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Black Lyretail Molly
Poecilia sphenops
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii
Variety of Molly · black lyretail
📍 Mexico
A doubly selected variety combining solid jet-black coloration with an elegant, elongated lyretail fin shape where the upper and lower rays extend into points. Hardy and adaptable like standard mollies, it benefits from slightly brackish water and a diet supplemented with algae.
Care Guide
Diet
Black Lyretail Mollies are omnivorous and should receive high-quality flake food or pellets as a staple, supplemented 2-3 times weekly with blanched vegetables like spinach, zucchini, and algae wafers. They benefit from occasional frozen foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia. Feed small amounts once daily, only what they can consume in 2-3 minutes.
Behavior
These peaceful, active fish are strong swimmers that prefer the mid-water column and spend much of their day grazing and exploring. They are social and should be kept in groups of at least 3 to reduce stress and encourage natural schooling behavior. Males may display mild territorial behavior toward each other, but aggression is minimal compared to other molly varieties.
Breeding
Black Lyretail Mollies are livebearers that breed readily in captivity with minimal intervention; females produce 20-100 fry every 4-6 weeks once mature. Provide dense vegetation or breeding boxes to protect fry from predation by adults. Breeding is easy but population control may be necessary in established tanks.
Tank Mates
Similar size, peaceful temperament, and identical water parameter requirements make them ideal companions
Fellow livebearers with matching water needs and compatible peaceful behavior
Small algae-eaters that stay in lower water zones and appreciate the slightly brackish conditions mollies prefer
Peaceful invertebrates that help control algae and occupy different ecological niches
Smaller livebearers with similar water requirements and peaceful disposition
Common Diseases
Fin Rot
Frayed, disintegrating fins; white or black edges on fin margins; lethargy
Perform 25% water changes every 2-3 days, improve water quality, and treat with aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon) or antibacterial medication if severe
Ich (White Spot Disease)
White spots covering body and fins; excessive scratching against objects; rapid breathing
Raise temperature gradually to 28-30°C (82-86°F), perform daily water changes, and treat with ich medication or aquarium salt for 7-10 days
Velvet Disease
Fine golden or rust-colored dust on body; clamped fins; loss of appetite; rapid gill movement
Darken the tank, raise temperature to 28°C (82°F), and treat with copper-based medication or methylene blue following product instructions
Dropsy
Bloated abdomen; scales standing out like a pinecone; lethargy; loss of appetite
Isolate affected fish, perform frequent water changes, feed high-quality foods, and treat with antibiotics if bacterial; prognosis is often poor
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Varieties
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Water it likes
- ph
- 7.0–8.5
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- temperature
- 70–82°F (21–28°C)