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KINGMED
09-21-2007, 12:37 AM
I've never been crazy about the looks of these mollies they look like they are in pain swimming. Are these an outbreak of some ingenius in breeding? I've always liked the lyretail and the sailfin mollie they are awesome have have a little prestige about them. Not saying that there's anything wrong with wanting balloon mollies, I just wonder if they have problems do to their shape an such.
squirt_12
09-21-2007, 12:39 AM
Well when you are looking at these fish...are they in freshwater or brackish water???

They live better in brackish water but can survive in freshwater.
KINGMED
09-21-2007, 01:01 AM
they are usually at the petstore, they just look odd to me. Up to 3 yrs. ago I didn't realize that this type of looking mollie even existed or was sold. Growing up in the 70's and 80's I can only remember the sailfin, lyretail and regular mollie, Oh sorry to answer your question they are probably in freshwater or whatever they keep them in in Petsmart or Petco.
cocoa_pleco
09-21-2007, 01:03 AM
most stores keep them in FW, but they like brackish, and can happily live in full SW (i used to have a few molly's in my reefs).

balloon molly's do make it look like swimming is a pain, but even look at larger fancy goldfish, they look like they have trouble too
squirt_12
09-21-2007, 01:04 AM
wow....i did not know that they could live in full SW. well i learned something new today. Thanks for that cocoa. :D
cocoa_pleco
09-21-2007, 01:09 AM
as long as its a slow acclimation its fine.
KINGMED
09-21-2007, 01:15 AM
most stores keep them in FW, but they like brackish, and can happily live in full SW (i used to have a few molly's in my reefs).

balloon molly's do make it look like swimming is a pain, but even look at larger fancy goldfish, they look like they have trouble too
Ya, didn't think about that I guess fancy goldfish are about the same. I guess thinking about what mollies used to look like and the way that balloons look I never put the 2 together. I think that I've read they are so inbred that they have a shorter life expectancy than other mollies and they can succum to air bladder problems.