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Fish/Silver Molly pregnant?

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Expert: Ron Coleman - 11/3/2009


Question
I've seen this question asked a lot but I'm still not sure how to tell if my molly is pregnant. I bought her from this fish store a little over a month ago an the day after i got her i had 13 baby fry in my tank so i went and got a breeder an have kept them in there until yesterday. Now i think shes pregnant again an i don't want to put her in the breeder until i know shes ready so i don't stress her out. But also i cant leave her in the tank because I have a blue lobster, a black molly (m), and an algae eater and im afraid they may not make it. What is your advice?

Answer
Hi Alex,
 You can't really tell exactly when she is going to give birth.  If she is very fat, I would put her in the breeder.  I don't think that is very stressful at all -- I do it all the time with
my fish.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>

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Ron Coleman

Expertise

I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish). Please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. I keep fishes both as a scientist and as a hobbyist and I currently maintain about 140 aquariums.

Experience

I am an Associate Professor at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I was editor of Cichlid News magazine for several years. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.

Publications
Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes

Education/Credentials
PhD (Toronto, 1993) MSc (Simon Fraser, 1986) BSc (British Columbia, 1983)

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