When Do Mollies Develop The Lyretail?

[EgoFumPapa]

I have a lot of gold panda lyretail mollies. I have them all separated into their own tanks (adult, juvenille, fry). All of the adults are lyretails, they have given birth multiple times over the past few months. All of the babies have yet to develop the lyretail, instead they have the regular rounded tail fin. The oldest are about 4 months old. When does the lyretail develop? I've read many conflicting opinions on this. Does anyone here have experience with this? Thanks.

 

[Chad]

I can understand why there are conflicting opinions. I've had these and some of the fry never developed the tail. Those that did develop it did so at sexual maturity or thereabouts. I think you are likely to keep getting differing opinions though.

 

[EgoFumPapa]

Thanks for the reply. That's kind of a bummer, would love if they were all lyretails. At about what time are they sexually mature in terms of months? Is this the same time that you are able to distinguish sex? They all look like females as of now, which I know is normal. Thanks.

 

[Chad]

It doesn't take long, about two months or so. After about four months they are full grown.