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  • #1

    Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info with m

    I have had a love affair with Sailfins from 20+years ago when I was taking them from the bayous here in Houston; I got a tank again for my 6 year old, to introduce her to the wonder of aquariums.
    I have a particular desire to get some fry from the platinum female I have...since I got a black mottled Sailfin pair, I can't put another male in my small tank (20 gal).
    I have a female platinum from the Fish Gallery in a 10 gal with no way to tell if she is actually pregnant...I have a sorta Green sailfin looking female and the matching female to my male...can anyone tell me how to tell if I have a pregnant female, and how long they are pregnant before birthing? I am ready for fry, but when ?
    I would appreciate any guidance...
    Working for a better Future for my Fish!
    ___________________________________________
    75, 29
    All my other tanks have gone on to better lives!

    Sailfin Mollies, Plecos, Corys,, 1 lonely Jewel Cichlid
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

    One of the easier ways to tell if your female is pregnant is to check the area just above her anus, along her side. Pregnant females tend to have a dark triangular area when they are holding. The area should appear almost black, if its just grey thats normal coloration. These typically carry for 14 days before dropping.
    Consider my posts as general information based on personal experiences, and in most cases, far oversimplified. Actual mileage may vary. Don't try this at home. If symptoms persist, contact your physician.

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    • #3
      Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

      I like the wild sailfins too, and was trying to remember the other day if babies raised in captivity will have the nice big fins, or if those have to be wild caught or raised in ponds.
      MY MANTRA: Yes, I CAN have too many fishtanks!

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      • #4
        Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

        xxx

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        • #5
          Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

          Originally posted by roberte";p="
          Always breed the latest (slowest) developing males and the females with the biggest bodies and shortest and thickest rear body area -- from the end of the dorsal to the start of the caudal.
          Could you expand on this a bit? Just wondering the reasons for those particular traits. Thanks!
          "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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          • #6
            Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

            Originally posted by roberte";p="
            It depends on the species and how the fry are raised. Most people starve mollies to death. Mollies are big eaters -- BIG!! The fish need 4-8 feedings a day or at least 3 good size ones. Flakes won't cut it. They need protein as much as veggies. They are not just algae eaters. They will thrive on daphnia. bloodworms, brine shrimp (all ages), chopped blackworms, finely chopped red worms, fruit flies, grindal worms, etc; as well as, all kinds of good flakes -- veggies comes in here -- and even frozen beef heart recipes and fish recipes. They need to eat. They also need room and the more the better. I wouldn't keep mollies in anything less than a 30 if one is serious about breeding them -- 55's and 58's are better and 125's are the best. They need room, crystal clean water changed often -- think discus -- warmth -- 80F and good strong filtration. They like water flow but need food to balance the exercise. Fry need tons of live baby brine shrimp to get truly good development. Velifera and Kykesis (old petenensis) will always develop sail fins if raised properly. Latipinna populations vary on this score and are touchier to keep. The old idea of salt and algae for mollies had more to do with doctoring poor water quality and keeping food in front of these constant nibblers. If you feed them, give them room, keep them warm and clean you will get healthy mollies and sailfin fry. Always breed the latest (slowest) developing males and the females with the biggest bodies and shortest and thickest rear body area -- from the end of the dorsal to the start of the caudal.
            This is a treasure post for me...thanks for the info.
            I have one male black mottled Sailfin, a female same,a Platinum and I don't know what color other females...I have the black mottled female solo in a 10 as she seems very square and rounder than 2 weeks ago.
            I noticed the Mollies were voracious eaters,but flakes seemed to be floating around a lot.
            I will try to get some meat for the guys... I will see if the black gives birth, and wait to return her to the 20 I have for them. I will move some of the mollies and will get a larger tank when I can.
            Thanks!
            Working for a better Future for my Fish!
            ___________________________________________
            75, 29
            All my other tanks have gone on to better lives!

            Sailfin Mollies, Plecos, Corys,, 1 lonely Jewel Cichlid

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            • #7
              Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

              xxx

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              • #8
                Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

                Thanks for the explanation.  :)
                "Millennium hand and shrimp!"

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                • #9
                  Got Sailfin Mollie fry; they aren't anybody's Scooby Snack!

                  Live and learn...
                  I didn't see any dark color anywhere on my Platinum female Sailfin, so I went from theory to theory for why she ballooned to such a big size.
                  Last night she dropped 30 mostly Platinum fry.
                  They are so survival equipped; some dropped in my main tank and are quite stealthy, travelling under and around the large Colorado river rocks I put on the tank bottom; in my 10 gal "Guppy" tank (I moved her to the floating breeder box in the 10 gal when I saw the first fry in the main tank, then took her out after a few fry dropped) the majority are schooling and chilling on the surface and in the quiet corner near the filter fountain, easily outswimming the male guppies and avoiding the Tetras (Neon and Orange); I put an unrolled plastic scour pad and the bag it came in in the tank for a fry "reef ", that worked well. My 6 year old was dancing and grabbing me in between celebratory hugs and near hysterical happy babbling every time the mollie dropped 2 more fry ("...they're so cute !").
                  I am ready for the Green Spotted Sailfin in my main tank, now. She will be isolated before she drops (she is definately gravid and growing), but since I began more feedings and added bloodworms to the diet my Mollies (and the other residents) are much healthier and are growing.
                  Thanks to Roberte for your informative post, my Mollies are in your debt! :)

                  20 gal:Sailfins 4; Dwarf Gouramis 2; Black Rasboras 2; Golden White Clouds 4; Green Neon Tetras 2; Cardinal Tetras 2; Corys 2; Algae eating cats 4; snails 6
                  10 gal: Guppies 6; Neon Tetras 5; Orange Neons 2; Green Wag Platies 2; Sailfin Mollies (fry) 20+; Algae eating cats 2; snails 4   (temp moved the female guppies and Platies to the main tank)
                  Working for a better Future for my Fish!
                  ___________________________________________
                  75, 29
                  All my other tanks have gone on to better lives!

                  Sailfin Mollies, Plecos, Corys,, 1 lonely Jewel Cichlid

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Sailfin Mollies...can anyone share some breeding info wi

                    Good morning,

                    Mollies are beautiful and fun fish to raise.  They will drop spawn about every 4 weeks, depending on feeding, water temp. etc.  Remember that the different species of mollies will hybridize with each other.  Very true about using the larger and later maturing mollies as your breeders.  You can selective breed for the mollies with the larger dorsal & caudal fins.

                    Some of the best Texas & US molly breeding stock comes from Goliad Fish Farms and will be available at the Houston Livebearers Association (HLA) Auction on August 26th here is the link for more information: http://forum.fotaswebsite.com/index.php?topic=59.0

                    Goliad Fish Farms breeding pairs of sailfin mollies sold at the auctions are usually 4-6"s and many times they have fry in the bags.

                    Mollies will take warm tempatures but ours do much better at cooler tempatures in the 65-75 degree range.  

                    You might consider joing HLA, we usually have a couple collection trips a year. http://hla.fotaswebsite.com/join.htm

                    later, ken/mark

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