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Hello,
I have a golden panda molly, I have had her for over about 2 months now. Well after a week or so I noticed that she was getting really big I thought she might be pregnant so I watched for the next few weeks to show any signs that she was going to give birth so I could move her to separate tank to give birth. When I thought she was showing signs I moved her into the tank by herself weeks goes by and nothing. So I meantime I went out to check out some lfs so I came home with a few platies a sunset and bumblebee females both I noticed that the sunset platy looked pregnant as well so I put her in with my molly.this is were the help is needed I had put one in the a breeding trap, so the other would not eat the fry so I put the molly in the trap and nothing I turn out the lights and over night the platy gives birth to about 8 I assume more but I am sure that some had been eaten during the night I quick remove the female put her into my main tank. Now I can't out the molly out of the trap now that I have fry in the other tank, so I leave her in the trap for one more day the next morning I check on her and she looks like gave birth she lost her belly and everything, but no fry and nothing in else's in the trap so I put her in the main tank. So about a few hours later I see that she is big again in the main tank so the next I moved back into the breeding trap again 2 days later she is skinny so back into the main tank, and again hours later she big and fat again, now I am at a lose as what is going on and what to do. Again she is a panda molly so from MD body to tail is all black so I personally can't tell if she gravid or not I just assume by her size that she is pregnant, can I be wrong? She is still the big and is much bigger then I can remember her ever being now it has been about 2 weeks since she has been in the main tank and still nothing. I do weekly water changes of 10 to 25% and a 50% monthly water change. My number for water condition is right on with a slightly high nitrite of 0.5 ppm. My feeding is minimal as I can with the way they devour food it doesn't last 30 seconds unless it is pellets or wafers. I really need to know what is up with this mollyis she or isn't she pregnant and why she lose her big belly and get it back? Anyones help would be great.

Attached Image:

HI,
Some fish, such as mollies are e to "Bloat."
This can be caused by stress, feeding the wrong food, and
bad water chemistry. Unfortunately, bloated fish are also
a sign of "Dropsy." That is an infection and generally that
results in killing the fish.

Look carefully at the fish close up and see if its scales
are protruding from the body like a pine cone. If so, its
dropsy and it would be best to put it out of its misery.
It is a fatal disease.

If not, look at all the values for your water, Ph, nitrate,
etc. If those values are within norm's then look at your
food. I know you said you were feeding them carefully, but
it could be eating the pellets before they absorb water and
are swelling inside the fish's stomach.

Because it is inclined to swell and then shrink back.
Swell in the tank and shrink in the trap, I'm inclined to
suspect it is the food it is getting hold of.

Hope this helps,
Frank



-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks for replying,


I thought is was dropsy as well..but when I look up dropsy systoms she doesn't present any of the visual signs of dropsy. She eats like always,no pinecone look to the body.. I stopped feeding from twice a day to once every other day..still big as a house. Other fish in the tank have birthed fry.. I am thought maybe egg bound but they say the eggs get reabsorbed if they are stressed. I am at a lose as I had this fish for two months at this point I think she show signs of an infection either parasite or bacterial infection and I don't.

UPDATE..
So with most people at different fish stores saying that she was sick and probably had dropsy and I should save the headache and get rid of her. I don't like to kill something that is alive.. but they said it would likely spread to other fish in my community tank. I felt I had to remove her and I was going to flush her but I quickly put together a 10 gal hospital tank with just a Submersible filter and and airstone, no light and put her in it and I put in double the salt that is recommended in the salt container and some melafix and I watched her and feed her regularly for about four days and last night I checked her and their was over 40 1/4 inch fry swimming around..So that as to be one of the longest pregnancy she was pregnant pretty much out of the lfs about two weeks before Thanksgiving until yesterday...

Wow!
Great news!
I'm glad you followed your intuition and did not flush her.
The picture failed to show the normal "Gravid Spot" that
live-bearers show when along in a pregnancy. The expansion
and contraction of the belly area was misleading. Since she
was not bristle coning, I too would have discounted the
Dropsy thought.

She is definitely a keeper!
40...Now you need another aquarium!

Be careful you do not fall victim to the dreaded "MTS
syndrome."



Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks Frank,

She is a keeper!

I have spoken to the lfs guyswhere I got her from and they takeany and all fry I get which is a good thing, otherwise I will run oit of room real quickly since I am waiting to setup a more tanks soon as the tax refund arrives..I have a 75, 29, 20 gals waiting I did the dollar a gallon sale at petco, now just need the filters, heaters, lights then I am going to build a fish room in my garage to get more tanks..
Keith

Couple of pics of the fry

Couple of pics of the fry

Hi Keith,

Congratulations with your purchase
Such adorable fish

How is she now?

Zhenya



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