# Maybe a stupid question but I can't find the answer :/



## LilSums (Aug 2, 2010)

I have baby mollies (yes, same ones I've asked about) that are now about 3 months old still a bit small to give to my LFS that wants them, but I am wondering at what age can they reproduce? I'd like to avoid an aquatic Springer episode if possible. I haven't been able to find an answer, I've found lots of contradicting ones, so I'm sorry if this seems to be a stupid question. Thank you!


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

LilSums said:


> I have baby mollies (yes, same ones I've asked about) that are now about 3 months old still a bit small to give to my LFS that wants them, but I am wondering at what age can they reproduce? I'd like to avoid an aquatic Springer episode if possible. I haven't been able to find an answer, I've found lots of contradicting ones, so I'm sorry if this seems to be a stupid question. Thank you!


they typically reach sexual maturity around 6 weeks. so be expecting some babies soon. i think guppys seem to reproduce more around that age than mollies do.


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## LilSums (Aug 2, 2010)

Seriously!? Jeebus! The answers I was finding were 1mo-1yr, totally didn't help...good thing I still have the birthing tank ready. Some are looking big I really hope it's just fat! TY


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

when i had my fry tank going i had guppys that were about 2 months old. i looked in there one day and there were tiny little ones all over and the ones that gave birth to them were about 1/4 inch maybe smaller.


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## LilSums (Aug 2, 2010)

Craaaaaaap...starting to be wary about the "fat" ones. Did they have smaller litters or comparable to the adults? I think that would be the only silver lining right now...something tells me that'll get crushed with you next reply... :/


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## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

from what ive heard when livebearers give birth they start off with small numbers and get bigger with each concecutive birth.


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

yes they only start off having a few at a time at that size id be suprised if they have more than 4-6 if that but if u think about say u have 50 babies and half are females they each have 4 babies thats 100 more babies. thats why its actually a good idea to have 2 fry tanks so u can seperate males and females soon as u can tell the difference. if you are unsure that if its male or female leave it in the male tank. better to have one female in with the males than 1 male in with the females because alls it takes is that one male to impregnate all the females. i believe its important to keep them from breeding at such a young age because a growing fry needs all the nutrients and everything it can get and not be giving it to its own babies. and not to mention the fact u want to avoid inbreeding. there is this couple that every month or two bring us 100+ adult guppys from a 10 gallon tank most of which have bent spines and are sickly and they said they started out with only 2 guppys in the begining. the water is always nast and yellow. we end up just euthenizing them because they are in such bad condition and ive tried to talk to them and tell them how bad it is but they dont listen.


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## LilSums (Aug 2, 2010)

@Corwin- Thank ya

@Rev- Their little fins are so tiny I can't really tell but I'm going to try to separate them as best I can. I don't want them to be unhealthy, right now their water is clean, they have plants to play in, and haven't had any illness or signs of it. I'm keeping a few but going to try to just keep males. I know it's ideal to have a female in a "school" but their libido's insane! I have all males in my tank (with the exception of one gifted guppy) and they're been getting along great & are healthy or active. Is there a serious downside to not having females besides preference? 

I've had all mine for about a year, no one's died, no one's been beat up, they all are vibrant, healthy, eating, no fighting ever...And that's what I've always done in tanks, my fish always last 2+ years unless they come sick from the store (like the last bipolar Angelfish I just bought, that was fun), until the last year or so when I've been berated by people insisting a female is necessary, I put the female guppy in. No difference in behaviour except the males sexy dances. I want them to be healthy most of all, breeding may be a pain but I'll deal with it if it's really such a hazard to their health.

Oh, and I'm also adopting a lot of the babies out to good fishkeepers so I'm glad they'll be taken care of!


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

if they were doing good for that long i would say u should have just left it although 2 years is a short compared to what most fish can live. 1 thing i forgot to mention is with the babies you have to go by the gravid spot not by the tails to determin what sex they are and typically you have to use a magnifying glass to tell the difference.


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## LilSums (Aug 2, 2010)

Rev- I shoud've clarified, those were previous tanks, not this one. And it was 2+, 2 was the minimum not the rule. I know they can live longer, most of mine do, I take care of them but sometimes it happens. This one is still mostly male I just added the female but I just wanted to know if they were necessary. I've never had a problem but I've been reamed for not having them so now I doubt myself on that even though I've never had a problem. Thank you for the tip on the sexing, I'll use that.


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