The DUH factor

[blainep]

So, my oldest Silver Sailfin Lyertail Molly has been waddling around her tank for about a week now and today she drops her fry.

LOTS of them and not a one of them is silver :err: .

So I spent a better part of the afternoon wondering how it could be that a Silver Molly could pump out what looks to be about 100 fry and not have any that are silver ?

Her last 2 drops were silver, then the DUH factor comes in. She spent one day in the P. Velifera tank before going back to her usual home.

That boy must work fast ! :notworthy:

So now I wonder, just what are these fry going to look like ? :confused:
They have an interesting mix of genes.

Edit - found one silver fry !

[Melody]

LOL They often color later. Its unusual for them to take the last insemination unless they've just given birth, but that doesn't mean she didn't. In fact, if you didn't want her to, she probably did - the Murphy factor :rolleyes: .

Veliferia should bring turquiose highlights into the Silver line - that's what happened with mine anyways. Otherwise they'll probably favour him.

[CACAdmin]

That should make for a pretty mix. Can't wait for them to get big enough for you to take pictures.

[jordonsmum]

Excuse my ignorance as usual, but what's a velaferia?? Sounds pretty and congrats on the fry!!!

[Melody]

P. Velifera is a stunning wild-type Sailfin Molly.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-P-Velifera-M-2.jpg

And the only true ignorance, is a closed mind, which you do not have. :D

[blainep]

LOL They often color later. Its unusual for them to take the last insemination unless they've just given birth, but that doesn't mean she didn't. In fact, if you didn't want her to, she probably did - the Murphy factor :rolleyes: .

Veliferia should bring turquiose highlights into the Silver line - that's what happened with mine anyways. Otherwise they'll probably favour him.

Agreed on the colouring up as they grow, I've had a few that started quite dark and lightened as they grew. These fry definitely look ( by colour ) much more wild than any she has produced before.

They could make for an interesting looking fish, especially if the Lyertail gene passed thru to a few of them.

[Melody]

Indeed they are, though mine have yet to let me take a pic of them - GLARE! I hate glare - couldn't take a pic of a white fish to save my soul. But mine have been bred to be silver with the turquoise flecks, after a fluke showed up. No, not flukeS, a fluke. :Neener:

I have a Green Sailfin Lyre in with mine, along with a Silver Sailfin Lyre female, two Liberty Molly females, a P. Latipinna and a P. Velifera female. He's a happy camper and I'm not done with him yet!

Regardless, can't wait to see what you end up with. If I couldn't cross this with that, I'd be bored.:SLEEP:

[blainep]

If the Lyertail comes thru on any of them, it would be a great opportunity to spread it around my other Mollies.

I'm thinking maybe I need to have my black females visit with my P. Velifera male. Maybe I'll finally get some fry from them !:laugh:

[Melody]

Well its worth a shot! Its the breeder's black Sailfins that often clean up at shows in fact. Its no coincidence that he outcrosses to wild-types I'm sure.:D

[Mrs.JP]

100 fry? Can mollys really drop that many fry? wow.

Sounds like you have a pretty cross though. Congrats.

Jackie

[Melody]

Livebearers can birth outrageous numbers of fry. The last record I have for the American Livebearer Assoc., reports the P. Velifera record at 133 fry. That doesn't mean its a world record, its just what their club tracks. I'm sure there are higher numbers too.

A domestic Molly dropped 167 according to the same brood records. Another Saiflin Molly, P. Mexicana, has had a reported brood of 207!

The ALA Guppy record is a whopping 193!

:Eek:

That's why I always make sure that new Livebearer breeders realize what they're getting into...lol.

[jordonsmum]

What an amazing combo that would be. They will be beautiful fish!! Congrats!!! You'll have to send lots of photos when their colours start coming in.

And wow.. that's a lot of fry... bring it on!!! :laugh:

[fishykisses]

my guppy gave birth to 134...i counted as i put them all into a tank of their own!

[CACAdmin]

Wow... I would have lost count I'm sure. The large number of fry one gets from livebearers is the reason I allow them to give birth in the 70g well planted community tank and let nature take it's course. Quite a few get munched (nature's way) but the strongest and quickest survive. I would never be able to keep up otherwise.:rolleyes:

[Mrs.JP]

Wow thanks for the numbers.I didn't know the guppies can drop that many two.The most I ever counted was 42 and I thought that was bad. I natures way take care of the guppies too now,unless I need to restock or someone wants some.

Jackie

[Melody]

It is an awesome method of population and quality control, in my opinion. I can't cull to the death - I just don't have it in me unless they're sick or so badly deformed they're suffering. Using the natural method spares me that. Anything I have to cull for colors/finnage after that, I sell or give away.

As repulsive as it may be to some, it is also a healthy snack for the fish in the tank.

[blainep]

Well, I don't know for sure if there's 100 fry, but they are everywhere.
The tank is literally overrun with them. :err:

[Melody]

Some of Blaine's fry, the two species discussed in fact. I even have a white one in there that's not a big blurry blob of glare. :D

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f227/canadiansinternetdotcom/MM-SlvrSailLyre_Velifera.jpg

[CACAdmin]

Cool... great pic!

[Melody]

Thanks - it only took me 254 to get a decent one this time - I'm improving!:rolleyes: