Are you trying to get your sailfin mollies to breed with regular mollies? Is it possible for these two species to breed together?
In this article, we will be reviewing all you need to know about breeding sailfin mollies and regular mollies.
Can Sailfin Mollies Breed with Regular Mollies? Yes, Sailfin mollies can breed with regular mollies. This is because despite being unique breeds of mollies they share genetic composition with regular mollies that make it possible for them to breed.
Can Sailfin Mollies Breed?
The answer is yes! Sailfin mollies can breed effectively under the right conditions. Like its other counterpart, the sailfin molly can breed between 10 and 140 live young molly fish.
Sailfin mollies’ breeding can be affected by the sexuality of the male mollies.
Studies have shown that unisexual male mollies tend to mate more effectually with con-specific females, which could lead to the gradual extinction of this breed of mollies and affect their ability to breed in the long run.
The Sailfin molly female needs to be separated from the large population during the period it is birthing its young ones, which is likely to occur throughout the year due to its ability to gestate within a 30 days interval.
Furthermore, The female Sailfin molly needs to be removed from its young ones immediately after being birthed to prevent them from becoming its meal.
Can Sailfin Mollies Breed with Regular Mollies?
Sailfin mollies can breed with regular mollies. Despite many varieties of the molly fish, they are practically of the same species meaning that any male would be capable of mating and fertilising with any females of the genus.
Sailfin mollies, like other mollies, are easy to breed. Therefore, it is essential to note that despite having different features, including colors and shapes, mollies are actually the same breed of fish and would happily breed with one another.
Mollies are the most commonly kept fish in the aquarium due to their diversity and beauty.
Their diversity also means they can breed with regular mollies, even with their differences. Perhaps you may want to have firsthand information on their capacity to breed with their many breeds.
Different Breeds of the Molly fish
There are many different breeds of molly fish which include
- Black Sailfin molly
- Dalmatian molly
- Golden sailfin molly
- Gold Dust molly
- Platinum Lyretail molly
- Balloon molly
- Harlequin Sailfin molly
- Gold doubloon molly
- Marble lyretail molly
- Black lyretail molly
The above listed are the most popular breeds of the molly fish. They all tend to breed together, creating an avenue for a plethora of species with a mixture of varying characteristics.
Ideal Tank Conditions for Sailfin Mollies to Breed
The ideal tank condition for the Sailfin mollies to breed is a tank that has a layer of sandy substrate at the bottom. Such tanks allow for the growth of a tall plant like the Anubias nana to create shelter for the fish.
The temperature levels required are 72.79F with a water PH of between 6.7 and 8.5. Some of the ideal tank conditions for breeding Sailfin mollies include:
- A layer of the sandy substrate along the bottom of the tank would ensure that plant can grow in the aquarium
- Keep a tall plant like the “Anubias nana” to create shelter for the sailfin molly fish
- Maintain a temperature level of 72.78 degrees Fahrenheit
- Water PH level to be maintained is to be between 6.7 to 8.5
- Maintain a water hardness level of 20-30 KH
- Slightly Brackish water to imitate natural habitat of the coastal areas of Texas and Mexico
- Standard aquarium lighting
- Sailfin mollies require a 30-gallon aquarium due to their large size
How to stop Sailfin mollies from breeding
You can stop the Sailfin molly from breeding by keeping just one gender of fish, preferably male, in the aquarium tank. You can also adjust the tank conditions to make breeding less comfortable for the sailfin molly.
Having just a male Sailfin molly in the tank would reduce the chance of breeding a new baby fish.
Adding just a male fish to your tank would help you achieve the balance you require as female molly fish could be pregnant when purchased, polluting your tank with unwanted young live fishes once placed in the tank.
You can also adopt an aggressive tank condition that would prevent the sailfin fishes from breeding; this can be achieved by either adjusting the PH level of the water or temperature.
However, exploiting this technique must be done delicately to prevent the fish from becoming susceptible to disease.
Table of Contents
