If you has a pregnant Molly swimming around in one of your tank, it’s fun to sit there and watch her. You just know they’re going to pop out any minute. But you don’t know actualy when that’s going to happen.
Suddenley she appears bulkier, but still…nothing. If you stare long enough at the tank, you’ll start to feel powerless. Surely there was something you should of known that would’ve tipped you off to the coming delivery?
Not so with Molly fish. When they’re about to give birth, you will knows. No, this isn’t some surprise baby shower where the fish drops babies on you.
There are very obvious indicator that tell you labor is about to happen. Knowing what to look for prepares you to have right conditions set up for the little ones’ arrival. It also ensures you don’t accidentally disturb them at an inconvenient time, causing extra stress for momma.
Key Signs Your Molly Fish Is About To Give Birth
Signs of Approaching Labor
Body shape also change, and it’s the most obvious indicator. Her abdomen swells a lot as she approach fry time. From above, you’ll notice she look rounder (sometimes called “boxier” or more square).
Lower down on her body, you’ll note it looks quite a bit wider than normal. Why? Because the fry are taking up space in her reproductive tract.
Usualy, this will be noticeable about one week before giving birth. However, it’s really dramatic in the last day. Pregnancy isn’t to be confused with being overfed, which result in a bloated appearance.
The swollen belly is symmetrical and firm.
Behavioral Changes During Labor
Besides these physical alterations, there are behavioral ones too. The mom will spend more time alone in your tank, usually hiding in thick vegetation and sometimes even at the bottom of the tank.
She does this partly because it help keep her safe from other tank mates that may picks on her while pregnant. Second, she’s making herself ready for birth. Sometimes you’ll see her just laying on her side for a few seconds.
Other times she’ll hover over the surface. Don’t worry, it isn’t because she’s sick. Providing her with plenty of hiding places is important now.
If she doesn’t has somewhere to hide, she risks being stressed out which can prolong labor.
Identifying the Gravid Spot
A gravid spot is a dark colored dot right in back of anal fin and is another solid indicator. You’ll notice its eye appearing as the fry get close to being born.
That’s what gives the gravid spot its dark color (or at least it appear that way). Sometimes you can make out the little eyes pushing up on the membrane. This is also a useful feature that acts like a countdown clock.
The more defined and dark the dot, the sooner they will be born. And if the spot isn’t very apparent, the fry haven’t developed yet. Checking this every day let you track how far along they are without bothering them.
Final Hours and Restlessness
Momma might become restless in the last few hours. She will start swimming in small circles and suddenly dart out and stop. It’s almost like she can feel the baby pushing on her and it’s driving her crazy, she’s uncomfortable and attempting to make herself more comfortable.
She may even isolate herself completely from other tank mates, no longer eat, and get all fidgety. Now is the time to stand back. Don’t try to move her or catch her if you don’t have to.
Handling can adds so much stress that she will abort the fry. Your best tool at this point? Patience.
Preparing the Tank for Fry
Prepare the tank before the event. Adult fish (the mother) and other adults in the tank may consumes the fry which is small and defenseless. To protect the fry, have something like dense Java moss that serves as a sanctuary or use a breeding box.
In this manner mom can deliver and not face being eaten immediately by adult fish. Once the fry are free swimming, remove them to a tank by themselves. That way both the mother and the fry has a much better chance of surviving.
The idea is to provide a setting in which natural delivery occur. By the time you observe those signs, you’ll be prepared.
