And anything. How do you differ a male molly from a female molly? For the most part, mollies are very easy to breed. wikiHow's. You KNOW that’s not something most could pull off. And what to feed my baby fry when I get them. Mollies, platies, guppies and swordtails are all part of the livebearer group. I usually put snails, a pleco, and neon tetras with them, but this guy just wants to be alone I guess. % of people told us that this article helped them. It helped me a lot in. Another good way to tell if they’re safe to interact with the other fish is if they are too big to fit into the other fishes mouths. Feed the other fish before adding in the new mollies. Reading this helped, so now I know to be very careful when, "First time fish owner. Or no? Indeed, a female molly would typically give birth to 70% females. Replace water on a fairly regimented schedule. ... View pictures. So very helpful. Thank you so very much. The female fish will have a more rounded anal fin. Do not get two males for a small tank or they will fight. So far we have had over 200 fry. Nacho48. I observed two mollies together. Various worms are great for molly fish. Use a sponge filter with baby mollies. Size: The size of platy fish is 4-6 cm. People aren’t willing to learn or admit defeat so why not make jokes. An aquarium heater will probably be necessary. Brine shrimp, live or frozen, are a preferred source of food. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. LARGE mystery snails. Hi there, I’m new to this group and had a concern in my tank. Grindal worms, black worms, and blood worms work well. Female platy is likewise known to be fatter than the male. Molly Fish Types and Appearances Thank you guys for the help. & my two guppies I bought as a “pair” haven’t reproduced either… kind of weird? Daily minimal water changes, or up to 30% per week, are recommend. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. CNZ Aquarium Aquascape Artificial Plastic Plant, 10-inch x 8-inch, Green, Freeze Dried Brine Shrimp Cubes, Aquatic Foods Freeze Dried Tropical Fish Foods … 1/4-lb. "My neighbor gave me some baby mollies, one day old. Get one stomach-full per feeding. Stressed mollies may have more aborted births and stillborn. It is best to separate a pregnant female so that the male cannot eat their young. Females tend to look larger and rounder than males. Also the top fin has nothing to do with gender it is just a diffrent variaty of molly You could take this molly and breed with some female mollies and … But they are stressed and clamping fins. To learn how to take care of molly fry, scroll down! Try a different type of snail. Thanks for, "I think this is the best and simplest guide from which you could learn how to keep mollies! You don’t want them to think the mollies are food. If they both male and female are mingled, a male has the chance to harass female fish. The main difference in Molly Fish sexing is the fin differences. maybe when shit finally goes wrong they’ll realize they should’ve listened to me sarcastic or not. 4) FINS Members of the molly family do not have good parenting skills. Yep they both look like males to me… although their fins are clamped the dorsal fins on both are large and show the nodule and thickens spinal Ray used to raise their fin when displaying. Last Updated: October 15, 2020 Also go on google.com and type in the word gonopodium you will see a ton of pictures. There are 25 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. The male sex of the fish will have more of a pointed anal fin. Did you know you can read answers researched by wikiHow Staff? Keeping one male with three females is the recommended ratio for breeding these fish, any more will create too many pregnant molly fish and too many molly babies as … I don’t think I’m going to attempt something so bold, but apparently He isn’t the first to do this. Or maybe they’re literally just betta fish and you’re defending somebody who isn’t educated on them enough to be taking care of them? You’ll be able to tell the molly is pregnant by a very distended belly. None of my other Molly’s have grown like it… but it’s for sure not pregnant. tank and my “main” fish is a betta. 3: How long can molly fish survive without food? they don't lay eggs) to place in a community aquarium or fish tank. Look at the anal fin – if there is a fin, it’s a female, if it’s a narrow “tube” it’s a male. The pointed anal fin and much larger dorsal fin on the male, and the rounded anal fin and pregnancy spot on the female differentiate the two. First picture is a male, second picture the fish at top with a full view is a female. Topic: I have a molly fish aquarium setup and was wondering what the differences in male or female tail types were? They also come in a variety of colors, and work well with a wide community of other fish. It is best to separate the mother whenever spawning ends. Yes, my silver is seriously fat. The size of the platyfish is 4-6 cm. Most females are already pregnant when you buy them. The pattern on both male and female platy fish is almost the same. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 230,642 times. WOW…I just Googled it and there’s many YouTube videos about “training” bettas to live together in a fraternity tank. Yes. Can a female molly die after giving birth? https://www.cuteness.com/article/tell-male-female-molly-fish Posted by Nikki B: These fish are some of my favorite because of how simple they are to keep and yet so tough. I hate betta bowls, but he’s pushing my buttons! I don’t know the technical term but if the fin on the belly is straight down and comes to a point it’s a male. How many pellets I give for my black molly? Go to your local pet store and pick male and female fish. Approved. The aquarium should be planted as densely as possible or have a thick algae mat. Looking at getting fish for my son. ", "The best helpful webpage for aquarium and fish guide.". wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The male fish often chases around the female, wishing to copulate more, and this could cause stress on the pregnancy. the identification is for all live bearing fishes , like mollies , platies ane guppies.. #9. You are lucky to have one sailfin molly. Female molly have a softer, fan-shaped anal fin, which is also on the lower half of the body. You can tell by the anal fin. I’ve done all I can to make sure he’s well taken care of, but an entire 30 gallon to himself?? As far as all-out length of the body, females can grow up to 2 inches long though the male body size is restricted to 1.5 inches. When they relax and extend their fins its easier to tell. See the Molly … I have a 30 gal. I want to start breeding my fish and selling them for profit. Less swimming room to get away from aggressive fish, which creates stress, Harder to clean, which can lead to sickness. Thank you for sending us pictures of your Mollies. The top level should be 2 inches of something sturdy, like sand, pebbles, or gravel. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Wythori. How much time does it take a molly to get pregnant again after a fry is born? There is also a lot of color variation within each species. River Rock Large Stone as Aquarium Gravel? If the “nurser” tank is not possible, consider using an aquarium net breeder, which is essentially a mesh cube with plastic edges, to protect the mother and baby fish. Is there a way to sex mollies and tell a difference between female or male? Once you give a betta a tank to itself…he claims that whole tank as his. Do all male mollies have longer find? I saw a few discussions here about this but didn’t really get an answer out of them and my situation was different than the others I’ve seen. The Black Molly is a livebearer that requires a spawning box in a 25 gallon, or larger breeding tank. She is a 7 year old Pomeranian. The only thing with them is that if you have a male and a few females, you WILL get fry. Molly's story This is Molly. Mine was pregnant when I got her but I did not know because She was not showing but I’m about to end up with more baby mollies also I was reading somewhere that even if a male is not present within the tank when she does end up pregnant that she can stay pregnant for a few months because they have this thing that’s called a sperm Sac so they can re-fertlize their self for some time. The mollies in the above photo are female marbled mollies. The bottom level should be 1-2 inches of nutrient-rich material. Really thankful for, "I had a pregnant molly and I wanted to make sure I did it right. This page helped me a lot. People don’t take things seriously then I’ll joke right with em. Purchase your mollies. Then, purchase male and female molly fish so you have no more than 2 fish per 10 gallons of tank space. Seriously??? Females is fan shaped the males is more pointed. I had one in a nursery box temporarily and they were constantly trying to fight. Every 30-40 days you'll have 50-100 live fry. 7 years ago. I have at least 3 sailfin mollies. Is there a diagram I can use? unlocking this staff-researched answer. Female Lyretail Mollies have a rounded caudal fin (anal fin), and they also have a pregnancy spot. What is the life expectancy of a molly fish? It is far better for the fish if you have a male to every 2 females and then the females will be less stressed. The sailfin on his back is not because of the pond, but this is a genetic thing. However, the Lyretail Molly has a pointed caudal fin (anal fin) which is larger on the male than it is on the female. The addition of salt may act as a healing attribute, a way to overcome slightly dirty water. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. I wasn't sure how to take care of them, so I read your article. I'm going to save it and refer to it again. The male Lyretail Molly Fish also has a larger dorsal fin that will not develop properly if the tank is overcrowded or too small. Molly used to be in a group of a minimum of four. The body size of female platy fish is larger than the male platy fish. They're live-bearers, which means live birth. Pet shops often sell Mollies in pairs. In all live bearers they should really be housed 2 or more females per male. Molly are very easy fish to take care of and are very diverse in colors and patterns. 2 males, are in a 30 gallon tank with 7 females. Some males will have elongated dorsal fins, but this is not seen on the females. I have had many mollies in my 15 gallon tank and they have been a great addition. Male molly have a gonopodium, a long stick-like fin used to fertilize the female, on his lower half. I know more about the fish. The males will have the gonopodium instead of a normal anal fin. The fema… I’m not sure on this you would have to look more into it but I think I was told at one point that if I ended up with a male and a female and one. So to start I have a 20 gal freshwater tank with rock and wood and live plants. How can you tell the difference between male and female black molly fish. I've had them in my 26 gal tank for three days, and so far they are the only fish in my tank because I have just set it up cycled it for about a week. I added 3 snails, he killed ’em. Aggressive Female Molly. So it’s hard to say. I’ve owned some of the most exotic fish you can get, including a snakehead before they were outlawed. I have 2 bettas and they definitely hate each other. I agree. Just throwing it out there it’s 2018 guys. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Learn more... Mollies are an ideal choice of live bearing fish (i.e. Look at the anal fin – if there is a fin, it’s a female, if it’s a narrow “tube” it’s a male. 7 years ago. Don't let them sit for too long in the plastic bag before releasing them into the aquarium. Pictures: on top to the left is a 2" male Dalmatian Molly and below is a female. Finally, after the female gives birth in 3-5 weeks, transfer it back to the main tank and keep the fry separated. Some Dalmatian Mollys, like this male, have lots of black spots and some, like this female, have just a few. I’m so mad right now. I promise betta fish no matter what will behave like a betta fish, I promise these two are no different. If their mating is successful, their babies should be born in about 3 to 5 weeks. You see mystery snails have large antennae and a betta fish thinks they are worms and will attack, some snail don’t have antennae as long as mystery snails. "This helps me to understand the breeding of molly fish in detail as it is given point wise. Anyway I am telling you this because of my black mollies. My dad picked one up with his hands and moved it to another tank then went nuts at the manager. i just wanna prove that male bettas can live and swim together in 1 tank.. so far no incident of them ever fighting.. they never attack any of the community fish that they’re with. 2. This will prevent them from being sucked up into the filter. Distinguishing Between Male and Female Mollies Distinguishing between male and female black mollies is fairly simple. The body size of female platyfish is bigger than the male platyfish. After reading the information on spawning, I discovered I'm, "I bought a new aquarium, but I had no idea about how to care for the fish. Anyone have a betta they can’t house with anything? We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. ... Then he sure to enclose photos is available #8. ryanwilliams. Generally, the best observations are focused on their “gonopodium” or what we called the modified anal fin. ", back together. Adult molly fish are able to live up to two weeks without food. Mollies live well with tetras, guppies, platys, glofish and possibly gouramis if they are calm. By using our site, you agree to our. But usually, the male’s body and fin color is sharper and more intense as compared to female platy fish. Female platy is also known to be fatter than the male. Lookds like a sword kinda. Cant really tell on the dalmation needs to get a better pic of it but i would say female. It’s easy to spot personalities in active fish like these. Molly fish often cannibalize their babies. When you notice a female fish with a bloated belly, transfer it to a different tank before it gives birth to protect it and its fry. None. In larger ponds and higher temperature, molly fish will develop much faster. I had problems with my black goldfish in the tank with other fish. Always swimming together. "I found out that when a female molly is pregnant to separate the male for about half a year before putting them, "Thank you, very helpful. I recently bought a male and female silver hifin molly, and another female that is just a silver molly. Some recommend getting the subspecies of mollies for quicker breeding. Prepare your tank and yourself beforehand, and breeding mollies should be a breeze. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. While there are several varieties of molly fish, they are extremely easy to breed because all colors are the same species, and all males and females breed with one another. Mostly the group will be formed by female fish. A shoal should be predominantly female since males are known to harass and stress females. Generally, they can mingle with each other. #2. I’ve never. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. I have seen two males in a tank at a chain pet store before, it was awful, they were tearing each other apart. The female has a fan-shaped anal fin. Some sources indicate that approximately one Tbsp per five gallons of water is good. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. ", and the other has fainter Grey strips from top to bottom. You sex the males by the gonopodium -"modified anal fin of male fish that has been converted into a genital organ". They look like they’re battling to the death which is literally what is happening. Feb 13, 2013 - Feel Free to Ask any Question Relating to Tropicla Fish and Aquariums, I will Answer Within 24 Hours if Possable! To breed molly fish, start by setting up a 15-30 gallon tank for them that includes decorations, a substrate, and freshwater plants. Support wikiHow by Lets answer your question now. I have a 20 gallon tank with about 100 fry from same mother. A single female can produce over one hundred baby mollies, also called fry, in one live birth. Anywhere from a few to over a hundred could be born. *Awarded Answer As can be seen in the photo below of a black male molly, male mollies have an enlarged dorsal fin and a modified anal fin called a gonopodium. Remove the female from the aquarium before birthing begins. Mollies are active and social so they enjoy schooling together. I’ve had at least 20 in my lifetime and never had one THIS aggressive. In general, however, a fish stomach is similar to its eyeball size. This article has been viewed 230,642 times. They look Male. Male molly fish can stress out females with their constant pursuit. The common male Mollies have a colorful tail (like bluish or greenish color) having a larger dorsal fin, and is usually thinner (viewed from top) than the females. ", "It is a very nice article. It depends on the size of the pellet. Both of the fish in the pictures are female Mollies that are full of babies, and they should release their babies soon. The gonopodium is circled in yellow. I added a common pleco and now he’s dead!!!! Thanks. In the wild Mollies shoal in their hundreds, and the ratio of males to females is one to two. Don’t wait too close to the birth date. Molly fish even eat algae, which is their primary food in the wild. The female fish will have a more rounded anal fin. Ensure that the fish won't overheat, or the water freeze when you are taking the mollies home. I'm really hoping to get some breeding action in my fish, but I haven't seen any! Whilst this will not cause the female any long term harm, it will tire the female as she is constantly pestered by the male's advances. Female have bigger anel fins … Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Caring for the young. I’ve been keeping these fish for a decade now and feel I have an extensive knowledge on these fish. Sexing Molly Fish – Male or Female. Do not introduce the water from the bag into the tank. The male has a fin under its belly that looks like a stick. "All the information was helpful, and some of the questions that I would have asked were answered in the article. Removing the mother from the main aquarium is also to protect the fry. I’m a fish snob I’m afraid. You may see the male under the female; this is how the fish copulate. The hardest part is keeping the fry away from the hungry parents. The male sex of the fish will have more of a pointed anal fin. If you buy an exotic breed of molly, you may want to consult with an expert to be sure you can go completely without salt. I have 2 silver Mollies one is looking a bit boxie, "Very educational. There are diagrams floating around that can really help diagnose the sexing differences. Creating a Beneficial Breeding Environment for Mollies, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Breed-Molly-Fish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Breed-Molly-Fish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/4d\/Breed-Molly-Fish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5638223-v4-728px-Breed-Molly-Fish-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"