Unusual behaviour in balloon molly

[Arizonagrace]

Interesting fact: The mother molly has been protecting the one fry all day long. Everytime I look in, if another fry or the other molly gets too close to her, she chases them away. She swims along side of it until she is near the bushy plants and one time, she looked like she was 'herding' it into the decoration that has hiding areas for the fry. At feeding time, she went to the bottom and kept swimming up to the food until the fry got the idea. I put in both large flake for the moms and first bites for the fry. She would take a piece of big food in her mouth and swim to the little fry and spit it out and wait. After awhile, I guess the baby got the idea of what to do and started eating the first bites. Then, momma ate and herded her back to the ornament.

Is this usual for a fish? I never saw them protect a young one like that before.

 

[53special]

That is wierd.

 

[Dynamite]

Definatly not something a livebearer is known for. Actually i have never heard of a livebearer doing such a thing... that is odd... should try and get a video possibly.

 

[Arizonagrace]

I have tried to catch her with a video, but it isn't coming out too well. I reached in the tank to move a plant that was caught in a decoration, and she kept poking at my finger. I guess this is one baby I will definitely be keeping.

 

[rmorse]

Extremely odd...Livebearers are known for eating their young. (Search on youtube, there is a funny vid of a baby getting eaten about 2 seconds after it pops out)