Molly fish are very easy to breed, as they reproduce quickly and easily. In fact, a single female can produce more than a hundred young or fry at a time. In addition, these fish have a wide variety of colors and tend to get along with most species. If you are thinking of raising mollies, you will have to prepare the aquarium in advance and take into account a number of factors. Take note!
Create a suitable environment
If you want your fish to have young, you will have to let them mate with each other. You will know that they are copulating because the male is positioned under the female. If the mating is successful, your babies will be born in about three to five weeks.
Also, when the female is about to give birth you should take her out of the aquarium and away from the male, since molly sometimes eat their babies. On the other hand, the male fish tends to chase the female during pregnancy, which could stress her and even cause an abortion. Be very careful!
When the female has given birth you will have to return her to the aquarium, as she could eat her own young. However, once a month you should reunite the mother and the young, as the females can retain fertilized eggs for half a year.
Feed the young
The young will have to feed mainly on flake food. However, in specialized stores you can also find foods such as black worms, brine shrimp (live or frozen) or even algae, which are their main food in nature. Remember that if you vary their diet from time to time you will be providing more nutrients to your fish.
Wait for them to grow
It takes two months to distinguish the males from the females, since in that period of time the fish double in size. Also, once you know the gender of the fish you should separate them so that no more reproductions occur.
In fact, molly fish are capable of reproducing between brothers and sisters. You should separate the males and females before they are eight weeks old, at which point they reach sexual maturity.
