Goliad Farms, LP - Poecilia 'Gold Freckle Sailfin Molly'

Goliad Farms, LP

8497 FM 622
Goliad, Texas 77963

Voice 361.645.2252
Fax 361.645.2258
Email goliadfish@goliadfarms.com

Contents

Fish

Mollies (Poecilia)

Poecilia sp. 'Gold Freckle Sailfin Molly'

The Gold Freckle Sailfin Molly is an aquarium strain of hybrid mollies. Parental species include Poecilia latipinna (click here for information about this species), P. velifera and possibly other molly species (click here for information about mollies). This fish is a hybrid of unknown origin within the genus Poecilia and not a natural species. We developed this fish from some color mutations that occurred in our Pigeon Blood Sailfin Molly strain, which we no longer raise but whose genes also survive in our Pigeon Blood Sailfin Lyretail Molly strain. The Gold Freckle Sailfin Molly is closely related to our Peaches and Cream Sailfin Molly, which is also descended from the Pigeon Blood Sailfin Molly. We started with a male gold sailfin molly that we purchased from Clark's Pet Emporium in Albuquerque, New Mexico. We crossed him to our wild P. latipinna, Coleto Creek and P. latipinna, Rio San Antonio females to improve hardiness and dorsal fin characteristics. From those crosses we developed the Pigeon Blood Sailfin Molly mentioned above. Some of the fish from that strain produced a few Gold Freckle Sailfin Mollies, which we inbred to produce our true breeding strain of today.

Size: Males reach 12.5cm (5 in.). Females grow somewhat larger and much heavier.

Description: Both sexes have light gold bodies and fins with occasional black spots and many small blue and darker gold freckles. The freckles usually extend into the fins. We are trying to breed out the black entirely. Males also often have orange heads and fronts of the body. The male's caudal (tail) sometimes has sky blue highlights. The male's dorsal fin is immense. The top photo is of a young (about four months old) male. The bottom photo is of a similarly aged female. The female is one of our current breeders and shows none of the black spotting that we are breeding against.

Environment: This fish tolerates pHs from 6.5 to 8.0 while preferring the higher end (basic) of this range. Water hardness is not critical, but it prefers hard water. Optimum temperature ranges from 20-30°C (68-85°F).

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.