Molly Or Platy?

Althamon · May 2, 2011

I am unsure if this is a Molly as to me the fin is too small on the back (only saying as my 2 Dalmatians have long fins) and the male is paying no interest in it and from some pics I have seen it looks more like a platy to me.

I bought her to see if I could get orange and black dalmatians for something a little different, as well as to replace my other female Molly who sadly passed with no warning as I didn't want the male to harass the bigger female.

Sorry about quality of pic as misplaced my camera and using my iPod touch.

MBOU · May 2, 2011

Thats bizarre!! It doesnt look like either but looks a bit like both!

Got a face bit like a molly, body like a platy but its too long to be a platy..

Could in be a female swordtail? :unsure:

StandbySetting · May 2, 2011

It could be a Platy x Swordtail hybrid, a lot of the commercially bred stock is, I think the only way of getting a 100% ID would be to count the dorsal spines, I think they vary between species under the Poecilia and Xiphophorous Genera, I could be wrong but you're best off asking on the Live Bearers board.

MBOU · May 2, 2011

could be! its eyes and face look swordtail/molly like and the rest of the body like an elongated platy lol.

Althamon · May 2, 2011

Thanks for helping to confuse me further lol, but if she is a hybrid she won't be able to breed and also means the male Molly may be a handful if the situation stays the same, but if she is a swordtail cross her top fin is too small and similar size to some platies i saw today. I have had her a couple of days and been confused ever since I realised the male molly ignored her from the instant she was added.

StandbySetting · May 2, 2011

Swordtail x Platy hybrids are capable of breeding, the offspring are fertile, what did you buy it as?

Althamon · May 2, 2011

I wasnt aware they would be viable so took a guess they weren't.

I bought her as a molly as the lfs had a tank of mixed orange (as above) and orange and black, dalmatian, and balloons all separate tanks so I thought I could breed her with my dalmation since I assumed she was a molly and wasnt told otherwise.