Platy? Or Platy Crossed With Something?

[Spishkey]

never seen one with a tail so pretty so had to have him. do you think its possible he's been crossed with something or is this just a type of platy ive not seen before?

his mrs, also classed as dalmation yet she is yellow, orange, black white and has a green shimmer down both sides.

 

[Corleone]

The first one's a dalmatian or marbled molly, not a platy. The tail is a lyretail, most molly breeds are available with that tail type. I think the second one is a molly as well, probably some kind of mix. I've seen orange and black mixes like that, but not that front/back split. Pretty neat looking.

 

[Spishkey]

they're mollys???

they look the same shape size as platys, same fin shape and everything! wow always though mollys were, erm different! they were even labelled platys! argh!
i know nothing of mollys!!!

 

[Corleone]

They look a lot alike, though there's less overlap in color, and platys come in far more varieties. Mollies get a little bit bigger, but nothing overly huge. The only real difference, if you have soft, acidic water, they may not do well long-term. I have mine in hard water with a pH around 7.6 and he's thriving quite well, struts around like he owns the place, hogs half the food at feeding time, etc. Some of the males have beautiful sail fins. When they're doing well they keep it extended most of the time, mine can put on quite a good show trying to impress the females (I only have the one molly, but he's a hit with the female platys, even if they can't cross breed).

 

[Spishkey]

the female (lower pic) do you think its possible she looks pregnant though? she is very rounded with an almost square shape from behind. she looks like my pregnant platys so wonder if she could be dropping soon?

 

[Corleone]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showto...t&p=2123697

That post shows about how they look when they're going to drop. She's probably pregnant - just like most livebearers, if there's a male around, the females are probably pregnant, but I think she's a ways from dropping yet.

 

[emzyp]

agree- they are both mollies-the dalmation one is a lyretail (sp?)

 

[layne2000]

agree- they are both mollies-the dalmation one is a lyretail (sp?)

I agree too. Both definitely Mollies and the male is a Lyretailed Molly.
Dalmations or Speckled Mollies as we call them in England.
Molliy females spend most of their lives pregnant, but I would say she has a way to go before she pops.

 

[Spishkey]

how long is a long way? one week, two weeks more? i have no idea but would love to save the fry as she could have mated with one of the other 'mollys' in the lfs tank and there was some gorgeous markings in there!!

 

[lilfishie]

there both mollies and to me both female! can you get another pic of the 'male'?

 

[rachael.chesnutt]

I always found that I easily mistake mollies and platies for one another.

 

[5teady_2012]

Both marble mollies (not dalmation) the female with the orange in it is maybe 1 week pregnant, 2 at most.

 

[Corleone]

Out of curiosity, what's the distinction between dalmatian and marbled mollies? I usually see the same patterns mixed together under one name or the other. Is it the orange and brown that some of them have, and dalmatians are all black and white?

 

[5teady_2012]

Out of curiosity, what's the distinction between dalmatian and marbled mollies? I usually see the same patterns mixed together under one name or the other. Is it the orange and brown that some of them have, and dalmatians are all black and white?

Dlamation have more of a spotty look to them, where marble have more of smudge spread look of patches.

 

[Spishkey]

well we were all wrong! mrs molly popped this morning, lots and lots of little baby mollys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


but sadly around a quarter of them are badly disformed and/or not developed (still stuck in a ball shape, you can just see the eyes) but we have about 20 healthy babys



thanks all