Snow White Calico /Balloon Molly

The balloon molly is a short-bodied form of Poecilia latipinna, here in a pale snow white calico colouring. The rounded shape comes from selective breeding for a shortened, curved spine, and it is worth being straightforward about that: the body form is a deliberate deformity, it affects how the fish swims, and balloon-bodied livebearers are generally less robust than standard-bodied ones. Plenty of people keep them happily; you should simply know what you are buying.

Aquarium care

• Smaller in length than a standard molly, but deep and rounded in the body.
• Swims less strongly than a normal-bodied molly, so keep flow gentle.
• Wants hard, alkaline water with stable parameters.
• Omnivorous; include vegetable matter, and feed small amounts rather than large ones.
• Peaceful and easily outcompeted at feeding time by faster fish.
• Livebearing, though pregnancy is harder on a balloon-bodied female.

Best kept in a calm hard-water community with other mollies, platies and peaceful, slow-feeding fish. Avoid fast or nippy tankmates entirely. Never release aquarium fish into local waterways or ponds.

Stock rotates with each shipment, and livestock is available for local pickup at our Lethbridge store. Browse the molly collection.