Aquarium Lore: Molly

Data Sheet
Scientific Name:	Poecilia latipinna, P. velifera, P. sphenops
Family:	Poecilia
Origin:	Central America - South America
Adult Size:	4 inches (10 cm)
Social:	Friendly, non-aggressive fish
Lifespan:	3-5 years
Tank Level:	all levels
Minimum Tank Size:	10-20 gallons
Diet:	Omnivore
Breeding:	Livebearer
Care:	Easy
Ideal pH:	pH 7.5-8.5.
Temperature:	20-26^oC (68-78^oF)
Tank setup:	Hardwater community aquarium with tough plants.
Sexing:	The females are bigger than the males. Males have a gonopodium

Description:

The males tends to be elongated and slender, with the females having a round belly. The females grow to 1 inch bigger than the male.

Habitat/Care:

These fishes are livebearers, and like most livebearers, they do well with a little salt in the aquarium. About a tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons should suffice. There are records that these mollies can survive and do well in salt water environment under certain conditions [2].

Mixing with other fishes:

Mollies can be safely mixed with other livebearers such as swordtails, mollies, and platy.

Other small, non-aggressive fishes also do well with with mollies.

Diet:

Mollies are omnivores, and will eagerly accept all kinds of food such as flake food, bloodworms, micrograms (for smaller Mollies) and tubifex worms.

Breeding:

Breeding/rearing tanks for mollies are easy to set up; a tank of 4-10 gallons will be sufficient. Place a small amount of gravel in the bottom of the tank and fill it with conditioned water from your community tank, heat it to the same temperature before placing your pregnant female or fry into it. Aeration and filtration are not essential at this stage, but as the female can give birth to between 20-200 fry at a time you will need to add a foam filter once the babies are borne. Furnish the tank with fine leaved plants. Care must be taken not to move the pregnant female too near her due date as the stress can cause her to absorb the developing babies or to give birth prematurely. After the female has given birth, transfer her to another tank, preferably away from the attentions of the male for several days rest and recuperation.

Black Mollies give birth to 20-60 fry, time between mating and birth, 40-70 days. Sailfin Mollies give birth to 20-80 fry, time between mating to birth, 20-80 days. Velifera Mollies give birth to 30-200 fry, time between mating and birth, 60-70 days.