Mollies

Mollies were first identified by naturalists in the 1820s. And in their 200-year-long history in the aquarium trade, they’ve been bred and morphed to come …

Dalmatian mollies are believed to be the hybrids of the popular sailfin mollies that originally inhabit the freshwater habitats from North Carolina to Texas and the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula. 

Mollies have anywhere between 40-100 babies at one time. The number of babies they produce each time is dependent on factors like the mother’s age, size, health, and environment. 

I wouldn’t recommend adding mollies to a 10-gallon tank. These fish make active swimmers and produce a good amount of bioload every day. However, if you go by the ‘one inch’ per gallon rule, you can house 3 3-inch long mollies and 2 4-inch long mollies in a 10-gallon tank. 

In a nutshell, the most common signs of a dying molly fish are lack of appetite, erratic swimming style, lethargy, panting, visible signs of injury or illness in the body like red or white spots, flashing, clamping fins, loss of balance, and shimmying. 

Although black mollies are as hardy as they come, they require special care during pregnancy. Otherwise, your pregnant black molly fish will deliver premature fry that won’t see the light of the day. 

Wild mollies are super hardy. They can easily adapt to even the harshest of conditions. However, the same cannot be said about artificially bred mollies like balloon belly molly marred with numerous birth defects. 

Like most livebearers, mollies live for anywhere between 2 to 5 years in captivity. With the right care and diet, you can stretch your fish’s lifespan up to 5 years. However, due to long transportation, inbreeding, and weak strains, most mollies seldom make it past their 3rd birthday. 

Molly fish are pregnant for anywhere between 40-70 days, with 60 being the most common number. Their pregnancy duration is twice as long as a guppy’s, who remain pregnant for just 21-35 days. 

Molly fish eggs are tiny yellow balls that almost look like egg yolk but miniature versions. If you see a molly laying eggs, it’s most likely the underdeveloped egg was aborted or miscarried. That’s because mollies don’t lay eggs. They are livebearers that directly give birth to free-swimming fry.