Species Profile
Molly
Poecilia sphenops
Also known as: Short-fin Molly, Common Molly, Black Molly
Livebearerspeaceful
Adult size
4″
Minimum tank
20 gal
Temperature
72–82°F
pH
7.5–8.5
Schooling
Group of 3+
Water level
mid
Diet
Flake, veggie, algae
Notes
Robust livebearer that does best in hard, alkaline water with some salt; many keepers run them in low-end brackish. Wants veggie-heavy diet and algae to graze. Common-strain mollies are hardy, sailfins and balloon mollies are more delicate.
Compatible Tankmates
Best tank mates for Molly
Every species below passes the compatibility engine when paired with Mollyin a suitably sized tank. Verdicts come from the same rules the builder uses — click a card to see that species' own care profile and its tank mates in turn.
Harlequin Rasbora
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Zebra Danio
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Fancy Guppy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Platy
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Swordtail
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Male Betta
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Dwarf Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Honey Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Pearl Gourami
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bolivian Ram
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Angelfish
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Bristlenose Pleco
ExcellentPeaceful pairing — temperament, water parameters, and size all line up.
Photo: Marrabbio / Wikimedia Commons · Source · CC-BY-SA-3.0