How many eggs do molly fish lay? (2024)

How many eggs do molly fish lay?

After an average of 30 to 40-day pregnancy, it will take a molly

approximately a day to give birth to her fry. Many mollies can actually store sperms for months at a time, fertilizing their eggs themselves every 30 days. They can birth anywhere between 20 and 100 fry at a time.

How often do molly lay eggs?

Mollies reproduce several times a year. In fact, they are amongst the easiest fish species to breed. If your tank consists of male and female mollies, they will spawn naturally under the right conditions.

How long are molly fish pregnant for?

Mollies 50-70 days.

How fast do mollies breed?

Creating a Beneficial Breeding Environment for Mollies

This means the ideal combination of male and female fish is one male for multiple females. You may see the male under the female; this is how the fish copulate. If their mating is successful, their babies should be born in about 3 to 5 weeks.

Do mollies give birth all at once?

After an average of 30 to 40-day pregnancy, it will take a molly approximately a day to give birth to her fry. Many mollies can actually store sperms for months at a time, fertilizing their eggs themselves every 30 days. They can birth anywhere between 20 and 100 fry at a time.

How do I know if my molly is about to give birth?

Typically, to know if a molly is about to give birth, you should look for some sign. These include physical changes, such as a change in the shape and size of the belly and darkening of the gravid spot, as well as behavioral changes, such as less swimming, more hiding, lack of appetite, etc.

How many mollies should be kept together?

How many molly fish should I have? As with many livebearers, mollies love to breed, so we recommend getting at least two to three females for every male. This ratio allows the girls to get a break from the boys' constant attention.

Where do fish lay their eggs in a tank?

The eggs are laid on plants, or on the bottom of the aquarium scattered on the gravel. Once the eggs hatch in the wild, the fry (young fish) have to avoid parental cannibalism, usually by hiding in the plants and among rocks, until they grow large enough to swim freely.

How do I know when my fish is going to give birth?

Within about 20 to 40 days after the mating ritual has concluded, the female will develop a bulge in the abdomen; a red or black spot may form toward the rear of the abdomen signifying her pregnancy. Guppies and mollies can deliver as many as 20 fry at once.

Do mollies eat their fry?

Generally, yes, molly fish eat their fry. Molly fish are nippy eaters, they usually eat anything they can fit in their mouth. No matter what it is in the tank, the molly fish will nip it instantly as soon as they find it, especially if they're hungry or stressed.

How long do molly fish live?

All pet molly fish, regardless of their variety, only live for three to five years on average. This estimate assumes the right care. However, the molly fish's genetics have grown weaker and more prone to developing disease. This is due to poor breeding habitats in captivity.

Can molly and Guppy cross breed?

Guppies and mollies are like cousins from the same family, so you may wonder: Can I crossbreed them together? The answer is yes! You can.

How many mollies can be in a 10 gallon tank?

A typical female molly grows to be up to 5 inches long. Therefore, you can only keep two of them in a 10-gallon tank. Males are significantly shorter, measuring only three inches long. So you can technically house three of them in a 10-gallon tank.

How long to keep molly fry in breeder box?

How long do you keep fry in the breeder box? In general, the babies should be large enough to not fit in mouths of the adult fish before you add them back into your main tank. For livebearer fry, this may be as soon as 4 to 5 weeks.

How do you keep baby mollies alive?

Molly fry can be extremely delicate due to poor water conditions. Change the water regularly to keep your fry healthy. Do not raise your fry in a tank without a heater and thermometer. It is important to keep the water at a consistent, warm temperature in order to keep your fish happy and healthy.

Can mollies reproduce without males?

How can they do without males? They can't entirely. Amazon mollies reproduce through a process called sperm- dependent parthenogenesis (gynogenesis). They produce diploid eggs without meiosis and these eggs are pseudo-fertilized by the sperm of males of different, related species.

How pregnant is molly?

M olly-Mae Hague has hinted at her baby's due date as she revealed that she is six months pregnant. The 23-year-old announced last week that she is expecting her first child with boyfriend Tommy Fury, also 23, three years after meeting on the fifth series of Love Island.

What do molly fish look like when pregnant?

To know if a molly fish is pregnant, you should look for some signs. These include a swollen belly, increased appetite, the presence of a gravid spot on the belly, sudden inclination to warm areas, and changes in behavior such as aggression, hiding, etc.

Why does my molly have a big belly?

Swollen Belly

The fluid accumulation is caused by the inability of the kidneys and/or gills to eliminate water from the body, which is a result of the underlying health problem.

How do you tell if a molly is a boy or girl?

Anal Fin

Like in all fish, the anal fin in mollies is located on the underside, just behind the abdomen. This fin offers the most effective way to differentiate between male and female mollies. In males, the anal fin appears like a tube-shaped fin that never opens wide.

How long do baby fish need to be separated?

In about 4 to 6 weeks, the babies should be large enough to release into the main aquarium. But be sure the babies have grown larger than the mouths of adult fish. If it's not possible to set up a separate aquarium, drop-in breeders are a great alternative.

Can 2 male mollies live together?

You can accommodate up to 4 female mollies and 2 males in a 20-gallon tank. This way, every male will have two females to mate with, and there won't be too much aggression between the fish.

How many mollies can I put in a 20-gallon tank?

Also, a 20-gallon tank can accommodate no more than four Dalmatian mollies. These well-known fish have a large size compared to other species and can reach a maximum length of 4.75 inches. There should only be one male and three female Dalmatian mollies in your tank if you want to use it as a breeding facility.

Can 1 molly fish live alone?

Mollies don't school — that is, they don't move together in synchronicity — but they do swim in a shoaling pattern. They prefer being with other mollies and similar peaceful, shoaling fish, and they get stressed and fearful when they're alone. Experts recommend keeping at least five mollies together.

What are the little white eggs in my fish tank?

The most common culprits for eggs however are snails, which can appear all over the glass in jelly-like blobs.

Why is my molly shaking?

It occurs when fish are under severe stress, most often because of environmental problems. The classic scenario is when mollies are kept in soft or acidic water conditions. Though tolerant fish in many ways, they do not do well in soft or acidic water, and it is very common to see mollies kept that way start to shimmy.

Do mollies poop a lot before giving birth?

Mollies poop a lot before giving birth to extract the extra waste not needed in the body before childbirth. Removing this waste makes it easier for the fish to give birth. Therefore, when you notice your pregnant molly pooping more than usual, you start preparing for fries.

Are molly fish sensitive?

Mollies are very sensitive to changes in water parameters, so it's important that you keep the tank environment as consistent as possible. Black Mollies love planted aquariums, so the more plants you have, the better.

What do you feed newborn molly fish?

What should I feed my baby molly fish? Typically, you should feed your molly fry (baby molly fish) various foods throughout its development, like infusoria, baby brine shrimp, high-quality crushed flakes, freeze-dried foods, worms, and pellets.

What food is best for molly fish?

Their favorite frozen foods are bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp. They will also greedily accept any live foods that you can find to feed to them, with live blackworms, bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp being special favorites.

Are mollies hard to keep alive?

Mollies can easily thrive in the high salinity, but they can have major issues when they get shipped to stores and are suddenly plunged into tanks with no salt in the water at all. Over time, their kidneys can shut down because their bodies are used to living in saltwater.

How long can molly fish stay out of water?

Generally, freshwater fish have a maximum out-of-water survivability time ranging between ten minutes and one hour. For this reason, you'll need to be careful when removing them from water for transport or catch-of-the-day pictures.

Do mollies need salt in their water?

It's their tolerance of salt that led to the myth they require salt to be healthy. That is not true, they don't. That said, they do seem to prefer hard, alkaline water. Your use of cichlid salts to increase the hardness and pH is appropriate.

What fish can mate with mollies?

Some of the top tank mates for mollies include guppies, platies, endlers and swordtails. Each species comes with its pros and cons. so make sure to take those into account before making your decision.

How many guppies and mollies can you have in a 10 gallon tank?

How Many Male and Female Guppies in a 10-Gallon Tank? As we calculated, a 10-gallon tank is enough room for 5-6 guppies. If we want to follow the golden ratio of 1 male to every 2-3 females, then a 10-gallon would give us enough space for four females and a maximum of two males.

Do guppies or mollies breed faster?

Without doubt…adult guppies which originated from northern countries of South America would be your best bet for quicker breeding. To do so you should have two females for every one male and if ready for breeding, have the trios separated.

What is the max molly fish size?

Size: 6 to 15 cm (3½ to 6 inches). Preferred Water Chemistry: Hard, basic fresh water to brackish or marine. Mollies are euryhaline, meaning they do well in fresh, brackish, or marine systems, but they do not thrive in soft water.

Can I put 10 fish in a 5 gallon tank?

You can keep about 2-4 fish in a tank this size as long as each fish is not larger than 1 inch. The one-inch fish per gallon rule would apply to most smaller fish breeds like Tetras, Betta, Rasbora, Shrimps, and more. Fish that can grow larger than 1 inch is not recommended for a 5-gallon tank.

How long should a 10 gallon tank run before adding fish?

Typically, you should wait at least 24 to 48 hours and even up to a week before adding fish to a new tank. Waiting ensures that all the set conditions for the ecosystem have had time to establish themselves. This also gives your fish enough time to acclimate to their new environment.

What do newborn molly fish eat?

What should I feed my baby molly fish? Typically, you should feed your molly fry (baby molly fish) various foods throughout its development, like infusoria, baby brine shrimp, high-quality crushed flakes, freeze-dried foods, worms, and pellets.

How many mollies can go in a 10 gallon tank?

A typical female molly grows to be up to 5 inches long. Therefore, you can only keep two of them in a 10-gallon tank. Males are significantly shorter, measuring only three inches long. So you can technically house three of them in a 10-gallon tank.

Should I remove fish eggs from tank?

Remove the Fry

After the eggs have hatched, the baby fish still aren't out of the danger zone. Separating the fry from the adults not only prevents them from being eaten, but it also allows them to grow bigger and faster because there is less competition for food.

What are the tiny white eggs in my fish tank?

Snail eggs on tank glass

They lay streaks of small white eggs and sometimes infest tanks containing fancy goldfish.

How do you know when fish are laying eggs?

How to Identify a Pregnant Fish. Most types of aquarium fish lay eggs. If your fish is nesting, it may build a safe area for the eggs within the gravel. Some species build nests within bubbles at the surface of the water, in this case, you may notice jelly-like sacs floating throughout the tank.