My mollies just had babies and I want to keep them, but dont know how.

Question
Hi,
My tank is 55 gallons, I have a hang on dual filter, I have had the tank almost 1 year, My fish are all tropical fresh water(2 mollies, 1 tiger barb, 2 mickey mouse platys?, 3 male guppies, 1 red velvet swordtail, and now 3 molly babies), and I test the pH of the tank at least 3-4 times a week and do a 1/2 water change every week. I haven't had many issues with the tank other than an algea issue that I have since taken care of and got rid of.

Here's my issue:
I just noticed that my Dalmation Molly and The orange/black Molly just had babies. I managed to save three of them by catching them in the net, but I have no idea what to do next. Right now they are swimming within the confines of the net, but I know that isn't the best way. I can't really afford to go out and buy a separate tank either. Is there a way that I can keep these babies alive and keep them in the same tank as all the rest of my fish.  

Answer
Hi Darlene,

First things first.  You really should keep tiger barbs in schools of 4-6+ or they will nip their tank mates and can stress from lack of security of a school.  However, that being said barbs are not compatible at all with guppies and I'm surprised he hasn't shreaded the guppies yet.  Just be wary of this.

Also, you are doing too much maintenance.  It's odd to actually say that because usually I am advising people to step up the maintenance : )  

You are very lightly stocked so there is no need to do 50% water changes weekly.  You also don't need to test the tank so much.  You can actually throw your chemistry off this way and cause the tank to start to re-cycle which can stress, disease and kill the fish.

You can do 25% partial water changes and a good gravel cleaning once a month on your tank.  Test the parameters then.  Anymore than a 25% water change can severely stress out the fish and again, cause the tank to jump cycle, which you do not want.

If you don't want to buy another tank you have a couple of options.  You can buy a clear breeder box that floats inside of your tank.  These are about $5 at Petsmart.  You can place the fry in there.  They don't have a ton of room to swim but they get the benefit of being in a cycled tank with good airflow and filtration and heat.

Or, you can buy another tank for very cheap.  When I say this I mean a rubbermaid container.  Yes, you can keep fish in a clear plastic rubbermaid container.  No less than 10 gallons, you can get one at Walmart for a few bucks.  Add a small heater and a sponge or undergravel filter (a regular one will suck them up) and you are on your way.  Just make sure that you add gravel from your main tank and some decos from the main tank along with some water from the main tank because the rubbermaid won't be cycled and the fry will die from the cycling process.  The gravel, water and decos will instantly cycle the rubbermaid.  Then they can swim freely.  I like this option because they do have more room to roam and because fry really do need to eat 4-6 times daily.  Throwing that much food into the breeder box can cause an ammonia spike in your main tank.  In a separate rubbermaid tank you can change out 25% of the water every week to keep it clean and from ammonia spiking, something that you wouldn't want to do in a main tank so as not to stress your adult fish.

Another reason I like the rubbermaid is that you can use them for ongoing birthing tanks.  The truth is that mollies and other livebearers alike give birth to 10-30 babies at a time (60-80 at at time as they get older) every month like clockwork so if you have 3 the others were eaten or sucked up by your filter.  When you notice the mother fish is ready to deliver (she'll get round and large and finally square off from the side) place her in the birthing tank and she can safely deliver all babies in there.  As soon as you see the babies are out put her back in the main tank.  It's okay if there are fry in there from the month before.  Feeding them 4-6 times daily they'll be too big for her to eat but the new fry she will eat so you need to get her out after birth asap.

Even when their is no male present if a female livebearer is pregnant she can deliver every month 10-30 fry for up to 6 months so you have a lot of fry to go.  This is also why I like the rubbermaid.  The breeder boxes get full fast.  Never put a mother fish in a breeder box to deliver.  She barely has room to move, these are so stressful on adult fish and can cause abortions.

Your other option is to buy a very small real tank.  Walmart sells a 5 gallon hex for $29 and it has a filter built in but you would need to add a small heater.  This is cheap but not as big as the rubbermaid.  Just some options.

They will get stressed in the net and will be eaten unless they are at least a month or two old swimming freely with the other fish.

Let me know if you need anything else.

Good luck : ) April M.