# Black spotted Mollies Swimming odd..



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

I have two Mollies that I just bought, and I believe one is male and one is female, the female looks pregnant, 
the female swims around just fine, then all of a sudden she'll swim on her side(almost side ways but mostly her head or stomach) almost trying to bash her side into the rocks on the bottom, then she stops and swims normally for hrs again
any idea?


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

how long has the tank been set up?
is it cycled?
Do you have salt in the water?
While salt is not an absolute necessity the mollies do appreciate it. I am not a molly person- I find them difficult to look after and they tend to things like popeye and fungus. Sounds like a balance issue. Is she pooping ok?
mollies like greens.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Scratching an itch, maybe?


----------



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

No Salt in the water, I will add some
she's pooping just fine
Tanks been up and cycled for over 6 months now, the molly hasn't done it now in a few days, I had my water tested my ammonia was too high, so i am doing a 50% water change twice (recommended by petco) over the next few days
petco said it could be cause of the ammonia, but I think its the babies getting ready, but not a 100% sure
How can I tell for sure she's pregnant?
She's very round, and was in a tank with males at petco and with a male now


----------



## Felicia (Jul 17, 2008)

She was probably scratching because of the ammonia.

If she's ever been with a male, she's pregnant.


----------



## woiz (Jan 30, 2009)

SaintAnger said:


> I have two Mollies that I just bought, and I believe one is male and one is female, the female looks pregnant,
> the female swims around just fine, then all of a sudden she'll swim on her side(almost side ways but mostly her head or stomach) almost trying to bash her side into the rocks on the bottom, then she stops and swims normally for hrs again
> any idea?


My mollies were doing the same thing I did the water changes too, and I tested the water, amonia was 0 ...after a few days I saw ick on thier bodies ,actualy the problem was ICK...someone told me it was sign of ick before apearing on the body of fish...I took them into my quarantine tank for a few days used AQUARI-SOL...with 85 F temprature ...they are doing fine now and one of them has 6 babies now.
since then ,whenever I add new fishes I keep them in Qaurantine tank for a few days then add them into my main tank.


----------



## Felicia (Jul 17, 2008)

Both Ich and poor water quality can cause the scratching.


----------



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

she seems to be just fine now, no babies, she hasn't really grown but does have a belly, any idea how big she would get or is a round belly the best i will see?


----------



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

also what do I need to look for when shes ready to give birth?
right now she's moving very slowly and almost swimming upwards, tail down and nose up, and shakes a bit then she goes back to swimming normally, the male has stayed very close and his fin is usually always flared up now


----------



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

pretty sure I have just discovered that I have two males after seeing the females they have at petco..! damn!


----------



## Felicia (Jul 17, 2008)

Here is a female molly. Notice how the anal fin (the fin on the belly closest to the tail) hangs down and open like a flag









Here is a male molly. Upon sexual maturation, the anal fin becomes pointed and hollow so males can inject sperm into females.


----------



## SaintAnger (Feb 17, 2009)

thank you, wish i would of had a clearer picture earlier!
now I need to go out and get a female! some nice ones at petco, it was a dalmatian lyre tail Molly


----------

