Yay new fry! Breeding Mollies in saltwater

shrimplover · May 8, 2024

Hi guys, I’m excited!!!

So my saltwater molly (whom I converted when she was a baby and paired up w my also converted Dalmatian male molly) dropped her fry after severals months of pregnancy (yes MONTHS!).

I have kept her mate for about a year in saltwater and her for about 6 months. Spend 3 days converting both.

The fry seems bigger than in freshwater, but not sure.

Usually mom molly lives in my main tank but took her out a couple of weeks ago so she could give birth in my sexy shrimp pico tank. (She’s safe around the shrimps). Also she doesn’t eat the fry.

She will go back to the main tank tomorrow.

Did this post in case someone was wondering about breeding mollies in saltwater.
Or converting Mollies. I have some experience if you have any questions

danenelsen · May 8, 2024

Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m thinking about trying to do this, but I have a few questions. Is there any flow in the aquarium? And is there any tank mates?

thedon986 · May 8, 2024

Can you share your acclimation/conversion process?

legionofdoon · May 9, 2024

I know a little off topic but why don't you ever see the wild versions for sale? The males would look spectacular under led light. They have an orange head and an almost fluorescent blue tail. They are pretty common in south Florida and I've seen them in both salt and fresh but mostly fresh. We used to use them as bass bait when I was a kid.

shrimplover · May 9, 2024

danenelsen said:
Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m thinking about trying to do this, but I have a few questions. Is there any flow in the aquarium? And is there any tank mates?

Hi! Yes I there is flow. Otherwise they would suffocate I’m pretty sure. I have a simple internal filter that I place near waterline so I get some nice surface circulation. Mine is Mini Pat Filter from Aquael. So cheap and works incredibly well.

I also have a skimmer that I only turn on while I sit and watch the tank so no tank inhabitants gets sucked in.

Tank mates: I have 20 sexy shrimps, a peppermint shrimp and some nerite snails. The set up is a sexy shrimp, macro algae pico display tank that I just thought would be fitting for the fry to be born and raised in.

shrimplover · May 9, 2024

legionofdoon said:
I know a little off topic but why don't you ever see the wild versions for sale? The males would look spectacular under led light. They have an orange head and an almost fluorescent blue tail. They are pretty common in south Florida and I've seen them in both salt and fresh but mostly fresh. We used to use them as bass bait when I was a kid.

Wow they sound awesome! I have no idea why they’re not in the trade but they should be!

shrimplover · May 9, 2024

thedon986 said:
Can you share your acclimation/conversion process?

Sure!

Day 1: I start w a decent sized plastic tub, a small air pump, a rock from one of my tanks for fish to hide behind and freshwater.

When the new fish is calm and settled after half a day I raise the salinity to 5 percent with clean saltwater (not from tanks) since this is very well tolerated by most fish and definitely live bearers.

Day 2: Over the course of the day I add saltwater to the tub raising the salinity with 1 percent for each top off. I do this every hours or so. 8 percent in total. So salinity should be 13 percent when the day is over.

Day 3: I take out some water and start raising the salinity with 10 percent over the course of the day. Salinity should be 23 now.

Day 4: I take out some water again. And start raising salinity with 10 percent again. Should be 33 the end of the day and you can now transfer to main tank.

During the conversion is remove all uneaten food and poop with a turkey baster to avoid ammonia and I also monitor ammonia levels very closely.

This has been a 100 % success every time.