Molly fish are small, colorful freshwater fish living in captivity for hundreds of years. These fish come from South America and can be present worldwide. Mollies typically live between three to five years, but they can reach up to eight if given proper care. Molly fish are popular among aquarists because of their size and color, but do you know the family Molly fish belong to?
Molly fish are a group of fish that belong to the family Poeciliidae. These fish are livebearers, giving birth instead of laying eggs. They typically have around 40-100 babies at one time, and the size can vary depending on the species.
Trust me; you are in for surprises when it comes to the Poeciliidae family; they are like this mafia family holding up all the gangsters of the aquarium world. Mollies alone have
In this article, we will discuss the family of Molly fish and some tips to keep these fish in your home.
Which Family Do Molly Fish Belong To?
Molly fish belong to the Poeciliidae family, and the scientific name of the most shared Molly is Poecilia sphenops.
They are around four inches long and live for about three to five years in captivity. There are about 40 different species of Mollies in the Poecilia family alone.
Molly fish are present worldwide from Southern America to Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, and many parts of Asia. Most Molly fish are similar to most tropical fish and live in freshwater. However, they have specific needs for living in an aquarium that you must fulfill to thrive correctly.
The Poecilia family includes the fish that are livebearing and has tooth-craps. Thus, Molly fish also breed by giving birth to their young ones instead of laying eggs. Most fish that belongs to this family are non-aggressive and prefer slow-moving freshwater.
Other Fish That Belong In The Same Family As Molly Fish
I know we urge to understand more about a family tree and find out who else belongs together. However, the curiosity of categorizing similar types of fish under the word siblings is out of the world.
And when it comes to a live-bearing family,, Poeciliidae, I don’t think anyone will get shocked or surprised to find out who else belongs with molly.
Let me list to you the most common aquarium fish that are from the Poeciliidae family:
- Guppy
- Swordtails
- Platy, etc.
There are even instances where people have performed the experiment to crossbreed mollies and guppies.
All these fish I have listed above are one of the best tank mates for molly fish. You can happily keep mollies and guppies together go with platies and mollies and swordtails and mollies.
What Are The Types Of Molly Fish?
Molly fish are a type of small, live-bearing freshwater aquarium fish. They can grow up to two inches long and reproduce faster because they give birth instead of laying eggs.
Females may be pregnant for several months due to the extended gestation period in molly fish, nearly twice as long as other types of common aquarium fish.
Molly fish is not a single fish but a group of different fish that falls in the family Poecilia. There are around 40 other species of Mollies in this family, and all of them fall under these two categories:
Short-finned Molly
Short-finned Molly fish is a livebearer and gives birth to its young rather than laying eggs. These fish were the first Molly Fish species in the aquarium trade, though it is tricky to breed this Molly due to its shy nature.
They are usually present in Central America, Mexico, North America, and different parts of Asia. Examples are Poecilia dominicensis, P. Mexicana, P. vandepoli, etc.
Sail-fin Molly
The Sailfin Molly is one type of Molly fish that gets its name from the dorsal fin, which resembles the shape of a sail on a boat.
The Molly has a life span of about three to five years and can grow up around four to eight inches long, depending on the species.
Usually, they are present in freshwater and brackish water. Sailfin Mollies are popular in Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, etc.
Some of the examples of sailfin Molly are Poecilia sarrafae, P. orri, Peten Molly, Yucatan Molly (8 inches), P. latipinna, etc.
Where Do Molly Fish Originate From?
Molly fish originated from Central America, like Mexico and Southern USA. These fish are members of the Poeciliidae family, consisting of many species (including swordtails).
Although most mollies are freshwater species, you can find these fish in different types of water, such as salty water, saltwater, creeks, lagoons, rivers, and streams. Usually, Mollies live under rocks at river bottoms or hide among roots of plants submerged in water.
They can adapt to various habitats and are famous for adjusting in salt and fresh water aquariums. Thanks to the brackish origin, molly fish can live in saltwater, but these mollies don’t need salt for survival.
These fish are peaceful and active in living with other fish. But they do not swim around in schools as mollies are not schooling fish.
Molly fish prefers a little water current even though it comes from where oceans and rivers meet, hence slow-moving waters.
What Is The Natural Habitat Of Molly Fish?
Molly fish are freshwater fish that can be present all over the world. These fish live in different bodies of water, but their natural habitat is not saltwater.
Therefore, even though Molly Fish will adapt to survive and reproduce where you place them, you should always provide them with surrounding similar to their natural habitat.
Molly Fish are often present in rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes where the temperature is between 72-78 degrees Fahrenheit.
They usually like to live around plants and areas of high algae growth because they find food quickly. Since Mollies are omnivorous, they eat green plant matter and insects or larvae present in these areas.
How To Keep Molly Fish In Aquarium?
Molly fish are very easy to maintain in aquariums. If you want Molly fish for your aquarium, here is how to keep Molly Fish.
Tank Size
Molly fish are peaceful and active. They need at least a tank size of 10 gallons or more and prefer slow-moving waters to live in.
The minimum tank size is 10 gallons, while the ideal tank size for molly fish is 20-gallons or more. You need to keep six mollies at least together, so it is better to choose the ideal tank.
Water Condition
Maintain Molly fish tank temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. They cannot tolerate high temperatures, which causes stress and may lead to their death.
These fish prefer calmer waters, and you need to maintain the tank’s temperature at least 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Molly Fish are quite hardy and can tolerate both high and low temperatures. Still, you have to maintain the molly tank with proper water parameters and appropriate levels of ammonia, nitrogen, nitrite, and nitrates for their health.
These fish can adapt to wide ranges of pH levels, but it is always better to maintain the water pH between 7.5 and 8.5.
Food
Molly Fish are omnivorous, and they feed on both plant and animal matter. So there should be an appropriate supply of food in your aquarium for these fish, including algae, bloodworms, etc. Molly fish often eats the algae present in their aquarium.
Some veggies good for Molly fish are lettuce, spinach, and zucchini. They will provide Molly Fish with all the essential nutrients. Molly fish also enjoy eating snails, shrimp, and small live foods like brine shrimp. These foods are a good source of protein for Molly fish.
Use Filters And Lights In The Tank
Molly Fish are light-sensitive, so use enough lights in your Molly fish tank. In addition, these mollies need filter systems to keep the water clean and maintain appropriate oxygen levels in their environment. They are delicate, so use smaller filters in Molly Fish tanks.
You can use lights like dim lights or dim red lights in Molly Fish tanks to bring out the natural colors of Molly fish.
You can also use indirect sunlight coming into your Molly fish tank through windows for Molly Fish. Still, you have to avoid direct sunlight on the water since it affects oxygen levels in the molly aquarium and may cause harm to Molly fish.
Water Change
Molly Fish is better to perform water changes every week if you want them to stay healthy even when your fish can stay in various water conditions.
It is not picky about the type of substrate you use in your moly fish aquarium, but it is better to choose gravel since Molly fish like to sift through pebbles with their mouth and eat algae that come off quickly. Therefore, you should at least change 50% of Molly Fish water every week.
Place Live Plants
Molly fish like live plants, making aquariums look pleasing to the eye. However, these fish eat algae from rocks and glass, so if you want them to stay healthy, it is better to place some artificial or natural plants in your aquarium.
Live plants and decorations provide Molly fish with safe places to hide, and Molly fish feel safer when they have live plants in their aquarium.
Some plants you can keep in the tank are Hornwort, Java Moss, etc. Molly fish can eat some plants, too, like plastic ones, but they are not as safe for Molly fish as live plants.
Use Decorations
Molly fish like soft water with less chlorine, so if you want them to stay healthy, it is better to add rocks or pebbles, driftwood, etc., in tanks for Molly fish to swim over and hide.
Also, Molly fish like to eat algae from driftwood, rocks, or even glass in the aquarium, so it is better to provide Molly fish with these things in their tank.
Tank Mates For Molly Fish
Molly Fish are peaceful, and they can live with other small community fish without any issues. So you can keep Molly fish with other small fish.
But they won’t survive in aquariums where large fish are present as their small size makes them food for bigger fish.
Only keep about six Mollies in one tank and avoid keeping them in community aquariums with too many fish. They become aggressive when you keep them with aggressive tank mates.
These fish are also very active, so if you want to keep them in a group, it is better if you have large enough tanks for all of them to move around comfortably.
Molly Fish are not schooling species by nature, but adding more Molly fish to your aquarium will increase their activity levels.
Regular Monitoring
Molly Fish needs a lot of care and attention. But, if you provide the best tank environment for them, your Molly Fish will stay healthy and happy living inside an aquarium.
If you fail to maintain the water parameters of Molly fish, they might suffer from parasitic infections. In addition, these fish become weak due to poor environmental conditions. So, you should always check Molly fish regularly, or else they will die due to various diseases.
Maintaining a Molly fish tank requires patience and time. But once your fish gest familiar with their new home, they will make everything look pleasing for you.
Breeding Of Molly Fish Family
Molly fish is a live-bearing species in which the female gives natural birth to the fry after the male species fertilize the eggs.
After spawning, they will produce 40-100 fry in 24-30 hours, and the fry becomes free-swimming a few days later.
Molly fish require good water quality and frequent small feedings of live or frozen food. This fish is a peaceful, active shoaling fish that will provide years of enjoyment for the beginner and experienced aquarist alike.
In addition, Molly fish look beautiful with vibrant color and come in different shapes and sizes. So, breeders are interbreeding them with many other fish to produce different varieties of Mollies.
Conclusion
Summing up, Molly fish are a great addition in the aquarium of a beginner aquarist. They’re beautiful and friendly, and they add to the look of your tank. In addition, Molly fish live well in groups so that you can get as many as you like and they won’t even need a big space to survive. You can get a 20-gallons tank for six of these liverbearers from Poeciliidae family and keep these mollies happy.
Hopefully, now you know about the family to which Molly fish belong, and these fish are now at least a little more interesting to you. Mollies make for great pets, and they’re easy to take care of. So if you want an exciting new pet with tons of personality- Molly is perfect for you.
Good Luck!!
Happy Fishkeeping!!