Data sheet silver mollies
German name:
silver mollies
Scientific name:
Poecilia sphenops
Origin:
Middle and South America
Size:
Body length 6 cm – 7 cm, females up to 12 cm
Aquarium
Length:
Length from 80 cm width and from 30 cm width
Contents:
from 80 liters
water values
Temperature:
24°C – 30°C
pH:
6.5-8
GH:
10° – 30° dH
Behave
Area:
mid to high range
Lining:
preferably vegetable food, granules, flake food, mosquito larvae (alive or deep-frozen)
Behave:
curious, active
Number:
Group, at least 2, better from 5 animals
Difficulty level:
Beginner
Molly silver – Poecilia sphenops
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The white silvery shiny silver mollys belong to the viviparous toothcarps. They originally come from Central and South America.
They are very easy to care for, tame and robust. They are therefore ideally suited for beginners.
No special aquarium setup is required to breed silver mollies.
the fish prefer to stay in the medium to shallow area of the aquarium. It should therefore be ensured that sufficient space is made available for swimming.
food
It will plant food preferred. This can be administered in the form of flakes or granules. Fresh, scalded vegetables can also be offered to the animals. The occasional feeding of fly larvae is also a welcome change.
Posture recommendation
Care should be taken to ensure that the water temperature in the aquarium is not too low. The animals are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, so these should be avoided. Silver mollies can be kept in pure fresh water as well as in brackish water. However, the fish should always be slowly adapted to new conditions in their environments.
The lively and active ornamental fish are easy to keep in small groups of five or more fish. It makes sense to keep more female fish than male ones. If the number of females is too small, competition can arise between the male fish.
gender specific differences
A look at the anal fin of the fish reveals whether a silver molly is male or female. If this is more fan-like, it is a female.
The male’s anal fin is more rod-like. While female silver mollies can grow up to 12 cm long, males usually don’t grow more than 6 to 7 cm.
The breed
Silver mollies can easily be bred in an aquarium. They mate several times a year in open water.
After a gestation period of about 3 to 4 weeks, a female gives birth to live young fish with a size of about 6 – 8 mm. The number of juvenile fish can vary, but increases with the age of the mother fish.
Fluval Hang On 2 liters
Anchoring at the aquarium?
suction cups and air cushions
suction cups and air cushions
Special feature:
None / Timeless classic
Steady water flow / Large capacity
Special feature:
None / Timeless classic
Recommendation:
Anchoring at the aquarium?
suction cups and air cushions
Special feature:
Steady water flow / Large capacity
Anchoring at the aquarium?
suction cups and air cushions
socialization
Due to the high level of activity of the silver mollys, calmer fish that do not get in the way of the mollys are particularly suitable for socializing. Fish that live on the bottom, such as armored catfish or catfish, also come into question. Fan shrimp are also possible.
Frequently asked questions
What diseases can silver mollies suffer from?
Like almost all Mollys, they are susceptible to Ichthyo. This is what is known as spot disease. As the name suggests, this disease manifests itself as white dots on the fins and skin of the fish.
These symptoms are often accompanied by loss of appetite and shyness. The fish often rub themselves against the furnishings of the aquarium. This can damage the gills and cause serious injury.
Ichthyo is caused by a skin parasite and can be fatal to infected fish.
The disease can be treated with medication or salt baths.
Can silver mollies be crossed with black mollies?
There are different breeding forms of Mollys. Since silver and black mollys both belong to the viviparous toothcarp genus and are closely related to each other, crossbreeding is possible.