molly gestation period- 15 days?

[Kristin]

is this true? i thought it would be longer than that, but the lps people told me that it is 14-17 days.

[fishboy]

Nope, it is 30 days for the fry to develope

[ryanp15]

That's right. ;D

[equinom]

Question: *I have a black molly, thought it was fine. *No other mollies with it. *Suddenly started to get REAL fat - guess it could have been preggers when I got it. *Tonight instead of swimming it's not doing anything, infact I saw it resting on the bottom - it had never done that before. *Swam back towards surface, then drifted down onto a plant. *Just stayed there - as if resting. *I'm concerned: is it preggers and ready to make "fries" (ha ha) or is it sick and should it be pulled out of the community tank? *I hadn't planned on breeding fish...

[Colisa lalia]

You need to respond quickly but do you have any salt in the tank. If no this is molly bloat and the fish will die. These are hardy brackish water fish not freshwater. Although guppies, platies, and swordtails live in freshwater mollies need salt otherwise they bacome bloated and die quickly. :P

[Pooky125]

My uncles had mollies for 10 years and never put salt in the water, and they thrived, then, when he did, he lots about 3-4 of them, it sounds to me like she might be pregnant... in that case, if you want fry, buy a breeding net, if not, they will be eaten by the other tank mates, watch her for a while, and see what she does.

[keprydak]

that's how livebearers have their babies - they sit down on the bottom of the tank or hide in a plant. At least, that's how my platies went about it.

[equinom]

The point is now mute:  "Stealthy" passed yesterday afternoon.  I'm wondering if it was dropsey - it was so bloated.  When I look back over my tank log books I see that it didn't develop any problems until I moved it to a different tank.  I had to move it - it was attacking some of the other fish.  The tank I moved it to was a more established tank with fewer fish.  

Yesterday I moved "Stealthy" out of the community tank into a hospital tank and added a broad spectrum antibiotic. I was obviously too late - damn those fish store people!!!

After I removed "Stealthy" I checked the water in the community tank: pH~7.2, negative for ammonia, temp steady at 76, water very clear, tiny bit of green algae.  Filter looked alright - due for a change on Saturday, 3/2 (I change it every 2 weeks).  The BioWheel seems fine.  

I want to understand what happened, to prevent it in the future.

[Matt Nace]

what were your nitrates?
Did you give the molly any vegetation to eat in the food you gave?

[equinom]

I never checked the nitrates in that tank.  I was under the impression if the ammonia was negative the cycle was "in control".  
As far as vegetation - the only veggies that the molly got was an occasional frozen vegie treat.
I was unaware they needed freshies.  I'm not surprised that I didn't know that, we've only been keeping fish since December.  I'm saddened every time we lose a fish, and we have lost a few...
It has to be said, that molly was a real piggy, bless it's little heart.  My little boy was always laughing about how long it's "poops" were!  Sometimes longer than the fish...
I digress - sorry.