Mike’s Fish Tank – Tropical Fish

Here is some information about some of the most common live-bearing tropical fish:

Mollies are a genus of fish in the family Poeciliidae. They are native to fresh, brackish and salt water in the Americas. Mollies are Live-bearers. They come in several different colors and spot patterns, such as black, white, black and white spots, orange, orange and white spots.

Mollies have been kept successfully in freshwater, brackish, and saltwater conditions, although the last is not recommended for the novice aquarist. Mollies need to live in water that is (77 to 82 °F). Along with their platy cousins, the mollies are part of a pivotal aquaculture group of livebearers, which can live in water from fresh to fully marine, and a wide range of other conditions. They feed on smaller insects, animals, and vegetation.

Platies are native to the east coast of Central America and southern Mexico. Most platies now sold in aquariums are hybrids of southern platyfish and the variatus platy. The male’s caudal fin is more pointed, and the anal fin of the male fish has evolved into a gonopodium, a stick-shaped organ used for  reproduction. Platies are  widely used in tropical aquaria. There are several different colors of platy available. They are considered easy to care for, thus a good starting point for beginners. They are common in community tanks because of their hardiness and non-aggressive nature.

The green swordtail, is a live-bearer, it is closely related to the southern platyfish or “platy”  and can crossbreed with them. It is native to an area of North and Central America stretching from Veracruz, Mexico, to northwestern Honduras. The green swordtail prefers swift-flowing, heavily-vegetated rivers and streams, but is also found in warm springs and canals. Omnivorous, its diet includes both plants and  small crustaceans, insects, and blood worms. Captive breeding has produced many color varieties of swordtails including black, red, and
many patterns thereof, for the aquarium hobby.