Do you have a freshwater aquarium and you are looking for the right fishes? Among the many species of freshwater fishes there is the Black Molly. Unmistakable because of its velvety black color, he is not really the easiest to breed. Let’s find out how to care for the Black Molly.
Characteristics of the Black Molly
The Black Molly fish is the black breeding variety of Poecilia sphenops, which originates from Central and South America. These intensely black fish are the result of mutations, as they were originally blue. They are 6 to 10 cm long. There are specimens with a small, round, long or sail-shaped dorsal fin. This species has an obvious sexual dimorphism. As a matter of fact, males are smaller and slenderer, while females can reach up to 12 cm.
Raising Black Molly fish
Black Mollies like to live in warm water and can be sensitive to changes in temperature and water hardness. For this reason, it’s important that the aquarium temperature remains constant, at around 24°C to 28°C.
Regarding the ideal aquarium for Black Molly fish, it’s best to opt for a model with a capacity of at least 100 litres for a group of 5-6 individuals. The glass aquarium Capri 80 Led by Ferplast is ideal for breeding these specimens. The solid tank has a capacity of 100 litres and the glass is 6 mm thick. It features a watertight cover tested to resist humidity and splashing water. It’s complete with a Bluwave 03 filter, which guarantees excellent integral filtration. Black Molly fish is a versatile fish as it’s suitable for both fresh and salt water and is very easy to handle and clean.
As for the set-up, it should be composed of sand, some wood or roots and many aquatic plants.
What the Black Molly eats
In its habitat, this fish eats mainly algae and some plants, but he does not despise small insects and crustaceans. In the aquarium, it is enough to feed him with vegetable-based foods (green in colour), supplemented with algae and fresh vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, courgettes, cucumbers, sliced and/or blanched peas.
Fish compatible with the Black Molly
The Black Molly is a peaceful fish that gets along with equally peaceful fishes. These include, for example, guppies, platys, corydoras, scalaria, characins and dwarf gourami. However, he can become shy with larger characoids and cichlids.
If you are looking for fish to populate your aquarium, the Black Molly fish will win you over. Velvety black in color, tame and fond of vegetables.