All fish / Poeciliidae

Petén Molly

Poecilia petenensis

Also known as peten molly, peten sailfin molly, spike-tail molly, petenensis molly, sailfin molly peten, ペテンモーリー, 佩滕帆鳍玛丽

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A large wild sailfin molly from Lake Petén Itzá and nearby waters, with a silvery body marked by rows of iridescent spots. Mature males raise a tall dorsal fin edged in orange and develop a pointed lower tail tip, which makes them striking display fish for keepers who like natural, unselected livebearers.

Care at a glance

Care level: Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult size: 10 cm
Temperature: 24 to 30 °C
pH: 7.5 to 8.5
Smallest tank: 150 litres
Keep as: Group of 5 or more, more females than males
Diet: Omnivore: algae and vegetable matter, spirulina flakes, blanched greens and small live or frozen foods
Swims: Top of the tank
Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
Water: Freshwater
Wild range: Guatemala, Belize and Mexico (Lake Petén Itzá and the Yucatán Peninsula)

Breeding

A livebearer: females give birth to fully formed young after about four weeks of gestation. Breeding is easy in hard, warm water with plenty of plants for fry to hide, though adults may eat some young.

Good to know

Needs hard, alkaline water and plenty of vegetable food to stay healthy, and males only show full sails in roomy tanks. Often confused with Poecilia velifera and P. latipinna, and many traded fish are hybrids.