Spreading the Molly Love

[48 year-old rookie]

New to the hobby. I started with a 10 gallon about 6 months ago, 6 neons and 2 Balloon Mollies. Last month a transferred them to a new 29 gallon and added 5 more neons and a clown pleco a couple weeks ago.

My male Balloon molly is chasing the female all over. Can't find any more balloons in my area. Will adding a couple standard female mollies (not balloon mollies) give her a break?

Thank You

[Andrew Geiger]

YES, I believe it would. I personally think you could even mix in female platys to dither him a bit if you don't want hybridized breeding.

edit: Guppies will interbreed with mollies just so you know.

Edited November 2, 2020 by Andrew Geiger

[yannachka]

1 hour ago, Andrew Geiger said:

YES, I believe it would. I personally think you could even mix in female platys to dither him a bit if you don't want hybridized breeding.

edit: Guppies will interbreed with mollies just so you know.

i dont think that is true, guppies and mollies are two completely different species and i have never heard of them hybridizing. 

[Daniel]

Guppies and mollies are closely related enough to interbreed, but and this a big but, as far as I know, no one has ever gotten fertile offspring from this cross.

They are called either muppies or gollies, depending who the dad is.

[yannachka]

1 hour ago, Daniel said:

Guppies and mollies are closely related enough to interbreed, but and this a big but, as far as I know, no one has ever gotten fertile offspring from this cross.

They are called either muppies or gollies, depending who the dad is.

that's crazy, TIL! ive kept both together many many times and have never experienced this or had anyone i know personally have them hybridize either.

[Andrew Geiger]

Yup, they think that they may have originally derived from similar or the same exact species. And that selective breeding brought them further apart in characteristics. I too, have personally never seen it. But they are in the same family, so I'd imagine its possible.  

From a compilation of what Ive heard, "It's more likely when a male doesn't have a female of the same type. Not many live. Probably sterile fry. And chances are that they have weakened immune systems."