If you have guppies and mollies in your tank, then you may be wondering about guppy/molly hybrids. In this article, not only will you find out how to breed guppies and mollies together, but you’ll also learn other must-know information about the hybrids, such as the risks of keeping guppy molly hybrids, and what guppy molly hybrids look like.
So keep reading to find out everything you need to know!
Can Guppies And Mollies Breed?
Yes! It’s entirely possible to breed guppies and mollies together. In fact, if you keep guppies and mollies together in the right conditions, there’s a good chance they’ll breed on their own without your input.
The reason guppies and mollies are able to breed together is because they’re so closely related, and they’re actually both from the same family (Poeciliidae).
What Do Guppy/Molly Hybrids Look Like?
Guppy/molly hybrids can vary massively in how they look due to the breeding process. Generally, though, they’re going to be as large as mollies in size but a bit more decorative, like guppies.
Here’s a video to show you exactly how they’re going to look:
How Do You Breed Guppies With Mollies?
If you’re interested in your own guppy/molly hybrid, then here are the steps you can take to breed them successfully!
Make Sure The Water Temperature Is Correct
First of all, you should make sure that the water temperature is perfect for breeding. The ideal temperature is 78F, as this fits nicely in the temperature both guppies and mollies breed in. However, you can go as high as 82F with a good level of success and as low as 74F.
Make Sure The pH Is Correct
As well as making sure the temperature is correct, you should also make sure that the pH in the tank is perfect for them too! For ideal breeding conditions, you should keep the tank’s water slightly alkaline at 7.5 – 8.0 on the pH scale.
Feed Them Well
While you’re trying to get your fish to breed, you should also make sure you’re feeding them well so they’re less stressed and have enough energy to carry their babies to term. Remember, fish are less likely to breed if they feel like they’re living in scarcity, so good feeding is essential.
Both fish are omnivores, so you should be adding a mix of high-quality proteins and plant matter into your tank.
Choose Suitable Fish
When you’re going to breed these two fish, their offspring are often going to be less healthy. Because of this, you need to make sure you’re breeding high-quality fish. So, try purchasing some from a professional breeder.
And when you’re looking for fish, look for the ones that are brightly colored, lively, and active. These are all signs that the fish are healthy!
Separate Female Mollies Once They’re Pregnant
Once you know that your mollies have become pregnant, it’s time to separate them from the tank. This way, you can make sure they’re in an environment that is going to be less stressful for them, and secondly, it will be much easier to keep an eye on them and their pregnancy throughout the process this way!
Remove The Guppy/Molly Hybrids After Birth
When your mollies have given birth, the last step is to remove them from the tank. If you don’t, then the chances are they may end up eating their fry.
What To Remember When Breeding Mollies And Guppies
If you’re going to breed mollies and guppies together, then there are a few things you’ll need to remember for the health and well-being of your fish.
Use A Large Tank
It’s always a good idea to breed mollies and guppies together in a large tank and give them plenty of places to hide. For fish to breed, they need to feel relaxed and safe. By giving them a large tank with plenty of hiding spaces, you’re providing this to them.
Maintain A Good Molly To Guppy Ratio
You should also make sure you’re keeping the ratio right between the males and females. For every male guppy that you put into the tank, there should be between 2-4 mollies. This way, it’s much less likely that aggression will occur, and breeding is much more likely to happen as well.
Only Breed Female Mollies And Male Guppies
The most important thing you can do is make sure you’re only breeding female mollies and male guppies. Guppies are so much smaller than mollies, so if you breed them the other way around, then it can cause serious harm to your female guppies and can even end up killing them.
Make Sure You’re Removing The Parents From The Tank ASAP
It can’t be stressed enough. You should also make sure you’re removing the parents from the tank as soon as the fry are born to ensure they don’t end up being eaten. Otherwise, you’ll have to breed your fish all over again.
The Fry Won’t Be As Strong
Whenever you’re crossbreeding, the fry will never be as strong as when you’re breeding the same species. Because of this, you should accept that they may not live as long, or if they are born, they may not be as healthy.
The Offspring Will Be Infertile
Also, when you create molly/guppy hybrids, the offsprings are always going to be infertile, so you won’t be able to breed them with each other again.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions people have about breeding guppies and mollies together!
Are Guppy/Molly Hybrids Infertile?
If you breed guppies and mollies together, then their offspring are always going to be infertile, so you won’t be able to breed them again.
How Many Mollies And Guppies Can You Breed At A Time?
As a rule of thumb, you should only keep 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. So how many fish you can breed at a time solely depends on the size of your fish tank! The bigger the tank, the more you’re going to be able to breed at one time.
How Do I Keep Mollies And Guppies Together?
Because mollies and guppies are so similar, keeping them together is actually incredibly easy. You just need to make sure you’re keeping them in a tank which is a minimum of 20 gallons, that the pH and temperature are optimal, there’s a filter, heater, and enough light, and that you’re keeping 1 male to every 3 females.
If you do this, then you’ll have no problem keeping these two fish together.
What Other Fish Will Guppies Crossbreed With?
Guppies can crossbreed with any fish that are in the same family. As well as mollies, you can also try breeding them with Endlers livebearers.
Recap
As you can see, it’s incredibly easy to breed guppies and mollies together, you just need to ensure you’re breeding male guppies with female mollies to keep all your fish healthy!
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