# Forever Pregnant Fish



## andy182 (Jun 12, 2010)

I have 2 mama fish that seem to have been pregnant forever. One is a common guppy, Mama G, and one is a creamsickle molly, Mama Mia. Mama Mia has been in with males sence I got her, 2 months ago. I recentley moved her and Mama G into a 5 gallon "birthing" tank as I call it. It was fully cycled, had it going for a month or so. And then moved them both over when they were looking mighty fat. Well here is the problem. Mama G was getting large for 6 weeks now and Mama Mia was large from the time I got her. Large meaning preggers looking. So now they have been in the tank for 2 weeks, and have good levels. They eat like they were starved. Both very active and friendly. I was hoping to have babies shortly after I moved them in there, but nothing happened. So I was wondering if maybe I misjudged my mamas being mamas. I had babies before and Mama G is one of my original mama guppies, the other one passed away several months ago. I know 5 gallons is small for all the fry they may produce, but I figure with some getting eatten and friends wanting some too, I wont have too many left over when they get bigger. I have attached pictures, sorry for the quality, lost my camera cord and so I used my cell phone. Any insite would be great. There is no gravid spot on the molly and a large one that you cant really see in pictures on the guppy.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Well, they DO both look like females, at least that much is right. 

It could just be that they are not comfortable releasing their babies. We had a guppy that was pregnant forever, it seemed, then she finally gave birth about a week after we moved her to a tank all by herself. A lot of livebearing fish will hold their babies for a long time if they don't feel like releasing them into the current environment, or at least that's what I've heard. I mean, it happened with ours so I believe it does occur. Could be they're stressed, maybe they don't like the temp of the water, who knows? Fish have weird little minds...


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## Revolution1221 (Apr 20, 2010)

they have been known to hold on to them so long that they eventually just absorb the babies.


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## Homer (Sep 6, 2010)

Yea i have a balloon molly that i swear has been pregnant for the past month and ive had her for 3. Idk what is wrong with my tank probably a terrible male to female ratio. its about 50/50 because petco cant distinguish a male from a female nor do they care what they give me but none of my platys have ever had the gravid spot. I seperated my balloon molly into a breeding box so hopefully she will be de-stressed being seperated from any other fish


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