Platy, Molly, F. Swordtail?

[mhoward1999]

Hi all! Got a question. How do you tell these fish apart? I don't know. I would really like to be able to make my purchases more informedly (is that a word?) that I currently am. Also, I am under the understanding that swordtails will cross with platys but not with mollys. Is that true?

 

[kris-b-]

Doesn't it say in your fish shop when you goto buy fish??

anyways, have a look at this site to see what the different fish are:

http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/livebear...blthumblive.htm

 

[mhoward1999]

I have learned the hard way not to trust the labels in pet stores, nor to believe everything a pet store employee tells me. I need to know for myself how to tell them apart.

 

[Annastasia]

Yes, Swordtails can breed with Platies, and neither can breed with Mollies. You are correct. What exact fish do you want to figure out how to tell apart? If you look at pictures on Google and various websites, you'll soon be able to tell the difference. However, if you tell me the exact ones, I might be able to give you some tips.

 

[Lynden]

Nowadays, I have no difficulty telling livebearers apart.


Swordtails and Platies are under the genus Xiphophorus, and Mollies are under the genus Poecilia. So, without deoxyribonucleic acid splicing, crossing them is theoretically impossible. Notice i said theoretically *wink wink*

 

[mhoward1999]

I need to know how to tell the three I listed in my title apart. To me, the only way I can imagine telling them apart is by color, but with the breeding technology we have today, I don't expect that would be a reliable way.

Thanks for being so helpful!

 

[Annastasia]

Mostly size, and body shape.

Platy:

Swordie female:

Your basic, regular Molly. There are lots of kinds, but since you didn't specify, I'll give you the normal:

As you can see, Platies tend to be a little shorter (Most only get to 2") and fatter. Swordtails can get to 4", and they tend to be longer, and thinner. Mollies also tend to be bigger, just everywhere. Not quite as refined as the first two. The best bet for you is to just keep looking at pictures everyone, Google, fish websites, people's fish pictures on here....eventually, you'll be able to tell them apart, no problem. They just have subtle little differences that take a little while to pick out.

 

[mhoward1999]

Thanks for your help and posting the pics. I will keep trying to learn. If anyone has any tricks to tell them apart I'd really appreciate it. I understand that Mollys get big, and I obviously can tell a sailfin Molly immediately, but one issue is that they are usually jeuveniles when you get them at the pet store. That makes it hard to tell by size....

P.S. Are Mollys ever orange? Are platys ever black/black with silver motteling?

 

[paulthegreat]

Male Swordtails have a sword-like tail ) of course you probably already knew this. I have noticed that in my females they seem to have a wave in their tail. When observed from top to bottom the tail goes in a little and then back out near the bottom as if there was a beginning of a Sword. Look at the posted picture of Anna's and you can see it clearly. Where as the others have a rounded tail.

 

[mhoward1999]

Ahh! That's a very helpful tip. Is that true of all female swordtails?

 

[paulthegreat]

Probably not in the case of the lyretails but my oranges and blacks all have had that form. Probably due to that Swordie males do not develop into males untill they are about 75% of their mature size and in some cases they can turn male at a later stage even after being fully mature. These are most likely to be sterile males though.

 

[mhoward1999]

verrrry verrrry interrrrresting! I never knew that.