Ready for the next molly? Check out the Mexican Sailfin Molly. Back to Mollies — Overview. Open the Main Menu.

The Lyretail Molly is a hybrid variation of Poecilia latipinna, the Sailfin Molly. The Sailfin Molly, P. latipinna, can be distinguished from the Mexican Sailfin, P. velifera by the number of dorsal rays. The Mexican Salfin has 18-19, and the Sailfin Molly has 14. The Lyretail Molly is black with white highlights on its fins, and has a somewhat lyre-shaped caudal fin.

Mollies have the ability to adapt to a variety of salt levels in the aquarium. With a gradual acclimation, this fish may be maintained in either a freshwater or saltwater aquarium. In the freshwater aquarium, a teaspoon of aquarium salt per gallon is recommended for optimum health. The Lyretail Molly requires a tank of at least 30 gallons with plenty of strong plants such as Java fern, Sagittaria, Vallisneria, and Anubias. It requires a good filtration system because of its hearty appetite and resulting waste products. The Lyretail Molly is well suited for the community tank because of its peaceful nature, and is compatible with other peaceful, large fish that can withstand similar water conditions.

The pointed anal fin and much larger dorsal fin on the male, and the rounded anal fin and pregnancy spot on the female differentiate the two. The Lyretail Molly is a livebearer that requires a spawning box in a 25 gallon, or larger, breeding tank. The aquarium should be planted as densely as possible or have a thick algae mat. Having a group of floating plants in the corner of the aquarium will promote rearing outside of the breeding tank. Every 60-70 days the female will give birth to 10-60 young that are already approximately one-half inch long.

The Lyretail Molly is omnivorous and requires both meaty foods as well as algae. Provide this fish with an algae-based flake food, as well as freeze-dried bloodworms, tubifex, and brine shrimp.

Ideal tank mates include: Guppies, Platies, Mollies, Swordtails, Tetras, Barbs, Danios, Rainbowfish, Gouramis, Rasboras, Loaches, Plecos and Scavenger Catfish.