Mollys and Platys

[Chazbot]

This might be a dumb question, but I honestly don't know and I'm curious. Would Mollys and Platys be naughty with each other? I've got both in a community tank and I've actually been considering separating males and females for a while to give the ladies a break! I've caught five fry over the past few weeks, but I've seen my girls have been HUGE a lot. I'd like to give them a chance to not be pregnant for a while. LOL!

Anyway, is it possible? Or does it happen? WILL Mollys and Platys be naughty with each other or are they fairly "species specific?"

[Jaster]

I guess it could happen but I highly doubt it. I have both and I've never even seen then try.
And for keeping them unprego... good luck... unless you separate them it won't happen. Even still the females can keep having fry for a while. Persistent little buggers.. and honestly I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's their natural way of things. Another way to help out would be to add another female. This will give the males another face to chase for a while.

[Wetpets]

They are species specific. But that doesn't stop them trying! :hmm3grin2orange:

[Chazbot]

I guess it could happen but I highly doubt it. I have both and I've never even seen then try.
And for keeping them unprego... good luck... unless you separate them it won't happen. Even still the females can keep having fry for a while. Persistent little buggers.. and honestly I wouldn't worry too much about it. It's their natural way of things. Another way to help out would be to add another female. This will give the males another face to chase for a while.


Thanks Jaster!

Yeah, they're definitely h*r*y little things! :hmm3grin2orange: I've seen male platys, uh, "sniffing" around female mollys and male mollys doing the same to the lady platys but I've never seen them, uh, "do the deed." The fry I've caught is all platy fry, I'm sure of it. I've got an equal balance of males and females right now. I don't think I could add any more ladies, though. My 29 gal is FULL.

Three males and one female balloon molly in my 45 at the moment - I do plan to add more ladies in there. How in the WORLD do you know if a balloon molly is prenant?!?!? She's already such a cute little round thing - can you really tell? She's jet black, too, so I don't think I'm going to see a gravid spot either.

[Chazbot]

They are species specific. But that doesn't stop them trying! :hmm3grin2orange:


:hmm3grin2orange:

No kidding!!! Very, uh, "friendly!" <ROFL>

[Little Embers]

The Livebearers that may crossbreed outside there own species are:
Platys with Swordtails....
It has been known for Guppies and Mollies to crossbreed (but any fry are usually sterile or don’t survive very long)....
Endlers Livebearers may crossbreed with Guppies...
Mollies can crossbreed with other strains/breeds of Mollies...

[Wetpets]

The Livebearers that may crossbreed outside there own species are:
Platys with Swordtails....
It has been known for Guppies and Mollies to crossbreed (but any fry are usually sterile or don’t survive very long)....
Endlers Livebearers may crossbreed with Guppies...
Mollies can crossbreed with other strains/breeds of Mollies...

How do you know all this stuff? I think we have to change your nick to "little google".

Most informative, although Endler's livebearer is a guppy - I breed them, and occasionally remove unwanted colours / patterns from the purebred strain tank to go into my "free-for-all" tank.

But guppies and mollies? Now that I did not know... I don't htink I'll try though!

[troy]

Also mollies with the limia species and platy species with swordtails species. In fact most swordtails in the hobby today are platy x swordtail hybrids.

edit: I believe that guppy x molly have either kidney or liver problems. Of course limias can breed with other limia species, platys can breed with other platy species, and swordtails can breed with other swordtail species.

[Chazbot]

WOW! Thanks!!

Well I think I'm pretty safe then. I think these guys should behave themselves, then.

[Little Embers]

How do you know all this stuff? I think we have to change your nick to "little google".
Thanks! I know there isn't much in my profile apart from listing my one 15 gallon tank that I have at present, or kept fish as long as some of the members here have, but I do have some experience as well, and since keeping fish, I have been continually researching and still do whenever I get the time, picking up information here and there.

Off the top of my head I have kept:
GBR’S, Electric Yellow labs and Kribensis Cichlids...Emerald eye and Harlequin Rasboras...Flame, rummynose, neon’s, cardinal, Albino Head and tail light, Ember and Glow light tetras...Albino and Julii corydorus (unsure if it was the true Julii Cory)... Otocinclus catfish...Sparkling and Honey Gouramis...White Cloud Mountain Minnows... Peacock Gudgeons...Gold Medakas...male/female Bettas and Livebearers of course (one of my favourites).

Each species (except for the 2 Otos), I kept in species specific tanks of varying sizes, so I too suffered from MTS for many years. I would still have all those fish and tanks except, unfortunately I had to move not too long ago and was only able to keep a 15 gall., so I combined some of the fish I thought would be most suitable (I didn’t want to part with any of them) for the one tank I was able to keep. I think I must be doing something right and I have been very lucky with my fish as well, as I have never encountered a disease.

..Anyway, that’s enough about me!

Most informative, although Endler's livebearer is a guppy
Thanks! I realise Endlers are a species of guppy; I thought I would list them just in case there were those that possibly didn’t know.

But guppies and mollies? Now that I did not know..I don't think I'll try though.
I think it would be rare and unlikely, but possible. If intentionally setting out to have them breed, I honestly don't see the point since any fry that happened to be produced would either die shortly afterwards, be sterile or have genetic problems.

WOW! Thanks!!
You're welcome! :ssmile:

[Wetpets]

You Rock Embers.

[Kaz]

I feel it important to say that there have been very rare accounts where these 'Pollies' have happened. Most fry end up dying in every report and I have never seen pictures of one in adulthood.

Granted it is ussually just a case of stored sperm but a few times I have heard acoounts of Homebred mollies who have never seen a male molly giving birth while a male platy was in the tank.

It may be possible, but it rarely happens.

[Chazbot]

WOW!! Thanks everyone!

I'm not planning on mixed breeding or anything like that, but I do have mollys and platys housed together. There are males and females of each so hopefully that'll be enough to keep them from doing anything weird.

[Little Embers]

I feel it important to say that there have been very rare accounts where these 'Pollies' have happened. Most fry end up dying in every report and I have never seen pictures of one in adulthood.

Granted it is ussually just a case of stored sperm but a few times I have heard acoounts of Homebred mollies who have never seen a male molly giving birth while a male platy was in the tank.

It may be possible, but it rarely happens.
I agree...

I'm not planning on mixed breeding or anything like that, but I do have mollys and platys housed together. There are males and females of each so hopefully that'll be enough to keep them from doing anything weird.
I don't think you have anything to worry about, their own species is preferable to them I'm sure :ssmile: As Wetpets mentioned, livebearer males IME can be opportunists in that regard and will try it on with other species, but all it usually produces is Stress to the female.

[Oldman]

You will not find mixed fry from Poecilia like mollies and Xiphophorus like platies. It is not a question of being rare, it does not happen, period.

[Kaz]

You will not find mixed fry from Poecilia like mollies and Xiphophorus like platies. It is not a question of being rare, it does not happen, period.

It can happen, but it is a fluke.

As I said, most fry will die from complications.

Many people use the different genuses as 'proof' but the fact is that it has been known to happen.