How to Keep Molly Fish? Breeding Methods and Precautions for Beginners

Molly fish, also called molly, has the scientific name Poecilia sphenops. It is an ornamental fish of the genus Poecilia in the family Poeciliidae. So, how do you keep molly fish?

1. How to keep molly fish

1. Water quality

Molly fish like hard water. Although they can survive in the slightly acidic soft water that most tropical fish like, they will be restless and agitated; once switched to hard water, the number of jumps decreases noticeably. They are relatively sensitive to water quality and need frequent fresh water changes.

2. Water temperature

Molly fish have a strong ability to adapt to water temperature; they can even tolerate lows of around 10°C. But that does not mean they can grow well at this extreme water temperature. A long-term low-temperature environment can likewise easily lead to them becoming infected with mold and getting sick, until they die.

3. Feeding

Omnivorous, they love nibbling on algae. In addition to feeding chopped green plant leaves, you can also feed animal-based bait.

2. Breeding of molly fish

After molly fish reach sexual maturity, they can produce fry about once every 35 days. Because molly fish are ovoviviparous fish, that is, internal fertilization; once the fertilized eggs mature, they directly give birth to fry, so breeding is relatively easy. You only need to watch for the female fish's abdomen swelling and darkening. At the same time, carefully observe the female fish's anal area; if you find the gonopodium protruding in a dot-like shape or clearly drooping and extending out, then the female fish will definitely produce fry within 2-5 days. You only need to place the female fish separately in a breeding tank. During this period, note that you should not change the water quality excessively; drastic changes in water quality will directly cause the female fish to give birth prematurely, and she will produce underdeveloped fry individuals or even undeveloped eggs. The number of fry a molly fish produces depends on the size of the female fish, and generally increases as the female fish grows and develops, ranging from 40-100, with some fish able to produce around 200 at a time. After the fry are born, after a short moment they will swim on their own, and will also prey on smaller water fleas; you can also directly feed them small-particle artificial bait.