Breeding Mollies

I believe I did this years ago, but I don't remember much about it except that it was a great experience. I don't remember if any of the babies made it or not. We bought some plastic "grass" that floats on the top for the babies to hide in, but I think day after day we had one less baby fish and they were all found. I didn't have another tank to remove the babies too, which would have been nice. Nature can be very cruel sometimes!

Oh yes! mollies are really easy to breed, and I would strongly suggest if you do not have one, to get a second tank!

I use to breed Mollies many years ago and it was easy. Are the male and female in the same tank? If the answer is yes and your tank has plenty of places for the babies to hide, then you should have babies. I like to put in extra places for the babies to hide when I want babies, so if you have been waiting quite awhile, then something might be consuming them. Do you have other fish in the tank? If not, then the Mollies are eating them and any fish when nervous can consume all of the babies.

Mollies can store sperm for many months and even if there is not a male in the tank with her, she can give birth to several broods as long as she was impregnated first. As far as saving the babies, I would get plenty of live fine leaved aquatic plants for the babies to hid in and find live food (in the form of infusoria and algae) You do not want to move the pregnant female molly too soon to her giving birth or she might deliver her babies prematurely. Mollies are not too bad about eating their own young especially if they are well fed but if you do have other types of fish in the tank then the other fish will be having fresh live food.