All fish / Poeciliidae

Elegant molly

Poecilia elegans

Also known as elegant limia, limia elegans, hispaniolan molly

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This is a small, slim livebearer from Hispaniola, closely related to the limias. It has a silvery to olive body with dark spots or flecks, and males often show yellowish fins. It is mostly kept by livebearer enthusiasts who want to maintain rare Caribbean species.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7 to 8.2

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

Group of 6 or more, with more females than males

Diet

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

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

2 to 4 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti)

Breeding

It is a livebearer: females give birth to small numbers of fully formed fry after a gestation of about four weeks. Breeding is straightforward in a well-planted tank with hard, alkaline water, and dense plants help the fry escape being eaten by the adults.

Good to know

It is rarely sold, so most stock moves between specialist keepers. It looks similar to Limia and Poecilia hispaniolana, and these should not be kept together, as hybrids would contaminate the line.