# EMERGENCY birth



## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

my molly had babies and I have no clue on what to do. I took all decor out except the Amazon sword plants. Please help me


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

First: Deep breath. Panicking never helps.

I would leave the plants in there, it's good for Mom to have plenty of cover, and if you plan on raising the babies in tank with mom, it'll offer them protection.

If you plan to remove the babies, set up a small tank with an airstone (I've used a 2-3 liter soda bottle to start off), place all of the babies in there, and don't bother feeding for at least 2 days while they absorb their yolk sac. Once they're ready to eat, just grind up the food in your fingertips until it's a fine powder. and they can eat whatever mom is eating.

Siphon carefully with an airline every other day, and once they're big enough not to fit in anyone's mouth, they can return to the main tank.

Good luck!


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

Hello please


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

they are already swimming around the tank so I don't know how old they are I have to remove the only 2 that I see bc they will get sucked up by the filter. I found one in the filter. 
so I can I just put them in a 1g tank with mom and one real plant? And if I do that how to feed them and mom? as far as air stone please elaborate for me. I have a site pump and a hose and that heavy dark blue thing that air comes out of but I have to find It bc I havent used it recently


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

6 babies were found alive and one dead.


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

how many babies do they usually have


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

Hello please reply some one


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

there isn't a set number how much they usually have.

I would just put the babies in the 1 gal by themselves if you're going to move them.








this is a pretty standard air pump, line and stone setup, that's all your babies will need with a good water change schedule.


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

is it possible she will have more fry. she's kinda lethargic and not moving unless I use the net to get her attention


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

it's possible. I would avoid messing with her unless necessary though to prevent stress.


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

Well I put her back in the community tank and she's still the same. I had taken my female swordtail out when catching the babies and then I cleaned the community tank and now my female is face down barely breathing, she's dying I don't under stand why she's dying and the mom molly


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Sometimes it happens. I know that's not much consolation, but giving birth takes a lot out of ya, and sometimes it's just too much.


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## Jdillio1988 (Aug 27, 2013)

Skyewillow, i feel like you were just a midwife! LOL, it was magical!


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

"day in the life of..."

Keep us posted on those babies, please, Resa


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

I can't seem to make the flakes grounded into powder is there something else I can do to fix this or something cheap I can buy to feed them. they are still doing fine to also how would I know if they still have their yolk sacks


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

Skyewillow said:


> First: Deep breath. Panicking never helps.
> 
> I would leave the plants in there, it's good for Mom to have plenty of cover, and if you plan on raising the babies in tank with mom, it'll offer them protection.
> 
> ...


Mollies are live bearers they don't have yolk sacs ;-)

Resa: I took a ziplock bag filled it with pellets and then took a small hammer and ground/pound the pellets into dust...


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

thanks for letting me no there is no sac! I'm going to try to pound the heck out of some pellets  I hope they easy it, they start arty the bottom of the tank. I'm showing pics I just hope you guys can see them they are black mollies too


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

These are the 6 Mollies (Picture taken today) I kept from a Spawn back in June/July.... They were raised in a 10 gallon nursery along with their 6 other siblings....


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

SeaKnight said:


> Mollies are live bearers they don't have yolk sacs ;-)


Livebearer fry don't have a placental connection to the mother, they do have a yolk sac in order to receive nutrients. Look up photos of pregnant see-through guppies, and you will definitely see yolk sacs in her ovary.








^The orange spots are the yolks of the eggs.

That usually takes a day or two after they are born to be used up. I've also used a food processor, or a bag and a rolling pin to grind flakes.


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

Skyewillow said:


> Livebearer fry don't have a placental connection to the mother, they do have a yolk sac in order to receive nutrients. Look up photos of pregnant see-through guppies, and you will definitely see yolk sacs in her ovary.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I stand corrected, I was always told livebearers didn't have a traditional yolk sac and because of that needed to be fed within 24 hours.... As soon as they were free swimming... whereas egg laid could go 36-48 hrs...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

You're right, it's not a traditional yolk sac, since it's not actually hanging off of the belly when they're born. Mollies may need to eat sooner than guppies though, so I could be wrong there, but I've always fed my babies on day 2.


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

Skyewillow said:


> You're right, it's not a traditional yolk sac, since it's not actually hanging off of the belly when they're born. Mollies may need to eat sooner than guppies though, so I could be wrong there, but I've always fed my babies on day 2.


 Truth be told these were not a planned spawn and are my first and only successful spawn thus far so I will admit my knowledge is limited to mostly what I have heard from others (looks like you've given me something to research)... ;-)


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Let me know what you find. I've only ever separated one drop, otherwise, I add more cover and raise mine in-tank to save myself some water changes.


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

Skyewillow said:


> Let me know what you find. I've only ever separated one drop, otherwise, I add more cover and raise mine in-tank to save myself some water changes.


will do....


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

Ok so today I need to do a water change right? how much of the 1g water tank do I change? And do I use water conditioner? prime? aq salt? anything else?


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

I have only ever had them in a 10 gallon tank that I did a 50%-75% water change on after week 3. With 1 gallon tanks, I believe, they say to do 75%-100% every 3 days.. My suggestion to you is to do a slow water change (and yes, use Conditioner/Prime whichever is the one that dechlorinates) Take a piece of air hose and use it as a Syphon and a 1 gallon milk jug or ice tea jug filled with water and Stress Coat/Prime/Conditioner (again, whichever is the one that dechlorinates) already added. As the water begins to drain begin pouring the water from the jug slowly into tank until bottle is empty... Make sure the air hose is placed close to the bottom of the tank away from the fry* as you don't want to accidently suck them up....


*(I usually suction cup mine to the size of the tank with the opening facing a corner.)


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

I did a 100% water change and their doing fine


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

SeaKnight said:


> I have only ever had them in a 10 gallon tank that I did a 50%-75% water change on after week 3. With 1 gallon tanks, I believe, they say to do 75%-100% every 3 days.. My suggestion to you is to do a slow water change (and yes, use Conditioner/Prime whichever is the one that dechlorinates) Take a piece of air hose and use it as a Syphon and a 1 gallon milk jug or ice tea jug filled with water and Stress Coat/Prime/Conditioner (again, whichever is the one that dechlorinates) already added. As the water begins to drain begin pouring the water from the jug slowly into tank until bottle is empty... Make sure the air hose is placed close to the bottom of the tank away from the fry* as you don't want to accidently suck them up....
> 
> 
> *(I usually suction cup mine to the* size *of the tank with the opening facing a corner.)


*That should have said side.*

*"*_I did a 100% water change and their doing fine_ *"*

Awesome!!!!


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

I've found dead this morning on bottom of tank but others are thriving. I'm getting them pellets that's I grounded up


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

resa said:


> I've found dead this morning on bottom of tank but others are thriving. I'm getting them pellets that's I grounded up


Sorry to hear, but unfortunately it happens (My clutch was originally 16).. You could also try getting some Daphnia or cooked egg yolk mashed into a paste (I always hard boiled the eggs and then removed the yolk and mashed it with a fork)...


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

does petco or pet smart sell daphnia


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## SeaKnight (May 24, 2013)

I don't know, but you can order it online... Or check with you Local shops...


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

Don't buy Magna, they're too big.


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## MattsBettas (Dec 18, 2012)

Also, don't do 100% changes. Fry are really sensitive to param changes and should get small, frequent changes, not large ones.


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

thanks for telling me. Well the mollies are now joined by 20 platy fry born this morning


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## dramaqueen (Jul 7, 2008)

I believe Petsmart sells frozen daphnia. At least mine didnin Kentucky.


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## resa (Dec 23, 2012)

all but 1 molly fry has died. and I've accumulated about 10, more platy fry
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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