Goliad Farms, LP - Poecilia latipinna

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 latipinna, Rio San Antonio 98/8

Poecilia latipinna, Rio San Antonio 98/8 is population of mollies originating from the San Antonio River in San Antonio, Texas. The Rio San Antonio designation represents the collection site. The "98/8" term indicates the date the original breeders were collected. We use this fish to cross into our commercial molly strains to improve dorsal fins, color and cold hardiness.

Size: Males reach 12.5cm (5 in.). Females grow somewhat larger and much heavier. These fish live to be about three years old.

Description: Male P. latipinna mollies of this population have gray bodies with turquoise highlights along the back and many parallel dotted horizontal lines along the sides. Often, the head and front of the body are orange. The caudal (tail) is orange in the middle and sky blue top and bottom with a black margin. The dorsal is immense and has rows of black bars and an orange margin. In this population, males have an extended first ray of the dorsal. Females have gray-green bodies with many parallel dotted horizontal lines. The top photo is of a four month old male whose dorsal fin has yet to reach its full size. His dorsal will be at least 30% taller at full maturity in about two months. This male is beginning to show some of the orange on his head and behind the gills of a mature male. The bottom photo is of a female who is also about four months old. Females don't have the large dorsal fin that is sported by the males and lack most of the brighter colors of the male. This female, as is typical of this population, has rows of orange spots on her white belly. She also has the typical rows of black spotting on her dorsal fin and fainter rows of black spots along her sides.

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 cold hardy in outside ponds throughout the south and southwestern United States and equivalent climates.

Geographic Range: This species range from the Carolinas to South Texas in North America. It lives in brackish to fresh water in estuaries and coastal streams. This particular population is native to the San Antonio River from its origin at a spring on the grounds of Breckenridge Park in North San Antonio to the San Antonio Riverwalk. Some individuals can be caught downstream.

Temperament: This fish is not aggressive (although males can be quarrelsome among themselves) and is very active, occupying the top third of the aquarium column. 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. We have often successfully kept this fish with African cichlids.

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.