10 Types of Molly Fish You Should Have to Know

One of the common freshwater fish is the molly fish. Due to their nature and ease of upkeep, everyone wants to maintain them in a communal tank.

However, a fish market will have dozens or even hundreds of molly fish. Choosing which of those varieties will work best for your aquarium might take time and effort.

Black molly fish, red molly fish, white molly fish, balloon molly fish, orange molly fish, yellow molly fish, and blue molly fish are only a few different types of molly fish.

To give you an idea of the variety of mollies you can keep in your home aquarium. In this article, I’ll go over the most popular types of molly fish that are perfect aquarium fish.

Table of Contents

Different Types Of Molly Fish

1) Black Molly

Black mollies are the best variety of molly and are very well-liked all over the world. These names were given to them because of their look, which was solid black.

A planted tank is best if you wish to retain black mollies. Black mollies can benefit from Java fern, Java moss, and Amazon sword, among other plants. Plants and black mollies go well together. The tank’s contrast will be automatically improved.

You should be aware that black mollies tend to be somewhat hostile. Compared to females, males are more aggressive. Therefore, you should know gender distribution in a community tank. Typically, one black male should produce three females. The amount of aggression will decline.

2) Balloon Molly Fish

Balloon Belly Molly’s name comes from its distinctive shape, which gives the impression that they are overweight. They come in white, black, and yellow, and their rear fin is formed like a lyre.

Friendly breed Balloon Belly Molly enjoys the company of fish of similar sizes. Even though it only gets to be around 3 inches long, it still demands an aquarium that holds more than 30 gallons.

3) White Molly Fish

This is a general phrase that can be used to describe hybrids as well as specific varieties of Poecilia velifera or Poecilia latipinna. It was artificially bred, and it is not found in the wild. The fish’s uniformly silvery body color is its most distinctive trait.

White spots can be seen on the translucent fins. The size of the mature species varies depending on the specific kind (Latipinna or Velifera). The males have a larger dorsal resembling a flag or sail and are more significant than the females.

4) Gold Dust Molly

The Gold Dust Molly is an excellent substitute if you like the Black Molly but would prefer a little more color in your aquarium.

It has short fins and an eye-catching dusky gold and black color pattern. This variety’s females are fuller and develop a pregnancy spot, while the males are more slender.

This fish thrives in a planted aquarium and prefers a diet consisting of freeze-dried bloodworms, brine shrimp, and algae-based flakes.

5) Black Sailfin Molly

Sailfin mollies have lovely flowing fins and shouldn’t be kept with fin-nippers due to their long fins. So, pick your tank companions wisely to avoid getting hurt. Because they are easy to breed and care for, they are commonly recommended for beginners.

Several maintenance requirements must be addressed, including a sizable tank, ideal water parameters, constant water temperature, and water with enough oxygenation. A heater, filter, and live plants can be added to the aquarium to remedy these issues.

6) Gold Doubloon Molly

The species of short-finned molly is a decent substitute for the impressive-looking Harlequin Sailfin Molly. It adds a fascinating element to a communal tank with its black and gold color combination, which creates a lovely contrast.

This molly species needs lots of room, live plants, and a varied diet rich in vegetable matter, just like most mollies.

7) Black Lyretail Molly

The Black Lyretail Molly, a hybrid variety of the Sailfin Molly, has lyre-shaped caudal fins and black scales with white highlights.

Due to its calm disposition, it is a good fish for communities and should be kept with other fish of the same size and water tolerance. For these fish, a robust filter system is essential due to their voracious appetites and the waste they produce.

8) Liberty Molly

The Liberty Molly fish was once considered a variant of Poecilia sphenops, but it is now recognized as a distinct species. It lives in the waters of El Salvador. Despite having a beautiful color, it is only sometimes seen in tanks.

This is partly because the fish attacks its relatives and other tank mates due to its aggressive temperament. It has a silvery-yellow body. It could be slightly tinted light blue. The dorsal fins and belly are colorful (red, black, or white).

9) Dalmatian Molly Fish

The Dalmatian Molly is an intriguing molly breed with exquisitely patterned scales that shares the same color scheme as the Dalmatian dog (black and white).

They average around 5 inches, slightly longer than the typical black molly. They need a sizable tank with lots of room for swimming, oxygenated water, and live plants.

As with other mollies, be careful to install a heater and a filter in your tank to maintain the water’s ideal temperature.

10) Creamsicle Sailfin Lyretail Molly

Although not very common, creamsicle lyretail molly is well-liked by fishkeepers due to its look. They provide excellent eye relief for a communal tank.

This fish typically has a pale orange or cream color. The belly region of this fish has a white tinge. These fish can get along splendidly with platyfish in an aquarium with plants.

The character of creamsicle lyretail molly is a little bit forceful. Therefore, you must provide them with plenty of swimming room. The most crucial thing about these fish is that they just grab food and hang out for a while.

In the tank, these fish resemble little butterflies. They prefer to remain directly beneath the aerated plants. So you need to add some Amazon frogbit or duckweed for them.