Spawning Report: Poecilia Sphenops (Mollys)

VIDEO JOURNAL:

NEW MOLLY TANK SETUP (NOV. 21, 2020)

MOLLY FRY BAP COUNTING AND RELEASE INTO TANK (MARCH 2, 2021)

FINAL BAP VIDEO SUBMISSION FOR MOLLY FRY (MARCH 16, 2021)

COMPLETE SPAWNING REPORT:

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PVAS BAP SPAWNING REPORT

16 March 2021

SPECIES

Scientific name: Poecilia Sphenops

Hobby name: Tangerine Painted Lyretail Molly

REPRODUCTION

Method of Reproduction: Live Bearer

Number and Gender Distribution of Parents: Four Adults, Two Males / Two Females

Origin of Parents: Bought from LFS

Approximate number of fry: 21

Date of Birth: Free-swimming on 01-31-2021

Approx. Number of Fry at 30 Days: 21

AQUARUM CONDITIONS

pH — Tap water is about 7.8, but pH dives down to as low as 6.0

Ammonia - 0.25 ppm

Nitrite - 0 ppm

Nitrate: 30-80 ppm (it gets pretty high . . . we only water change 1x every 2 weeks)

GH - 9 drops (API)

KH - 1 drop (API)

Temperature: 75-78—degrees Fahrenheit

Aquarium Size: 10 Gal.

Water Source: town / city water

Water Changes: 50% every two weeks

Filtration System: 1 small HOB, 1 Box filter

DECOR & ENVIRONMENT

Live Plants: Java fern, Anacharis, Pothos (grown in filter), Ludwigia Repens, Anubias Nana Petite, Duckweed

Caves or Similar Hiding Places: Dense plant growth, One small log-shaped structure

Substrate: Common tan pea gravel

Lighting Type and Timing: Cheap, small LED originally for under-counter applications

FEEDING

Food Fed to Parents and How Often: 2x / day. Parents fed live baby brine shrimp, finely crushed flake food, and anything else from frozen to life blackworms

Food Fed to Fry and How Often: 2x / day. Sera Micron, and after 1x weeks live baby brine shrimp (Artemia) and crushed flake food

COMMENTS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

It took awhile for these Mollys to get down to business. Once the females were pregnant, we decided to just let them go on their own and wee how the fry did. Only 6 fry survived. Some were jett black, and others were tangerine / painted.

With the second batch, we pulled the larger female and let her drop her fry in a small floating fry container. This seemed to wor well. We added a bubbler in the container along with some floating anacharis to keep fry calm and sheltered.

After 3 weeks, we let the fry go into the tank with the parents and older siblings. All is well, and everyone seems to get along beautifully. The female is ready to pop again, but we’ve decided to just let her be and see if any fry survive. In a tight-spaced colony like this, eventually the fry won’t survive the older siblings. By about four months, they’ll be large enough to sell to our LFS or bring in to auction at PVAS Fish Club.

One interesting thing is that the final pH reading was exceptionally low (6.0). This is a situation we are finding repeated in a few tanks. IT is _possible_ that our API pH test fluid is off. If not, seems that our soft water loses its buffer over time, and certain things seem to hasten that quickly. Water flow and aeration may play a part in accellerating buffer decay in our water. Molly’s (and other livebearers) are usually unhappy in pH that low. Provided this reading is accurate, in order to maintain health, crushed coral ought to be added to the substrate.