Sphenops Molly

Care

The Sphenops or Short-finned molly is a smaller fish than its cousins the Sailfin mollies (Poecilia velifera and latipinna) and as their name suggests, the males do not possess a high dorsal fin. There has been a degree of hybridisation but pure sphenops are hardy, adaptable fishes that are great at control blue-green algae growth in planted aquaria. Even 'pure' sphenops may be a bit of a mix, thanks to the existence of close relatives that weren't distinguished until after aquarium forms were established. Like their guppy relatives, sphenops are best kept in groups containing more females than males and can be kept alongside most community fish, although males may be a little amorous towards other species in the absence of sufficient numbers of their own kind to keep them occupied. Black and orange-tailed marble forms are well established, with gold forms being more recently produced. All can be found as lyretail forms. Numerous other colour varieties are available but these are often sailfin hybrids that require the addition of salt and high carbonate hardness levels. These usually have larger dorsal fins than Sphenops, thanks to their mixed heritage.

Feeding

A good quality flake food should be alternated with a green vegetable flake food and frozen foods such as mosquito larvae, brineshrimp, daphnia etc. Mollies will also graze on algae in the tank and are one of the few fishes that will consume blue-green algae.

Breeding

Try to keep at least 2 females to every male to divert the males continuous amorous intentions away from any one single female. Mollies are livebearers, and after 28 days gestation, the female will release between 20 and 150 free-swimming young. As they retain sperm, a single mating will result in multiple broods.