Mexican Molly

Poecilia mexicana

Family : Poeciliidae

FishFreshwatermolly

The Mexican Molly is a hardy and easy-to-keep fish, often used in aquariums. It adapts to various water conditions.

Mexican Molly — photo 1 sur 4 — David Starr Jordan / John Otterbein Snyder · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain1 / 4

Popularity

Community fish

classic in freshwater aquarium

Availability

Common in shops

Shop availability

IUCN Status

Least Concern

Biotope

Central America

Du Guatemala au Panama : rivières et récifs.

Description

Poecilia mexicana reaches 8-10 cm. Its body is elongated, gray-green with silvery reflections. Males have a gonopodium. Females are rounder. This fish is peaceful and gregarious. It swims at all levels. It tolerates brackish water. It is a livebearer that breeds easily. Several color varieties have been selected.

Habitat

Region :

Freshwater rivers and lakes

Distribution :

Recommended parameters

Temperature24–28 °C

pH7–8.5

GH10–25 °dGH

KH10–20 °dKH

NO₃

≤ 30 mg/L

PO₄

≤ 1 mg/L

Care

Difficulty

2/5

Diet

Omnivore

Min. tank

80 L

Min. group

Adult size

8 cm

Lifespan

4 years

Temperament

Peaceful

Propagation

Livebearer

Care notes

A minimum 80 L tank is recommended. Water can be soft to hard (GH 10-25, KH 10-20), pH 7.0-8.5, temperature 24-28°C. Salt addition is tolerated. Moderate filtration and dense vegetation are appreciated. Feed flakes, pellets and blanched vegetables. Keep a group of 4-6 individuals. Avoid aggressive fish. Perform 20% weekly water changes.

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