Black Molly

The black molly (Poecilia sphenops) is the solid black form of a Central American livebearer, and the even, velvety colour over the whole fish is the reason it has stayed popular for decades. Males are slimmer with a narrow, rod-like anal fin; females are deeper bodied with a broad fan-shaped one, so telling them apart is straightforward. Mollies are active, constantly grazing fish that spend the day working over surfaces.

Aquarium care

• Does well in hard, alkaline water, which suits much of southern Alberta's tap water.
• Needs vegetable matter in the diet; algae wafers and vegetable flake alongside a staple food.
• A livebearer that breeds readily, so expect fry if both sexes are kept.
• Keep two or three females per male, as males pursue females persistently.
• Appreciates open swimming space with planting around the edges.
• Sensitive to unstable water quality despite a reputation for hardiness.

A reasonable community fish for a hard-water tank, alongside platies, swordtails and other robust, similarly sized species. Long-finned, slow fish and very small tankmates are less suitable given how busy mollies are.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is sold for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. See the molly collection for current stock.