All fish / Poeciliidae

Pacific molly

Poecilia butleri

Also known as butler's molly, pacific mollie, butleri molly, 太平洋玛丽鱼

The Pacific molly is a short-finned wild molly with a silvery to olive body. Males often show orange edging on the fins and rows of small spots. It is kept by livebearer enthusiasts who want a hardy, natural-looking molly that grazes on algae and fits a planted community tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

6 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8.2

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, more females than males

Diet

Omnivore: algae, vegetable flakes, spirulina, small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Pacific slope of Mexico to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras

Breeding

It is a livebearer. Females give birth to fully formed fry roughly every four weeks, and it breeds readily in captivity. Dense plants give the fry cover from adults.

Good to know

Hard, alkaline water suits it best, and it may tolerate some salt. Keep it away from other short-finned mollies such as P. mexicana and P. sphenops, as they hybridise easily and the wild stocks get muddled.