the nitrites have come back down to zero. Ammonia is zero too (sooo glad)

They're all eating fine & the other fish ignore them completely.


----------



## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

Congratulations to the black-Molly breeding. I always put the pregnant female in a settling tank. About 3-4 gallons. On the ground I lay shards of clay pots with the hollow side down. The female would sometimes eat the young fish and they can find shelter among the ruins. Black molly like to eat on the plants if there are algae. But as any fish they like to eat insect larvae and flea food. In the not too artificial diet.
regards


----------



## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

I know you will enjoy watching them grow


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

Thanks - they all seem to nibbling at the algae on the rocks & fake plants & seem to enjoy the crushed flake. I've tried some frozen Daphnia water fleas but I think they're a little to big for their tiny mouths.

Would they manage frozen bloodworm or brine shrimp?


----------



## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

The worms will probably be a little too big unless you blend them. Once they get a little older you can feed them Tetra "tank nibblers" ,they are high in protein and I've noticed larger fry grow quicker when fed these. They are cheap and can be found at walmart.

-Z


----------



## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

I have been giving my guppy fry frozen brine shrimp, and the fry and adults alike go crazy over them. It's like watching a feeding frenzy!


----------



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Frozen Baby brine shrimp is an excellent starter food.


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

z1200 said:


> The worms will probably be a little too big unless you blend them. Once they get a little older you can feed them Tetra "tank nibblers" ,they are high in protein and I've noticed larger fry grow quicker when fed these. They are cheap and can be found at walmart.
> 
> -Z


Ooo thanks for that. I do have some King British Fish Treats that stick on the side of the tank - I suppose these are the same?


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

jamnigh said:


> I have been giving my guppy fry frozen brine shrimp, and the fry and adults alike go crazy over them. It's like watching a feeding frenzy!


I bought some Tetra Fresh Delica Brine Shrimps yesterday in a protein jelly but the babies didn't seem that interested. The adults love it tho


----------



## z1200 (Jan 26, 2012)

Molly Malone said:


> Ooo thanks for that. I do have some King British Fish Treats that stick on the side of the tank - I suppose these are the same?


Same thing, different brand. Check on the label for protien content, higher protien foods help increase growth rates. I would also recommend micro worms. 

Good luck, -Z


----------



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I use HBH baby bites.It is a film container sized jar of powdered food.Enough to last a long time.Very finely ground powder that almost all fry can easily eat(all livebearers).Pretty cheap also like $2.50.Good stuff.


----------



## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Hikari Bio-Pure® Daphnia Frozen Fish Food is what I have been using. My adults and fry love it.


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

z1200 said:


> Same thing, different brand. Check on the label for protien content, higher protien foods help increase growth rates. I would also recommend micro worms.
> 
> Good luck, -Z


I tried to grow these little worms when I had some newt babies. Didn't work - I must've been doing something wrong.


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

jamnigh said:


> Hikari Bio-Pure® Daphnia Frozen Fish Food is what I have been using. My adults and fry love it.


Thanks - I have some of this in the freezer. Yes they do love it - but I worry cos i don't think the babies can get them in their mouths ?


----------



## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

Mine had no problem with it. I started feeding my guppy fry this when they were 3 days old. I let it thaw out a little, but the block into a small amount of hot water to break it up, then added tank water to the bowl to make it the same temp as the tank. I did try to break the daphnia up as much as possible, but they ate the small pieces and i vacuumed up the leftover. Now I have my adult in with the fry, so he cleans up most of what the fry dont eat lol.


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

Babies still doing fine - moved them into their own little nursery tank as I think the load was too much in the community tank. I'm syphoning 2-3 day and cleaning 20% of the tank every other day.

I set up a sponge filter, did a filter squeeze on it from the other mature tank & put some gravel tied up in a stocking toe (I want a bare bottom so to speak lol), and some Elodea plants.

A strange thing I've noticed is a lot of the babies are resting actually on the heater (76 degs) as if they're cold - which I wouldn't think they are ?

As I say they're all eating crushed flake which I made up from all the high protein dry foods I could find namely Prima, Dried Tubifex worms, Dried Bloodworm, Tetra pro-Colour, algae wafer into the one bag.

Any advice from you lovely people please if I doing anything wrong. Please confirm if I'm doing right.

many thaks


----------



## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Good deal moving them.Keep the tank bare bottom so cleaning is easier.If you change enough water(you should) you really won't need to worry if filter is cycled as the largest amount of "waste" will probly be food any ways.
Sponge filters rule and are all you need along with WC.
If the heater and the fry concern you turn heater vertical or diagnol on back side so they can't rest on it.Check with another thermometer if you have one just to make sure of temp(therms are as cheesy as heaters these days).
Sounds like your offering a great varied diet and if they're eating it then you and them are all set!
Enjoy!


----------



## Molly Malone (Apr 18, 2013)

coralbandit said:


> Good deal moving them.Keep the tank bare bottom so cleaning is easier.If you change enough water(you should) you really won't need to worry if filter is cycled as the largest amount of "waste" will probly be food any ways.
> Sponge filters rule and are all you need along with WC.
> If the heater and the fry concern you turn heater vertical or diagnol on back side so they can't rest on it.Check with another thermometer if you have one just to make sure of temp(therms are as cheesy as heaters these days).
> Sounds like your offering a great varied diet and if they're eating it then you and them are all set!
> Enjoy!


Thankyou - you've put my mind at rest. I was worrying about the cycling of my filter but as you say they don't really make any waste just the food particles lying around uneaten.

Lying on the heater doesn't worry me too much - they look happy enough so I'll leave them to it - but I will pop another thermometer in there just to check.

Thanks again - I will sleep easier tonight.


----------



## jamnigh (Apr 24, 2013)

I had my fry tank set up at about 80 degrees till they were about 2 months old and able to go in with the adults. They seemed very happy and grew fairly fast with that. Not sure if it had anything to do with it or not lol


----------

