Are platys just dumb mollies?

[slinky]

Perhaps it's just my two fish or maybe they aren't as mobile, but in my tank it seems like the platy is a little prettier but much less intelligent than the molly. The mollies explore, are curious and generally seem more active. The platys seem to be somewhat active but act sometimes like that beautiful dumb blonde type! I will add a fish or two and was wondering whether to add another molly or platy so it was a thought and question I wanted to share. No doubt platy lovers might be mad with it :) but thought it was legitimate and sincere question to those with more experience.

[Lady Hobbs]

Both are rather dumb in my opinion. I prefer the platy simply because he adds some color to a drab tank but find the mollies more aggressive and got rid of those I had.

[*Sarah*]

I have both and I guess I never really questioned their intelligence. They're fish. They swim, eat, poop...I dunno lol. I do like that they breed a lot and give me babies to raise :) My 40g is an all livebearer tank, except for the dojo and a couple of shrimp.

[slinky]

Both are rather dumb in my opinion. I prefer the platy simply because he adds some color to a drab tank but find the mollies more aggressive and got rid of those I had.
Maybe that's it - that they are more aggressive and that seems more "intelligent" when it's just a lot more action going on. I do agree with you that they can add more color, especially the red ones that are gorgeous.

[slinky]

Here's an interesting observation though - the molllies will jump into the air bubble jetstream i have in the tank and "ride the wave" up to the top. The cories do the same. The platy won't get near it and stays away. She seems to just hang around the mollies but not do much else. Not a very playful fish although probably more exciting than guppies, which swim a lot but don't seem to do much and similar to colorful minnows.

[Sasquatch]

I don't know, we don't have any mollies... but our platies are very playful... One of them make me mad each time I try to feed our bumblebee catfish... She's very smart to find the pellet or the shrimp... She's waiting just enough time and steal the food in front of his nose... Sometimes i'm wondering if she's more intelligent than me...:confused:
so perhaps it's just a question of mood for the fish :c10:

[cocoa_pleco]

i prefer platy's, theyre the ideal "normal" fish, come in varieties, hardy, and not demanding.

[emma_421]

I happen to prefer Mollys. They have so much personality. Whenever I come up to the tank they are there ready to stare me in the face. Also, they will follow my finger around on the glass of the tank. It is so cute. I also happen to think they are prettier than platies. They just dull to me.... Sorry Platy lovers.

[Sasquatch]

Well, first off, I'd like to get one things straight. My girlfriend hijacked my account while I was at work. I am smarter than the platies and manage to feed our catfish just fine!:hmm3grin2orange:

Slinky: One thing that may explain the behaviour is that mollies tend to be larger than platies. The platies might just be laying low to avoid trouble with the larger fish.

Don't know if this is the case, but if could be an explanation.

But to defend our platies, they are plenty active. They swim all over the aquarium, ride the currents coming out of the filter and even "say hi" when we pass in front of the aquarium. (Ok, so they beg for food, but they're still there at the front!:18: )

[mitcore]

I have platties no mollys but my platties are great and full of life
I wouldnt say they are dumb as such
i think mine are quite smart
as in the above response my platties also say hi when anyone walks past the tank,
I say platties all the way LOL

[octavian]

platies are smarter than a lot of other fish.
at least they have memory *cough* goldfish *cough*
I have guppies too and their not unfun as long as your doing something with them (ie breeding)

[nanaglen2001]

Platies and Mollie have their advantages and disatvantages. I like both of them. Platies because they are very colorful and not too big.

Mollies because they are very active and as already said, somehow intelligent and fearless.

Easy to keep are both. So in my big tank I keep Mollies in my smaller one I kept Platies. Thats the way I chose between them, tank size.

[KINGMED]

I like both but prefer the Sailfin Mollie--probably the male mostly due to the awesome dorsal fin and majestic presence. But for a normal tank the platy would probably be the best one since I don't think they grow as large as the Sailfins, I also like the way the Lyretails look with they're forked back fin and long dorsal fin. Regular mollies to me aren't that interesting and I'd probably choose the platy over the mollie in this case. When I lived in Texas I didn't realize that I could drive a little ways and find some wild Sailfin Mollies, for my wifes peace of mind I guess it was better that I didn't know then.

[Rocky06fx4]

Plattys and Mollies are both community fish and act accordingly. Being non violent usually involes personal peace possibly or possibly ignorance.

Would you say the Molly is smarter because of his "presence" in the tank, having no fear?

[Atlantis Child]

Goldfish don't actually have bad memories. That's an urban/internet myth. Look it up.

I just have dwarf sunset platies. Yeah, they are very dumb. My three males try to mate with each other all the time and eat bubbles.

But their personality, spunk and bright colors make it worth while.

Got two pregnant girls right now in a seperate tank. They were pregnant when I got them (typical livebearers...getting pregnant anywhere, any time), but I plan on breeding them anyway, so it's a bonus really.


- Atlantis

[CAF]

Ok... just to get it out of my system...

Platy: Xiphophorus variatus (or least the most commonly seen at LFSes one)

Molly: Poecilia sphenops (again the common one in most LFSes)

While both are in the same family, they are not in the same genus.



There now that is out of my system (self-admited aquaria geek) ALL livebearers are STUPID!!! Males will try to mate with ANYTHING that looks pretty... (Being a male I can say that) Same species, sex, doesn't matter...
As long as it is pretty...

OMG look at "HER"!!!! I gotta mate with her, I just gotta!!!!

[Lady Hobbs]

It would be nice if platies didn't have a line of poop long enough to jump rope with!

[CAF]

Thats all about what is being fed to them, any fish can get the long line of excrement if they are eating stuff they can't process correctly or too much food... ::Shrugs:: I've seen everything, with it at one time or another. Try feeding some Freeze dried Daphina. It seems to clear out their digestive tracts.

[Lady Hobbs]

My "plan" was to let them fast two days a week but my angel is in with them and he likes his grub. I may have to move the platies out into a 10 gallon. They sure are doing some fertilizing the plants now. LOL

[CAF]

LOL I fast my fish 2 feedings a week. I feed twice a day, however we do small amounts. I am firm believer in a hungry fish is a healthy fish. One thing to remember, all live bearers seem to eat a lot of algae and decaying plant matter, so most likely, your platy population will just graze off the algae you dont see on the plants.

[Atlantis Child]

When I first got my platies they're poop was long, and they seemed to be pooping all the time (one of the three, every time I looked, at least!). They must have had really bad food at the petstore...

They're at normal fish levels though, and it doesn't seem to hang off their bodies forever either. Ick. That was gross.


- Atlantis

[Lady Hobbs]

I moved mine and they are now alone so I can cut them back on their chow.
They are poop machines, for sure. And I thought goldfish were bad.

[CAF]

I moved mine and they are now alone so I can cut them back on their chow.
They are poop machines, for sure. And I thought goldfish were bad.


LOL... GF ARE bad.... At least weight for weight Platys do not produce as much ammonia.

[slinky]

There now that is out of my system (self-admited aquaria geek) ALL livebearers are STUPID!!! Males will try to mate with ANYTHING that looks pretty... (Being a male I can say that) Same species, sex, doesn't matter...
As long as it is pretty...
Hmmmm.... Are we talking about fish or humans?

[CAF]

Hmmmm.... Are we talking about fish or humans?


probably both... I WAS speaking of fish, but you do raise a vaild point...