Holy baby balloons! (surprise fry)

[Anitax3x]

So I have about 5 Balloon Molly fry in my breeding trap in my 20 gal tank heated and filtered. It's not a net it's clear floating breeder. I found them this morning while getting ready for class. Hiding in my plants. So if I find more when I get home I won't be surprised. I have frozen blood worms and I'm looking to get brine shrimp frozen. This morning I just crushed up fish flakes for them because I have class. I have an empty 5 gallon tank should I set that up? I also have sponge filters should I set that up of leave them without a filter? I'm gonna get a snail to help keep the tank clean. I have an empty 10 gal as well if I need to use that. I have no experience with fry so I am desperate for help. I have aq salt. So if anyone could give me advice I appreciate it

I'm so excited bc they are too cute. I hope crushing the fish flakes was ok. I had no time to thaw and prepare the blood worms. Thanks guys!

[Anitax3x]

I'm going to petsmart and petco today any suggestions are a huge help!

[MollyJean]

Set up the new tank but if the filter is something that is liable to suck them in, you need to get a sponge to cover it (filter material) and heating is a must. Make sure they have something to hide around and under, too. They do fine on crushed up flakes, but if you have baby live brine shrimp, those are good, too. No freeze dried food that young, and blood worms don't really give them any nutrition. Flakes is your best bet.

They're not really that hard to take care of. Keep the water extra clean, and add the same amount of salt you do for your adults. When they are large enough to survive a filter, use one. Til then, you'll have to hand clean the tank very often.

Good luck!

[Anitax3x]

I didnt say freeze dried i said frozen i thought frozen was okay.. Okay illset up the 5 gal

[shadowpony]

The snail may eat the fry and will NOT keep the tank clean.

[Anitax3x]

Then why do I see many breeders on here putting snails in with their betta fry? I haven't bought one yet, and on looking up how the other people use them for growout tanks I am confused.

[Twilight Storm]

Snails (depending on type) will help keep the extra food eaten. They don't "clean" the tank. I am not sure how well snails will tolerate the brackish water though. You will have to look that up.

Grats on your molly fry :) You should post pictures :D

I am starting research on balloon mollies (I love them!!) I want to probably breed them, but as of yet, I don't know the min tank req. etc for them. My local pet store has balloon mollies but they are quite smaller then 3 inches which a website says they grow to.

Do all balloon mollies get to be 3 inches?

[Twilight Storm]

ok I answered the inch question so never mind that they only get 2 inches. Was too long since I posted so I couldn't edit :D

What color are your balloon mollies btw?

[Anitax3x]

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=103228

Here is my thread with pictures I got to take with my boyfriend's camera. The mommy who came home pregnant, is a yellow "lyretail balloon molly" The babies are ALL different colors, Some are yellow with black spots, some are orange some are dark/black some are more white/clear. they are SOOOO CUTE! Supposedly they should get to be 2 inches. This is my first time raising fry I've been feeding them crushed flakes and baby brine shrimp. they have such cute fat bellies.

[Twilight Storm]

The petstore near me gets these guys in.



I've liked these guys since I've first seen them lol. I love how they wobble side to side when they swim. I messaged Molly Jean since she seems pretty much the molly expert on here. :D

I still have found so many different conflicting sources of information on what size tank to keep these guys in. If I can, I would rather keep a few in a 10 gallon tank. (I have 10 gallon tanks coming out my ears atm. People gave me a lot of used ones.) Some sites say 30 gallon minimum but those sites also say they get to be 3-5 inches which I don't think is accurate. All these particular fish as adults (That i've seen at least) are not quite 2 inches, but close...... I mean I do have a 29 gallon tank... but I wanted to set it up as a growout for bettas and live plants, brackish water will limit my choices a LOT..

I do know I need to pick up some marine salt. I'm not sure if there is a easy brackish water mix or if I need a tool to measure how salty my water is.

Considering these fish are considered common starter fish I am pretty surprised that there isn't gobs of information on them that matches up in one way or another consistently...