Care and Compatibility of Molly fish - Poecilia sphenops


Introduction

Poecilia sphenops, commonly known as Molly, is a freshwater tropical fish native to Central and South America. These fish are valued for their vibrant colors and peaceful behavior, making them a popular addition to community aquariums. Mollies are known for their resilience and ease of care, making them suitable for both beginners and experienced fishkeepers.

Behavior

Mollies are sociable and peaceful fish that generally get along well with other fish species of similar size. They are active swimmers and enjoy exploring their environment, so it is recommended to provide them with a spacious aquarium with plants and hiding spots for them to feel comfortable. Mollies are known for their curiosity and enjoy interacting with their surroundings and other fish.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism in Poecilia sphenops is evident. Males are typically smaller and slimmer than females. Additionally, males have a gonopodium, a modified organ for sperm transfer, while females have a more rounded anal fin and may be larger in size.

Reproduction

Breeding Mollies is relatively straightforward in the aquarium setting. They are livebearers, meaning they give birth to live fry instead of laying eggs. Mollies are prolific breeders and can reproduce rapidly under suitable conditions. If you wish to breed Mollies, it is important to provide ample hiding places for the fry and separate the parents once the fry are born to prevent them from being eaten.

Aquarium Conditions

Poecilia sphenops, commonly known as molly, is a hardy and versatile fish that thrives in a variety of aquarium conditions. They prefer well-planted aquariums with open areas for swimming. They are tolerant of water quality, but benefit from regular maintenance and partial water changes.

Feeding

Mollies are omnivorous and accept a wide variety of foods. In their natural habitat, they feed on algae, small invertebrates, and organic matter. In the aquarium, you can feed them commercial flake or pellet foods, as well as live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and mosquito larvae. It is important to provide them with a balanced diet to maintain their health and vitality.

Complexity

Caring for Poecilia sphenops is relatively easy. They are robust fish that can adapt to various water conditions and feed on a variety of foods, including live, frozen, and dry foods. However, they can be prone to diseases if not kept in a clean and stable environment.


In case you need more help, or if you want to know into any topic related to the Poecilia sphenops (Molly fish) and even any other species you can use the forums to ask what you need.

To do an analysis more detailed about coexistence and behavior of Poecilia sphenops (Molly fish) use the Aquarium simulation tool, if you do this you can test different ways to combine the Molly fish with other fishes giving the dimensions and space on you aquarium, on this way you can known the optimal configuration for keep the fishes that you want.

You can also find out the 94 species compatible with the Poecilia sphenops (Molly fish) can live together.

Note: The parameters of the water such as PH and temperature are also used to calculate the compatibility of the species.


Compatible species (94)

Compatible (73 Species)

Compatible without any restriction


Freshwater angelfish - Pterophyllum scalare

Freshwater angelfish

Pterophyllum scalare

Male siamese fighting fish - betta splendens male

Male siamese fighting fish

betta splendens male

Golden Royal Pleco - Sturisoma aureum

Golden Royal Pleco

Sturisoma aureum

Veil tail Goldfish - Carassius auratus I

Veil tail Goldfish

Carassius auratus I

Guppy fish - Poecilia reticulata

Guppy fish

Poecilia reticulata

Striped Raphael Catfish - Platydoras costatus

Striped Raphael Catfish

Platydoras costatus

Swordtail fish - Xiphophorus hellerii

Swordtail fish

Xiphophorus hellerii

Neon tetra fish - Paracheirodon innesi

Neon tetra fish

Paracheirodon innesi

Female Siamese Fighting Fish - Betta Splendens Female

Female Siamese Fighting Fish

Betta Splendens Female

Clown Loach - Chromobotia macracanthus

Clown Loach

Chromobotia macracanthus

Bleeding Heart Tetra - Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

Bleeding Heart Tetra

Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma

Molly fish - Poecilia sphenops

Molly fish

Poecilia sphenops

Tiger Barb - Puntius tetrazona

Tiger Barb

Puntius tetrazona

Pearl gourami - Trichogaster leerii

Pearl gourami

Trichogaster leerii

Coolie loach - Pangio kuhlii

Coolie loach

Pangio kuhlii

Telescope goldfish - Carassius auratus II

Telescope goldfish

Carassius auratus II

Comet Goldfish - Carassius auratus III

Comet Goldfish

Carassius auratus III

Dwarf Gourami - Colisa lalia

Dwarf Gourami

Colisa lalia

Zebrafish - Danio rerio

Zebrafish

Danio rerio

Galaxy Plecostomus - Leporacanthicus sp L240

Galaxy Plecostomus

Leporacanthicus sp L240

Black Skirt Tetra - Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Black Skirt Tetra

Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

Siamese Algae Eater - Crossocheilus Siamensis

Siamese Algae Eater

Crossocheilus Siamensis

Butterfly Loach - Beaufortia leveretti

Butterfly Loach

Beaufortia leveretti

Leopard Cactus Pleco - Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Leopard Cactus Pleco

Hypancistrus Furunculus L199

Platy Fish - Xiphophorus maculatus

Platy Fish

Xiphophorus maculatus

Galaxy Rasbora - Danio margaritatus

Galaxy Rasbora

Danio margaritatus

Yoyo Loach - Botia almorhae

Yoyo Loach

Botia almorhae

Glassy Perchlet - Parambassis ranga

Glassy Perchlet

Parambassis ranga

Glowlight Tetra - Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Glowlight Tetra

Hemigrammus Erythrozonus

Chinese Neon Tetra - Tanichthys albonubes

Chinese Neon Tetra

Tanichthys albonubes

Red-eyed Tetra - Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae

Red-eyed Tetra

Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae

Black Neon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Black Neon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi

Otocinclus Catfish - Otocinclus Affinis

Otocinclus Catfish

Otocinclus Affinis

Kribensis Cichlid - Pelvicachromis pulcher

Kribensis Cichlid

Pelvicachromis pulcher

Silver Dollar Fish - Metynnis argenteus

Silver Dollar Fish

Metynnis argenteus

Harlequin Rasbora - Trigonostigma Heteromorpha

Harlequin Rasbora

Trigonostigma Heteromorpha

Serpae Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Eques

Serpae Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Eques

Apple Snail - Pomacea bridgesii

Apple Snail

Pomacea bridgesii

Emperor Tetra - Nematobrycon Palmeri

Emperor Tetra

Nematobrycon Palmeri

Three lined Pencilfish - Nannostomus Trifasciatus

Three lined Pencilfish

Nannostomus Trifasciatus

Glass Catfish - Kryptopterus bicirrhis

Glass Catfish

Kryptopterus bicirrhis

Cherry Barb - Barbus titteya

Cherry Barb

Barbus titteya

Filamented Rainbowfish - Iriatherina Werneri

Filamented Rainbowfish

Iriatherina Werneri

Endler Guppy Fish - Poecilia Wingei

Endler Guppy Fish

Poecilia Wingei

Black Phantom Tetra - Hyphessobrycon Megalopterus

Black Phantom Tetra

Hyphessobrycon Megalopterus

Upside-Down Catfish - Synodontis nigriventris

Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis nigriventris

Forktail Blue-Eye - Pseudomugil furcatus

Forktail Blue-Eye

Pseudomugil furcatus

Blue-Eyed Pseudomugil - Pseudomugil paskai

Blue-Eyed Pseudomugil

Pseudomugil paskai

Nerite Snail - Neritina sp

Nerite Snail

Neritina sp

Clown Pleco - Panaqolus maccus

Clown Pleco

Panaqolus maccus

Pictus Catfish - Pimelodus pictus

Pictus Catfish

Pimelodus pictus

Royal Pleco - Panaque nigrolineatus

Royal Pleco

Panaque nigrolineatus

Congo Tetra - Phenacogrammus interruptus

Congo Tetra

Phenacogrammus interruptus

Lacustris Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia lacustris

Lacustris Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia lacustris

Dwarf Tetra - Hasemania nana

Dwarf Tetra

Hasemania nana

Preacox Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia preacox

Preacox Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia preacox

Semifasciolatus Barb - Puntius semifasciolatus

Semifasciolatus Barb

Puntius semifasciolatus

Moenkhausia Pittieri - Moenkhausia pittieri

Moenkhausia Pittieri

Moenkhausia pittieri

Stiphodon Ornatus - Stiphodon ornatus

Stiphodon Ornatus

Stiphodon ornatus

Anentome Helena - Anentome helena

Anentome Helena

Anentome helena

IndoPlanorbis Exustus - Planorbis planorbis

IndoPlanorbis Exustus

Planorbis planorbis

Horned Snail - Tyloperlamania sp

Horned Snail

Tyloperlamania sp

Red Cherry - Neocaridina davidi

Red Cherry

Neocaridina davidi

Amano Shrimp - Caridina multidentata

Amano Shrimp

Caridina multidentata

Blue Bee Shrimp - Paracaridina sp

Blue Bee Shrimp

Paracaridina sp

Bamboo Shrimp - Atyopsis moluccensis

Bamboo Shrimp

Atyopsis moluccensis

Florida Dwarf Crayfish - Cambarellus diminutus

Florida Dwarf Crayfish

Cambarellus diminutus

Red-Backed Tetra - Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Red-Backed Tetra

Hyphessobrycon bentosi

Spotted Dora Catfish - Agamyxus pectinifrons

Spotted Dora Catfish

Agamyxus pectinifrons

Lemon Tetra - Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Lemon Tetra

Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis

Similar Sizes (10 Species)

Pueden convivir si son de tamaños similares, pero evidentemente el pez koi ira creciendo y llegara el momento en que podría caber por la boca del pez koi y comérselo.


Common carp - Cyprinus carpio

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

They can coexist if they are the same size or very similar sizes, it does not work in all cases, there may be exceptions.


Kissing Gourami - Helostoma temminckii

Kissing Gourami

Helostoma temminckii

Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid - Nannacara anomala

Goldeneye Dwarf Cichlid

Nannacara anomala

Boeseman's Rainbowfish - Melanotaenia Boesemani

Boeseman's Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia Boesemani

Denison Barb - Puntius denisonii

Denison Barb

Puntius denisonii

Flag Cichlid - Mesonauta festivus

Flag Cichlid

Mesonauta festivus

Empire Gudgeon - Hypseleotris compressa

Empire Gudgeon

Hypseleotris compressa

Stick Catfish - Farlowella acus

Stick Catfish

Farlowella acus

Red Rainbowfish - Glossolepis incisus

Red Rainbowfish

Glossolepis incisus

Altum Angelfish - Pterophyllum altum

Altum Angelfish

Pterophyllum altum

With Reservation (6 Species)

It can eat small fish that will fit in its mouth at night if they are sleeping on the bottom.


Dwarf marbled catfish - Microglanis poecilus

Dwarf marbled catfish

Microglanis poecilus

Si el Molly es más grande que el globo y se conocen desde pequeños podrían convivir, alguna que otra vez el pez globo le intentará morder una aleta pero sin ningún problema mayor.


Tetraodon Nigroviridis - Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Tetraodon Nigroviridis

Compatible in some cases, it depends on the nature and personality of the fish.


Upside-Down Catfish - Synodontis eupterus

Upside-Down Catfish

Synodontis eupterus

Paradise Fish - Macropodus Opercularis

Paradise Fish

Macropodus Opercularis

Dragon Violet Goby - Gobioides broussonnetii

Dragon Violet Goby

Gobioides broussonnetii

Considerable size difference (1 Species)

They can coexist while they are similar in size or the size difference is not very abysmal, since as the fish grows it increases the chances of eating its partner that did not grow much.


Suckermouth catfish - Hypostomus plecostomus

Suckermouth catfish

Hypostomus plecostomus

Food competition (2 Species)

They can live together but you have to be careful since it is likely that the fastest fish will take all the food and leave nothing for their partners who are slow swimmers, so you have to make sure that everyone can eat.


Celestial eye goldfish - Carassius auratus V

Celestial eye goldfish

Carassius auratus V

Wasp Goby - Brachygobius Xanthozona

Wasp Goby

Brachygobius Xanthozona

Compatible if space is enough (2 Species)

They can coexist together if the aquarium they share is large and spacious enough for both species to feel good, as some fish may attack others to feel that they have little space and try to eliminate the competition.


Cockatoo Cichlid - Apistogramma Cacatuoides

Cockatoo Cichlid

Apistogramma Cacatuoides

Multis Fish - Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Multis Fish

Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Molly fish

Poecilia sphenops

Molly fish - Poecilia sphenops
  • Ph: 7 - 7.5
  • Temperature (c°): 22 - 28
  • Measures: 8 cm - 10cm
  • Aquarium Capacity:
    15 Liters - 4 Gallons
  • Behavior: Peaceful
  • Size: Small
  • Swimming area: Swim in the middle of the aquarium
  • Water Type: Sweet water