Molly fish are small, colorful freshwater aquarium fish. They’re a popular choice for beginners, and pet stores often sell them as feeder fish. Guppies are freshwater aquarium fish native to Trinidad and Tobago, where people breed them in tanks for over 100 years. They’re popular pet store fish because they can be present everywhere, are easy to care for, and are affordable. So, they are thinking of breeding them with other fishes like breeding Molly fish and Guppies. Can you breed Molly Fish and Guppies?
No, you cannot breed Molly fish and Guppies. Even though it may seem like they are related, there is no way for them to reproduce successfully because they have different reproductive organs. Furthermore, both fish come from totally different families in the animal kingdom: Molly fish belong to Poeciliidae while guppies belong to Poeciliidae Cyprinodontiformes.
Many people enjoy having aquariums at home, and breeding is important for ensuring the fish population stays healthy. And through this post, I will try to help you with the correct way to breed Molly fish.
Breeding Two Different Species Of Fish: Is It Possible?
Breeding two different species means that they are different in their genetics and the way that they reproduce. When you breed fishes of the same species, it isn’t breeding. It’s just pairing them together to produce fry for a hobbyist. Breeding two different types of fish require some work on your behalf so you can crossbreed or hybridize specific traits from each type into your new breed.
It is possible to breed two different types of fish together. But it’s not a sure and successful process. So, there are some things that you need to understand before starting the process.
Pros Of Breeding Molly Fish And Guppies
Breeding different types of fish can create new, exciting breeds and hybrids. Breeding two types together open up a whole world of possibilities about what you could produce and creates the perfect fish for your tank’s ecosystem. Hybridized breeds often grow faster, live longer, and have more color than breeds of just one type.
Cons Of Breeding Molly Fish And Guppies
Breeding two species comes with risks that you must consider before proceeding. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Breeding two types together is not as predictable as breeding within a single type, which can also lead to unexpected results like deformities and other negative outcomes.
General Profile Of Molly And Guppies
Molly fish and Guppies are the most popular species of freshwater aquarium fish in North America. However, before digging into the topic of interbreeding these types of fishes, first, let’s know a little about both of them.
Profile Of Molly Fish
Molly Fish or the Molly fish is a freshwater aquarium fish belonging to both the Barb family and Poeciliidae. These types are commonly present in North America as well as Central and South America. They have a reputation for being easy-to-keep, brightly colored, hardy fish species, making them an attractive addition to an aquarium.
Breeding Molly fish is sometimes difficult because male and female Mollies don’t always live together in the same area of a tank. Breeding them may be easier if you have at least one male for every three females.
Profile Of Guppies
Guppy fish are small and colorful freshwater tropical fish, making them a popular choice in the pet trade and home aquariums. They also belong to the Poeciliidae family-like Molly Fish, but they have their own genus called Poecilia. They are schooling fish that moves in large numbers and thrive when housed with other Guppy fish.
Breeding Guppies can also be difficult because they are more sensitive to temperature than other types of aquarium fish, so it will take some effort to keep their water temperature down enough when breeding these two different species.
Molly Fish Breeding
Molly fish are easy to breed in captivity as long as you give them the right conditions and make sure they have a partner that is also healthy, fertile, and compatible with others.
Breeding will take place if both partners are ready at about six months of age or older. When trying to figure out if the Molly fish are close to breeding, you will notice that they start to act differently from their usual behavior. They swim with a much more intense interest in each other which is the first sign of Breeding.
When Breeding actually begins, it may take up to two hours for the female Molly Fish to release her eggs and fertilized them. Finally, the breeding process will be complete then.
Breeding Molly Fish and Guppies. Can You Breed Them?
Molly Fish can breed successfully with one another, but Breeding between Molly Fish And Guppies is not successful because they belong to different genera, making them incompatible for breeding.
Breeding between Molly fish and guppies also does not produce fertile fry or young as the fishes belonging to these two species are of a different genus, making them incompatible for breeding.
Moreover, breeding Molly fish with guppies can produce fertile fry or young, which are half-breeds and will have genes from both parent species but not in equal proportion leading to deformities. Similarly, breeding Guppy males with a female Molly Fish may produce a fertile fry or young, but Breeding Molly Fish with Guppy males will not produce any offspring as the male guppies have no sperm.
Successful Breeding Guppies And Molly Fish
Breeding Molly Fish and Guppies is possible, but it can be difficult as the male guppy must carry both fish’s eggs for them to hatch. Fortunately, there are steps that you can follow to increase your chances of breeding these two types of aquarium fish to obtain healthy fry.
Breed a Molly Fish (the more colorful, less active variety) to a Guppy (the more common type). You can breed them in any tank that is at least 20 gallons and has a lid.
- Place the female into the new aquarium with her male partner
- Leave them for about two hours, so they get familiar with each other before mating occurs. Then, you should remove your hand carefully to avoid the attack from fish (bite and scratch).
- Breeding is most likely to happen if the water temperature in the aquarium is between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. If it’s too cold, they won’t breed; if it’s too hot, they will mate but may produce fewer offspring.
- Observe for circling one another or “nipping” at each other, typically a sign of mating. If you succeed in keeping them in the right environment, breeding occurs undoubtedly.
- Put live plants or artificial decorations on their sides to provide hiding places for fry and shelter from any aggressive fish present, such as cichlids or tetras.
What Are Similarities Between Molly Fish And Guppies?
Although Molly fish and Guppies are two different fish types, there are several similarities between them. And some of the similarities between these two breeds are:
- Molly fish and guppies are both freshwater fish that live in a tank.
- Both breeds are easy to breed.
- Molly fish and Guppies have a long life span of about six or seven years.
- Molly fish and Guppies both reproduce in the same way.
- They both have bright colors, smaller sizes, and are aquarium fishes that belong to different genera.
- You can breed them both in captivity.
- They are both tropical fish and need to live near water at all times. It is because their water condition requirement varies from one another. Both of these types are popular aquarium species that most people keep.
Differences Between Molly Fish And Guppies
Molly fish and guppies can be great tankmates for one another. They are both easily recognizable breeds of fish by their bright colors and large fins. The differences between these two fishes are:
- Molly fish have smaller fins than guppies.
- Guppies are usually present in a wider variety of colors, whereas Molly Fish comes in just one color: red.
- Guppies can grow to about three inches long as adults, while molly fish only get up to two inches at the most.
- The Breeding period for Molly Fish is around five months, while the Breeding period for Guppies is almost year-long.
- Guppies live in more temperate regions than Molly Fish.
- Guppies are semi-aggressive, while Molly fish are often passive and will not bother other fishes for food or territory.
- Molly Fish being about six inches long, while guppies grow to be about two or three inches tall.
- They both have different diet requirements that you must keep in mind while keeping them together. For example, Molly fish are omnivorous, while Guppies are more herbivores.
Some FAQs
Can You Keep Mollies And Guppies Together?
Yes, you can. Mollies and Guppies make great tankmates together. But, it would help if you were careful that there is enough space in the tank with plants and filters. Besides this, maintaining temperature, regular water cycle, and cleaning or waste management are also equally vital when keeping these breeds together.
How Many Fry Will Molly Produce In A Breeding Tank?
It depends on how many eggs the male Molly fish was able to fertilize. Female guppies will produce about 100-200 fry every month during the breeding season, but it can depend on several factors such as water quality, temperature, and food. A female molly produces 300-500 fry per year with a male Molly fish.
Will Molly And Guppies Eat Their Fry?
Female guppies will not eat their fry. However, female Molly fish may prey on her own eggs and fry if they are in the same aquarium tank.
What Breeding Methods Can You Use For Molly Fish And Guppies?
You can use both for breeding methods: live-bearer or egg layer (they produce different types of offspring). Breeding methods for both include artificial insemination, handling and removing fry from the tank (to avoid predation), breeding tanks, spawning techniques with or without plants.
Conclusion
In conclusion, breeding these species is not uncommon among pet owners who have the time and patience for that type of work. Breeding molly fish with guppy has a high success rate because they are both livebearers, giving birth to viable offspring without any external intervention.
But breeding these two breeds is not good because they are both susceptible to water conditions. And this can produce offspring that are too sensitive for the home aquarium.
I hope this post gave you the answer for Breeding Molly Fish and Guppies. If you are thinking of breeding these two types, I highly recommend talking to a professional first.