molly babies

Question
Sir,

at least one of my Mollies had babies so i was wondering
1. if Mollies eat molly fry or would they be relatively safe?(I know most fish eat anything that fits in their mouth)
2. how long it takes for fry to grow to a safe size?
3. best way to change water without sucking out fry?

thanks,
rob

Answer
Hi Rob

Yes Mollies eat their fry, you'll need to separate the fry from the adults.

They should be safe to put in the tank at 8 weeks, they are fully grown in 3 months.

Depending on how many fry you have (and if you have some now, you will soon have more) it's best to move them to a fry tank. When changing the water, kink the siphon hose to reduce the force. Sucking them up happens occasionally, just be careful and don't get in a hurry.

You'll also need to put a sponge or stocking over your filter intake or the filter will suck them up as well.

Hope this helps, good luck!

Richard