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Fish

Mollies (Poecilia)

Poecilia sp. 'Bronze Sailfin Molly'

  The Bronze Sailfin Molly, is an aquarium strain of hybrid mollies. Parental species include Poecilia velifera and P. latipinna (click here for information about this species), Poecilia sphenops and possibly other molly species (click here for information about mollies). The lack of a species name here indicates that this fish is a hybrid of unknown origin within the genus Poecilia and not a natural species.  This strain has more P. velifera heritage than most of our sailfin mollies. The original male was bought from Clark's Fish Emporium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. There were  no females of the strain available, so it was mated with an Albino Sailfin Molly female and its daughters line-bred back to him to set the strain.  Interestingly enough, some fish in this strain develop intensely fluorescent yellow-orange tumors.

Description: Both sexes have gray-olive base color overlaid with a copper to fluorescent orange coloration. The dorsal fin is immense. The top photo is of a mature male. The middle photo is of a young male (about two and a half months old) who has yet to develop the massive dorsal fin of a mature male. This male will be fathering the next generation of our fish. The bottom photo is of a mature female.

Geographic Range: This fish has no natural range since it is a hybrid among species that range from the Carolinas to Central America.

Temperament: This fish is not aggressive (although males can be quarrelsome among themselves) and is active. It can be kept either in a large single species aquarium or in active community aquaria with rainbowfish, other livebearers or other fish with similar behavior and requirements.

Feeding: Feeding is simple with the fish taking prepared foods as well as live and frozen foods. Periodic feedings of Daphnia or other live foods are helpful in color maintenance, general health and breeding. This species also requires vegetable material in its diet that can be supplied by feeding a commercial food or by providing algae, lettuce, cucumbers or fine leaved aquatic plants (Lemna, duckweed, is a good food).

Spawning: This livebearer breeds like other members of its genus. At 30°C (85°F), broods are delivered about every 28 days. Broods can be as large as 200 fry for large females. Like other Poeciliidae, the females of this species can store sperm and have as many as 8 broods from a single mating. The fry are large and can eat commercial food, Daphnia, brine shrimp nauplii, etc. immediately. The male uses its immense dorsal fin during courtship.

Additional Information: For more information about this species, click on one of the following article names:
     The Livebearer Column - Mollies by Dwight Moody

Additional Photos: None at present.

Page last modified May 16, 2007.

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