Molly black - Poecilia sphenops

The black molly is the black breeding form of the pointed molly Poecilia sphenops from South America. Poecilia sphenops var. black is an aquarium fish that prefers rather hard water to brackish water. The Black Mollies, which have been extremely popular in aquaristics for over 100 years, belong to the family of viviparous toothcarps, they are closely related to swordtails, guppies and platies. Poecilia sphenops is native to Central America and South America, where the fish are found in the lower reaches and estuaries of many rivers.

Male black mollies grow to about 4 to 6 inches long, and females grow to about 6 to 10 inches long. Males also have a gonopodium, which is an elongated sexual organ on the abdomen that females lack. Females are slightly more rounded than males. The color of the Black Molly is velvety black, with smaller or larger light spots possible.

The Black Molly belongs to the live-bearing toothcarps, which means that the females give birth to live fry. Black Molly females are able to store sperm for a long time after mating, so multiple litters can occur even if the animals are kept in unisexual groups. A litter is 30-80 young animals in size. The adult Black Mollies partially eat the baby fish.

Black Mollies are group fish and should not be kept alone. In nature Poecilia sphenops lives in medium to hard water and also in brackish water in estuaries. Water temperatures of 24-28 °C are optimal for the Black Molly, these beautiful aquarium fish are quite sensitive especially to temperature fluctuations, so be careful when changing water: it should always be done with tempered water.

A group of Black Mollies can be perfectlysocialized with larger shrimp such as Amano shrimp, but also with fan shrimp . Black Mollies eat smaller shrimps and can be kept in a community aquarium best with dwarf shrimps of the species Neocaridina which are known for their high reproduction rate. Coexistence can also work well with more peaceful Cambarellus dwarf crayfish . Smaller shrimp species tend to be eaten more readily, and juvenile shrimp in particular are on the menu of Sharpnose Crayfish, as are many other small crayfish in the wild. Larger crayfish, on the other hand, may hunt down and eat the Black Mollies.

In nature, the food of the black molly includes small crustaceans, worms and insect larvae, as well as algae and soft-leaved aquatic plants. Black mollies also like to nibble on algae in the aquarium. Soft or scalded vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, squash, spinach leaves, dandelion or nettle are readily eaten, as well as flake food, frozen food or live food such as enchytrae, water fleas or mosquito larvae.

Our food recommendation: The fragrant NatureHolic Guppyfeed was tailor-made for the requirements of guppies and other viviparous fish in the aquarium. In addition to high-quality animal ingredients, it also contains vegetable components that benefit guppies & co. The soft granules protect the sensitive mouth of the viviparous from injuries caused by hard food grains and provide the fish with a natural feeding experience.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.