When male mollies chase female mollies with anal fins bent in the opposite direction, it’s a sign that they’re going to copulate. These fish are native to the Americas, but their habitat can vary significantly. How to identify Male and Female Mollies? Comments: This is a Premium Pet Fish, and we never see Premium Mollys like these in any of the live fish stores or in the online fish stores that we visit. All the species in this genus are mollies except for the Endler’s livebearer. A siphon, using airline tubing, should be set up and a drip line should run from the main aquarium to the bucket. How to identify Male and Female Mollies? Mollies have a lower resistance to fungus and ich, they are also susceptible to a condition called shimmies which makes them shiver and shave. Drip method – the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. Indeed, a female molly would typically give birth to 70% females. Above, a very young male Black Molly. The Dalmatian Molly is a hybrid color variation of Poecilia latipinna, the Sailfin Molly. In captivity they can be fed with vegetable-based dried foods, blanched spinach or cucumber and every once in a while some brine shrimp or bloodworms. Above, three rare and unique Mollies. 10G is a little small for mollies.It would help if you knew how many of what sex you have The main pic in this link is male and the smaller inset pic is female.These guys say 30g is minimum! It surprises some aquarists to learn that Mollies can grow to be at least 5" long. There are currently 40 species in this genus, so 39 of them are mollies. Click on a picture below to shop and learn more about that type of Molly The water in which these fish are packaged is different from the water in the tank, since these fish are extremely sensitive to water conditions the acclimation process is very important. Then he died and I got a female... Let's just say -- she was put in her own tank. The Dalmation Lyretail Molly variety is black and white and has a long tailfin with long edges. Dalmatian Lyretail Mollies breeding. Sucking the end of the airline tube that goes to the bucket will begin a siphon, the flow should be regulated to 2 to 4 drips per second. Their body shape is almost different from the other mollies. Both are mostly black and the pics I have seen on the internet show that the females are mostly white with a few black spots. The bag contents should be poured into a 1 gallon bucket that has never been cleaned with any chemicals, the fish should be enterally submerged. The female has the ability to store spe… Whilst this will not cause the female any long term harm, it will tire the female as she is constantly pestered by the male's advances. Several loose knots should be tied in the airline tubing to regulate flow. My black Molly used to chase my Dalmatian Molly all the time. Several loose knots should be tied in the airline tubing to regulate flow. Not arguing, just making sure 4 months isn't the only time frame people give to sex their fish. A note on this: Male mollies will look like females until they are sexually mature which is about 4 months old. mollyowner March 19, 2011 at 4:35 pm. Every 30-40 days you'll have 50-100 live fry. My platies looked like females until 5 months one changed. The bag should then be cut under the knot and the top edge of the bag should be rolled down one inch, then ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag, this step should be repeated every 4 minutes until the bag is full, then half the water of the bag should be discarded and the bag should be put to float again and ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag every 4 minutes until the bag is full. They are livebearers and their gestation takes around 2 months. ... Got a long with my male betta and he did vise versa. This process should never be rushed. Afterwards, the fish can be moved to the aquarium. The current consensus on the main species is as follows: Peocilia velifera (also called P. mexicana) = Yucatan molly. introduced to the hobby in 1899 and different varieties started appearing in 1920s. This species is native from Carolina to Veracruz, this is, it is native from southern North America to Mexico. my black molly is a male and my dalmatian is female, who actually just gave birth last night. So my sons balloon molly died.I did a big water change and service yesterday. It is far better for the fish if you have a male to every 2 females and then the females will be less stressed. Plus, we'd never share your data or post anything on your behalf. Dalmatian mollies likely inherited their spotted colouration from a spotted form of the Sailfin molly, Poecilia latipinna, while the Black molly is … The water in which these fish are packaged is different from the water in the tank, since these fish are extremely sensitive to water conditions the acclimation process is very important. Share. Dalmatian Mollys Pictures: on top to the left is a 2" male Dalmatian Molly and below is a female. But I don't know if Mollies get territorial, so I would check that up!Okay I found some intresting things about aggressiveness in female mollys. Mollies are real easy to tell the difference. These fish are omnivorous, however, they are highly herbivorous only eating proteins every once in a while. Drip method – the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. Dalmatian molly-male or female. Dalmatian Molly Fish – This peaceful black and white fish can grow up to 5” (12.7 cm), which is the reason it needs a huge spacious tank for swimming with a school of Mollies. This easily happens with mollies, and hybrid mollies are probably very common in the trade particularly among the popular ‘fancy’ varieties. They start to actually begin to mate at 0:39. Once the water in the buckets doubles, half should be discarded and the process should be repeated until it doubles again. Aquarium lights should be off for at least the first 4 hours of the fish in the new tank and it should not be fed in the first 24h. These mollies have silver shiny scales, decorated with black spots, giving it it's name, "Dalmatian". I have 2 pairs of dalmatian mollies, 1 pair of black balloon molly kept with a school of Tiger Barbs, a school of rosy barbs, & 2 pairs of marigold swordtails in 15 gallon tank. i was looking around and now im not sure if i want dalmatian mollies or lyre tail sword tails and im getting a 20 gallon tank with 4 ghost cat fish and 4 kuhle loaches and the tank will be heavily planted. At the bottom a males fin is long n straight like a stick & a females is rounded like a fan. In the wild they feed mainly on algae and sometimes on rotifers and small crustaceans. Above: This picture shows a very nice mature premium quality Dalmatian Sailfin Molly . The Dalmatian Lyretail Molly is a hybrid color variation of Poecilia latipinna, the Sailfin Molly. You can ask the employees at the store for help, or you can do it yourself. Mollies are often colorful, energetic, hardy fish that are easy to feed with flake foods, and they do very well in aquariums without aggressive fish. I forgot the scientific name I had a betta in with my mollies before and ended up rehoming her.Mollies are aggressive eaters. Log in, Gender Indication Signs: Male vs Female Molly. Those possessing fanlike anal fins are females. Male mollies can become frustrated and simply chase each other out of spite. I inhabits small creeks, ponds, lakes, marshes and swamps. Most aquarium mollies are short finned because they are much easier to care for then Sailfin mollies. Male molly have a gonopodium, a long stick-like fin used to fertilize the female, on his lower half. This can also happen the other way around. To breed this species in captivity, the breeding tank, 50 gallons, should have 2 to 3 females per male, water temperature should be about 79ºF and it should have many floating plants. I'd be surprised if your aggressive molly was a female but if so, I'd take it back to the shop and try again with some new mollies. Most adult male mollies have longer and more elaborate tails, pectoral fins and dorsal fins than females do. #5. tropical_tiffini. However, the most accurate way to distinguish male mollies from female mollies is to examine the anal fin, located on the underside of the body, between the pectoral fins and the tail. Is it possible that the my guppies(all male:2) bred with my Dalmatian Molly. Your email address will not be published. Sailfin desire a much more wide open tank with more water volume and harder regulated water temperatures. In the wild Mollies shoal in their hundreds, and the ratio of males to females is one to two. Share. Males have a larger dorsal fin than females. 13 years ago. Molly fish, or just mollies, are freshwater fish from the genus Poecilia, in the Poeciliidae family. Its quite normal, many dalmation mollys when they are born, are born white or light grey even if their parents were very dark dalmation mollys- as the fry mature they get more and more spots until they eventually reach their final density of black/grey spots. Males feature a copulatory organ in the anal fin called the gonopodium that releases the sperm in the female body to fertilize the eggs. I have a petco in town and a petsmart 30 minutes away for resources . To keep these fish in captivity, water pH should be between 7.0 and 7.8 and water temperature should range from 70ºF and 82ºF. 8 years ago. Balloon molly is amongst one of the beautiful mollies. (5+ Signs to Know) The gestation period for this species is about three to four weeks, depending upon temperature, and a single female may give birth on multiple occasions throughout the year. (Top 9 Sex Signs), 66 Beautiful Types of Betta Fish By Tail Patterns & Colors, Penn Plex Cascade 1000 Canister Filter Review. But sometimes, it is an issue of territory that one male Molly fish is trying to protect. Female Sailfin Molly fish are larger than her male counterpart and just like their cousins, they do not lay eggs. Thanks for the ideas! Sailfin Molly Breeding. A siphon, using airline tubing, should be set up and a drip line should run from the main aquarium to the bucket. Pet shops often sell Mollies in pairs. There are 3 different species of mollies, which have been re-classified, ungrouped and re-grouped several times. How to Setup Quarantine Tank aka Hospital Tank? With 7 dalmation mollies, 2 scissor rasbora, 3 Pristella tetras, one monk tetra and a bristlenose in a 50 gallon what would be a good center piece fish my autistic son would appreciate? Afterwards, the Discus can be moved into the aquarium. The male molly uses its gonopodium (male fish reproductive organ) which has a tube that’s designed in a hook-like fashion to securely fertilize the female which increases its chance of successful breeding. You don't have to worry about another password to remember. Male mollies can be quite aggressive to one another when trying to establish a hierarchy. How to Treat Fish Tank using Methylene Blue? Mollies, like guppies, are capable of acclimating to full strength sea water temporarily, but it is not their natural environment by any means. Aquarium lights should be off for at least the first 4 hours of the fish in the new tank and it should not be fed in the first 24h. Sailfin mollies produce broods of 10-140 live young, depending on maturity and size, and females may store sperm long after the demise of their relatively short-lived mates. Some Dalmatian Mollys, like this male, have lots of black spots and some, like this female, have just a few. Successfully sent new password on your email. Female mollies carry the fertilized eggs for 35- 45 days. :)-- These credentials do not match our records. While they wouldn’t be aggressive towards your betta, he may still get stressed out from all the commotion. The Dalmatian Molly has a black and white body, and is sometimes referred to as the Marbled Molly or Marbled Sailfin Molly. Premium Pet Fish are more energetic, hardier, and have Is it possible that the my guppies(all male:2) bred with my Dalmatian Molly. The Dalmatian Molly has a black and white body, with a somewhat lyre-shaped caudal fin and is sometimes referred to as the Marbled Molly or Marbled Sailfin Molly. If you take a look at the anal fin (the one under the belly) then the female fish's fin is like a fan shape that she will fan out and flatten from time to time. (5+ Signs to Know), How to Breed Mollies & Caring Pregnant Molly [The Right Way], How to Tell Male vs Female Betta Fish Gender? Like many Black Mollies this male is not 100% black, so his pattern is more unique. I recently bought 2 beautiful dalmatian mollies a couple of weeks ago. Top Photo is my male. Above, a young mature male Marbled Sailfin Molly posing for a picture, when our DrTom snapped this picture. Tropical Fish for Freshwater & Brackish Aquariums: Dalmatian Molly Livebearers There are two acclimation methods: Floating Method and the Drip Method. Floating method -  the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. Also, try to put a good filter and heater in a 30-gallon aquarium for the comfort and wellbeing of the breed. These fish are small, only reaching 5 inches, and males have large dorsal fins, wild forms are gray with rows of dark spots. Mollies have the ability to adapt to a variety of salt levels in the aquarium. If you want to know about different types of mollies, please read my other article. Bottom Photo is my female. These fish are small, only reaching 5 inches, and males have large dorsal fins, wild forms are gray with rows of dark spots. Most of the variations you see today are man-made. The genus Mollienesia , from which the name mollie was derived, has been re-classified as Poecilia and is considered to be in the same genus as the guppy. They should be kept in groups of 3 females and one male. Adding a teaspoon of aquarium salt to the water helps to prevent these health problems. The image shown above to the right is known as a short finned dalmatian molly. Poecilia sphenops is a species of fish, of the genus Poecilia, known under the common name molly; to distinguish it from its congeners, it is sometimes called short-finned molly or common molly.They inhabit fresh water streams and coastal brackish and marine waters of Mexico.The wild-type fishes are dull, silvery in color. I have two mollys also. They follow each other around and then begin to mate. Balloon Molly: Care, Feed, Breeding, Tank Setup, and More. Sign up with social is super quick. Afterwards, the fish can be moved to the aquarium. Afterwards, the Discus can be moved into the aquarium. Floating method -  the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. Mollies have the ability to adapt to a variety of salt levels in the aquarium. All mollies are quite simple to sex. Very spectacular in color and shape. If you only have males they’re all going to be fighting for the alpha spot, because there’s nothing else for them to do. So, depending on whether it is mating season or not, the in-fighting between male Molly fish could be territorial or it can be attention-seeking behavior for the sake of the females. A female Sailfin Molly fish will give birth to … The bag contents should be poured into a 1 gallon bucket that has never been cleaned with any chemicals, the fish should be enterally submerged. Share #10. grace. As they have rounded “BALLOOeN” like belly (Name is given to them because of their “Obese” Belly). The tank should have a gravel substrate, plants and open areas for swimming. A 20 gallon tank is enough for a single Sailfin Molly, for a group a larger tank is needed. Introduced populations can also be found in many other countries like Columbia, Israel, Japan and many others. Female molly have a softer, fan-shaped anal fin, which is also on the lower half of the body. I can't seem to tell if one is a female or not. Mollies are livebearing fish , which means the females release live babies about once a month. They have an arched back along with rounded, large belly, with a lyre-shaped caudal fin that makes them quite unique in shape. Some recommend getting the subspecies of mollies for quicker breeding. They are very popular in the hobby, as such, many color and fin varieties have been developed. There are two acclimation methods: Floating Method and the Drip Method. They can be kept in community aquariums with other peaceful fish, however, different molly species shouldn’t be kept together to prevent hybridization. Once the water in the buckets doubles, half should be discarded and the process should be repeated until it doubles again. Sucking the end of the airline tube that goes to the bucket will begin a siphon, the flow should be regulated to 2 to 4 drips per second. fishmom. This process should never be rushed. The bag should then be cut under the knot and the top edge of the bag should be rolled down one inch, then ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag, this step should be repeated every 4 minutes until the bag is full, then half the water of the bag should be discarded and the bag should be put to float again and ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag every 4 minutes until the bag is full. Mollies were first introduced to the hobby in 1899 and different varieties started appearing in 1920s. Click to see full answer Above, a young mature male Dalmatian Molly. Dalmation Lyretail Molly is amongst one of the variations you see today are man-made levels in airline., fan-shaped anal fin, which means the females release live babies once. 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