Information will be coming soon

Originally posted 2009-11-05 03:14:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Poeciliidiae

Distribution: Poecilia latipinna, or Sailfin Molly, is a North American species found from the Cape Fear drainage in North Carolina, to Veracruz, Mexico.  It is distributed in gently flowing, warm water, often in ponds, lakes, and vegetated backwaters.

PH: 6.0 – 7.0

Temperature: 22°C – 24°C (72 – 75F)

Hardness: 4 – 8 dH

Description: Poecilia latipinna can reach up to 11 cm in length.  This peaceful species has a light grey body, but some males may be a green-blue hue.  It has several spots that run along its back, sides and dorsal fin.  It has a distinctive oblong shape, a small, dorsally flattened head and a tiny upturned mouth. Males have an enlarged – and colourful – dorsal fin; females are generally larger and plainer in their colouration.  Female Poecilia latipinnas can live for up to three years if kept correctly; males usually last only one year.

Diet: While primarily a herbivore, Sailfin Molly will accept bloodworms as a special treat.  You can feed it a staple diet of vegetable matter, pellets or flake, with algae wafers on a weekly basis. 

Breeding: Males fertilise the eggs of the female internally; females will have a gestation period of around four weeks.  Broods are usually around 10 – 140, and females may store the male’s sperm long after it dies.  The fry can be given crushed flake or brine shrimp, and will require some plant life for shelter if housed in a community tank.

Comments: Poecilia latipinna will require at least a 20 gallon tank.  You should provide plenty of plants and hiding places for pregnant females.  Sailfin Molly has a preference for slightly brackish waters; it will thrive in this environment. This species is highly recommended to newcomers to the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Sailfin Molly will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-17 21:17:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Poeciliidiae

Distribution: Poecilia velifera, known also as Sailfin Molly, is a benthopelagic, Central American species distributed in the Yucatan-Quintana Roo and lower Usumacinto-Laguna de Terminos systems.   

PH: 8.0

Temperature: 25°C – 28°C (77 – 82F)

Hardness: 13 – 19 dH

Description: Poecilia velifera can reach up to 15 cm in length; females can grow even larger.  It is very similar in appearance to Poecilia latipinna, save for the Sailfin Molly’s dorsal fin markings, which are small, light and round as opposed to dark and rectangular. This beautiful fish has blue-green sides with green, silver or pale blue dots.  The dots are interspersed with dark blue to copper colour bands; these reach down to the caudal fin.  Females have a less intense colouration to males.

Diet: Poecilia velifera can be fed a varied diet of flake, live-food and freeze-dried food.  You should supplement the live and flake food with some plant material to keep it healthy. 

Breeding: Poecilia velifera is a livebearing species and therefore very easy to breed.  You might like to add a little bit of aquarium salt to aid the spawning process.  You can ease the stress on the female by having one male to every three females when attempting to spawn.  Females can store the male’s sperm for a length period of time; multiple sets of fry can be born from one fertilisation.  As with Poecilia sphenops, you should separate the adults from the young fry because they have been known to cannibalise their young.

Comments: This top-middle dwelling species will require at least a 20 gallon tank.  You should provide plenty of plants and hiding places for spawning.  This species will get sick if kept in an entirely salt-free environment; one teaspoon of salt to two gallons of water is sufficient.  Poecilia velifera can tolerate lower temperatures but you should beep the temperature at the measurements listed above.  This species is easy to breed and is therefore highly recommended to beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Sailfin Molly will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Originally posted 2010-01-17 21:26:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Information on Xiphophorus maculatus (Platy) will be coming soon.

Originally posted 2010-04-29 22:46:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Poeciliidiae

Distribution: Poecilia sphenops, known also as Molly, is a benthopelagic, non-migratory species found in the Americas, from Mexico to Columbia.   

PH: 7.5 – 8.5

Temperature: 18°C – 28°C (64 – 82F)

Hardness: 11 – 30 dH

Description: Poecilia sphenops can get up to 6 cm in length; its common length is around 4 cm. It has a reasonably thick-set body, black in colouration, and fins that are rounded, not elongated.  Males are slender and have a modified anal fin; females are more rounded.  This species has a life expectancy of 3 – 5 years.

Diet: Poecilia reticulata can be fed a varied diet of flake, live-food and freeze-dried food.  Its diet should consist primarily of flake foods with the occasional helping of live foods and frozen foods. 

Breeding: Poecilia sphenops is a livebearing species, which makes breeding easy.  You might like to add a little bit of aquarium salt to aid the spawning process.  You can ease the stress on the female by having one male to every two females when attempting to spawn.  It would be a good idea to separate the adults from the young fry – or provide plenty of dense planting in your tank as hiding spaces – because they will prey on the youngsters.

Comments: Poecilia latipinna will require at least a 15 gallon tank.  You should provide plenty of plants and hiding places for spawning.  This species will get sick if kept in an entirely salt-free environment; you will know the fish is sick if it begins to swim erratically.  This species is easy to breed and is therefore highly recommended to beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Molly will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, CorydorasCatfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami(such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium

Family: Poeciliidiae

Distribution: Poecilia reticulata, known also as Guppy, is a benthopelagic species found in Venezuela, northern Brazil, Barbados, and Trinidad.  It is usually distributed in warm springs and weedy ditches; it inhabits slow-flowing or still waters.

PH: 7.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 18°C – 28°C (64 – 82F)

Hardness: 9 – 19 dH

Description: Poecilia reticulata males can get up to 3.5 cm in length; females are much larger with a maximum of 6 cm.  Wild-type females are grey; males have splashes, stripes of spots that range in colours – yellow, orange, black, red, blue and purple.  This species has a life expectancy of about two years.

Diet: Poecilia reticulata can be fed any type of fish food; you should feed it once or twice a day at best.  Guppies will enjoy live food – particularly important for successful breeding – and you can offer them algae and liver flakes as a supplement. 

Breeding: Poecilia reticulata breed in pairs.  Once the female is inseminated, she will display an enlarged, darkened area near the anus; you may even see the eyes of the fry through the translucent skin in this area during that time.  The Guppy will require a temperature of around 27°C for reproduction.  The female usually has about 5 – 30 fry, but can reach up to 100.  You will need to put plants in your tank to catch the eggs; the young fry, once hatched, will take one to two months to reach maturity.

Comments: Poecilia latipinna will require at least a five gallon tank.  You should provide plenty of plants and hiding places for spawning, as well as ensure you have a slow water flow in your tank.  This species is a prolific breeder and quite a hardy creature; it is highly recommended to beginners.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Guppy is compatible with most peaceful species; They will live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Fish Tropical Fish Aquariums Fish experts Aquarium