Molly copper - Poecilia sphenops

The Copper Molly is a new and still very rarely available breeding form of Poecilia sphenops from Central America and South America, which has been known in aquaristics for over 100 years. In its native country the Molly lives mostly in lower reaches of rivers, but also colonizes the brackish water areas of the estuaries. Poecilia sphenops var. copper is like all mollies a robust aquarium fish for aquariums with medium to hard water.
The coloration of the copper molly is particularly beautiful: The ornamental fish shine copper to reddish, partly they have darker shades, especially on the back and head. The belly is silvery.

Male copper mollies reach a total length of about 4 to 6 cm, the females grow 6 to 10 cm long. An aquarium of 80 liters or more is suitable for keeping a group of Mollies. The males can be recognized by their elongated anal fin, which is transformed into a sexual organ, the so-called gonopodium. The females have a normal shaped anal fin and are also much rounder than the male Copper Mollies.

Our mollies are shipped mixed-sex, so it is not possible to select them by sex.

Copper Mollies belong to the live-bearing toothcarps, similar to Guppies, Platies and Co. The females of the Copper Molly therefore give birth to live young fish. Copper Molly females can also store male semen for a very long time after a successful mating and continue to give birth to fry for months without the company of a male. A litter contains approximately 30-80 fry. Because adult copper mollies can eat their offspring, the aquarium should be very well planted with fine-feathered plants in which the fry can hide for successful breeding. Floating plants with dense root beards such as South American frogbit also provide cover for the small mollies.

Copper Mollies are group fish and are not suitable for single keeping. A group of 10 animals as a starting stock is recommended. If you do not want to breed purely colored, you can mix different colors of Poecilia sphenops.

In nature Mollies live in medium to very hard water, some even colonize the brackish water of river mouths . In the aquarium, adding salt to the water is helpful. Water temperatures of 24 to 28 °C are optimal for Copper Mollies. Temperature fluctuations do not like the pretty aquarium fish, so you should adjust the temperature of the fresh change water for the water change to that of the aquarium water.

Copper Mollies can be kept with other peaceful fishes, which also cope well with hard water. Also a socialization of the rather large Mollies with Cambarellus dwarf crabs or with larger shrimps such as Amano shrimps can be realized well. Smaller shrimps on the other hand can be eaten; only very well reproducing and very robust dwarf shrimps like the Sulawesi shrimp or - in well planted aquariums - Neocaridina can keep in the Molly aquarium.

Poecilia sphenops "Copper" is an omnivore and likes live and frozen food, but also needs vegetable food. Mollies like to pick at algae and other growth as well as aquatic plants with soft foliage. Plants are more likely to be spared if the mollies are fed soft or scalded vegetables and greens such as peas, tomatoes, dandelions, nettles, spinach leaves, zucchini or squash. Copper Mollies are easy eaters and will readily accept a good flake food for omnivorous aquarium fish or a granular food specifically for livebearers.