Goliad Farms, LP - Poecilia 'Green Lyretail Sailfin Molly'

Goliad Farms, INC.

8497 FM 622
Goliad, Texas 77963

Voice 361.645.2252
Fax 361.645.2258
Email goliadfish@goliadfarms.com

Contents

Fish

Mollies (Poecilia)

Poecilia sp. 'Green Sailfin Lyretail Molly'

The Green Sailfin Lyretail 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 strain by crossing commercial mollies of the Red Leopard Lyretail Molly strain that we purchased from an overseas source with our native P. latipinna, Coleto Creek and P. latipinna, Rio San Antonio mollies to improve hardiness and dorsal fin characteristics. The lyretail mutation arose in a "sphenops" type molly, a variety that has small males who lack a sailfin. We selected for the wild color pattern, sailfin dorsal fins, large male size and improved lyretails. This strain is essentially true breeding, only occasionally throwing a few non-lyretail offspring.

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

Description: Male green sailfin mollies have gray-lavender bodies with many parallel dotted horizontal lines. Often, the head and front of the body are orange. The caudal (tail) is orange and sky blue with a black anterior margin. The dorsal is immense and has rows of black bars and an orange margin stripe. Females have gray-green bodies with many parallel dotted horizontal lines. Some females show broken lines of orange on their flanks. Both sexes sport a lyretail. The top photo is of a young male (about five months old) and is one of our current breeders. The bottom photo is of a similarly aged female and is also one of our present breeders.

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). This fish is not quite as dold hardy as our P. latipinna wild fish due to some "sphenops" heritage.

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.