Molly Fish - Characteristics, Behavior, Classification and Care
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Molly fish, an ornamental fish with beautiful appearance, colorful colors, gentle and friendly temperament, easy to raise, easy to breed and cheap.
When it comes to beautiful and cheap ornamental fish, many of you will surely think of Molly fish , right? This is truly a "national" ornamental fish in Vietnam because it not only has an eye-catching appearance and diverse colors, but also has a gentle temperament, is easy to raise, adaptable and reproduces well.
If you want to learn more about Molly fish, please refer to the content in the article below of nice fish , we will provide full information from A to Z!
Molly fish information :
| Scientific name | Poecilia sphenops |
| Branch | Chordata - Chordata |
| Class | Actinopterygii - Ray-finned fishes |
| Set | Cyprinodontiformes - Toothed carp or silverhead |
| Surname | Poeciliidaetropical - Peacock fish |
| Source | Central America, North America and South America |
| Lifespan | 3 - 5 years |
| Size | 6 - 10 cm |
Origin of Molly Fish
Molly is an aquarium fish native to Central America, North America and South America.
Molly fish has the scientific name Poecilia sphenops, an ornamental fish originating from Central America, North America and South America, especially they live in fresh and brackish water areas of Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia.
Molly fish entered the aquarium industry around the beginning of the 20th century. After a long process of breeding and selection, this fish now has many different colorful colors such as black, spotted, yellow, orange,...
Molly fish physical characteristics
Appearance of a short yellow Molly fish.
Molly is a small aquarium fish with diverse colors. Let's learn more about the appearance of this fish.
- Size : 6 - 10 cm when fully grown, the Sailfin Molly line can be up to 12 - 15 cm long.
- Body shape : The fish body is oval, flat on both sides, slightly tapered towards the tail. The belly looks very plump, especially in mature female fish.
- Dorsal fin : Depending on the species, it can be small or large, some dorsal fins are erect like a sail.
- Anal fin : In males develops into the gonopodium mating organ.
- Caudal fin : Fan-shaped, soft.
- Mouth : Small, facing upwards.
- Color : Diverse and rich such as pure black, orange, yellow, white, platinum, black spots, bicolor, marbled,...
Molly fish behavior
Molly fish like to swim in small schools.
Molly is not only a beautiful and colorful aquarium fish, but it also has very interesting habits. Let's learn about the behavior of this fish.
Mild-mannered, gentle
Molly is a gentle aquarium fish, it lives peacefully with other aquarium fish such as Guppy fish , Neon Tetra fish , mouse fish , Corydoras fish,... And they never show aggression or fight for territory.
Like to swim in groups
Although Molly fish do not have a strong gregarious nature like Neon fish, they always like the feeling of having their own kind around them, so this fish often swims in small groups of 3-6 fish, which looks very beautiful.
Strong reproduction
Molly is a live-bearing fish, the eggs hatch in the mother's womb and when born the baby fish are fully developed and can swim. This fish breeds very strongly, usually once a month, each time from 30 - 100 fish.
Male fish always tend to chase female fish continuously during estrus, so to avoid stressing female fish, you should raise them in a ratio of 1 male fish to 2-3 female fish.
Likes still water environment
Molly prefers calm, slow-moving or still water. They are also very sensitive to dirty water so a stable filtration system is required.
Lives in both fresh and brackish water environments
Molly is a special aquarium fish, it can live well in fresh water or slightly brackish water (salinity from 1 - 3 ppt).
Is an omnivorous fish
Contrary to its beautiful appearance, Molly is an omnivorous fish, they can eat a variety of foods from fresh to pellets or even algae, moss or algae in the tank.
Molly Fish Care Guide for Beginners
Molly fish need to be kept in a well-planted tank.
Molly is one of the easiest aquarium fish to raise, suitable for beginners. However, to help them grow well and have beautiful colors, you need to pay attention to the following things.
Preparing a suitable Molly tank
When designing a Molly fish tank, keep the following in mind:
- Tank capacity : Minimum 50 - 60 liters for a school of 5 - 6 fish. If the number is large or raised with many other ornamental fish, a larger tank is needed.
- Water filtration system : Must have because molly likes clean water.
- Oxygen aeration : Needed if the tank has no aquatic plants and is stocked in large quantities.
- Aquarium decoration : Should plant soft aquatic plants, decorate with rocks, driftwood or small caves.
- Water temperature : 25 - 28 degrees Celsius.
- pH : 7.0 - 8.0
- Hardness : Medium to slightly hard.
What do molly fish eat?
Molly is an omnivorous fish so they can eat the following foods:
- Dry food such as pellets and floating bran.
- Boil soft vegetables like water spinach, spinach.
- Fresh food such as bloodworms, water worm.
- Algae, moss, moss in the tank
Note, do not overfeed fish to avoid excess food polluting the water in the tank.
Common diseases in Molly fish
Although Molly fish are quite easy to raise, if the water environment is not guaranteed or the care regimen is not suitable, they are still susceptible to some common diseases as follows:
| Disease name | Reason | Symptom | How to handle |
| White mushroom | Parasitic infection, due to sudden changes in temperature, pH, dirty water |
Fish have tiny white spots like salt on the body, fins, scales, gills,... Fish often rub themselves against rocks, glass surfaces, etc. |
Isolate sick fish. Increase the temperature to 29 - 30 degrees Celsius for about 5 - 7 days to kill parasites. Use antifungal medication specifically for fish. Maintain aeration, change 30% of water in the tank. |
| fin rot | Due to dirty water, fish are infected with bacteria such as Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, fish are stressed,... | Fin edges are torn, worn or even falling off |
Isolate sick fish. Change the water in the tank. Mild disinfection with non-iodized salt. Use of drugs to treat bacteria in fish. |
| Bloating | Constipation, overeating, fish infected with intestinal parasites |
The fish's belly is swollen and the fish swims upside down. |
Let the fish fast for 1 - 2 days, then feed the fish lots of soft boiled vegetables. Increase temperature slightly. |
Molly fish price list updated 2025
If you want to raise Molly fish but do not know whether this fish is expensive or cheap, what is the price, please refer to the price list that we have just updated below.
| Molly Line | Reference price (VND/piece) | Note |
| Black Molly (Black Molly) | 4,000 - 10,000 | Common species, easy to raise. |
| Gold Molly | 4,000 - 10,000 | Popular species, easy to raise |
| Red Molly (Red Molly) | 4,000 - 10,000 | Popular species, easy to raise |
| White Molly (White/Platinum) | 10,000 - 20,000 | Pure white, with blue or metallic eyes |
| Dalmatian Molly | 10,000 - 15,000 | Unique spotted pattern |
| Sailfin Molly | 12,000 - 15,000 | High, beautiful dorsal fin. |
|
Molly Short Platinum Fish |
30,000 - 35,000 | The fish is metallic white and has two pointed "swords" at the tail. |
| Blue Eyed Zebra Molly Fish | > 100,000 | Rare zebra-like fish. |
The most beautiful and popular Molly fish in Vietnam
Right below, we have compiled some of the most popular Molly fish species in the Vietnamese aquarium world thanks to their eye-catching colors. Let's find out now to choose the most suitable fish lines for yourself.
Black Molly (Black Molly)
Black Molly with jet black body.
Black Molly, also known as Black Molly, is one of the most popular aquarium fish because of its impressive appearance with a pure black color that looks extremely luxurious. They are divided into many variations such as:
- Regular Black Molly: Standard body, black label color.
- Black Balloon Molly: Arched back, bulging belly.
- Black Lyretail Molly: Has a swallow-tailed tail.
Golden Molly - Golden Molly
A school of bright yellow Molly fish.
This is a Molly fish with a bright, eye-catching color with a bright yellow or metallic gold body. Golden Molly is very popular in aquariums because yellow is a color that symbolizes luck and prosperity.
Dalmatian Molly
Fancy Spotted Molly Fish.
Spotted Molly is also known as Dalmatian Molly, Black Spotted White Molly. They have a striking appearance with a white body with mottled black spots evenly distributed throughout the body like Dalmatian dogs.
Sailfin Molly
Sailfin Molly fish with impressive appearance, super beautiful.
This is one of the most luxurious and popular Molly lines in Vietnam. They have a high dorsal fin like a sail, especially in males. The colors are diverse and rich such as white, black, orange, spotted, metallic blue, striped,...
Molly White
Two swallowtail white molly fish.
The most elegant and pure version of Molly. Their whole body is milky white or pearl white, sparkling under the light, looking extremely beautiful.
Thus, the article on nicefish.net has shared detailed information about Molly fish . This is one of the most popular ornamental fish in Vietnam because of its beautiful appearance, low price, easy to raise, easy to breed. If you want your fish tank to be more lively and eye-catching, Molly is a perfect choice.
Goodbye and see you soon in the next articles of the Blog section to explore together a more beautiful and rich world of ornamental fish!
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