Species · Poecilia sphenops

Molly: tank size, water and tank mates

Needs hard alkaline water; not ideal for soft-water communities. Balloon/lyretail varieties share care.

Adult size8 cm (3.1 in)
Minimum tank30 US gal
Temperature21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
pH7–8.5
Temperamentpeaceful
Keep in groups of3+
Swimsmid
Shrimp & snailsCaution

Check a tank with Molly

Good tank mates for Molly

These species share its temperature range and temperament, with no fin-nipping or predation risk under our rules. Still check your tank size and bioload in the checker.

African butterflyfish · African dwarf frog · Agassiz's dwarf cichlid · Angelfish · Banjo catfish · Betta (male) · Black neon tetra · Black phantom tetra · Black ruby barb · Black skirt tetra · Bleeding heart tetra · Bloodfin tetra · Boeseman's rainbowfish · Bristlenose pleco · Bronze corydoras · Buenos Aires tetra · Bumblebee goby · Celestial pearl danio · Checkerboard barb · Cherry barb · Chili rasbora · Clown killifish · Clown pleco · Colombian tetra

Avoid with Molly

Black ghost knifefish (predation) · Convict cichlid (aggression) · Demasoni cichlid (aggression) · Jack Dempsey (aggression) · Jewel cichlid (aggression) · Oscar (predation) · Paradise fish (aggression) · Pea puffer (aggression) · Senegal bichir (predation)

Sources

Checked 2026-11-09 · confidence: medium. These are cautious community guidelines, not guarantees. Not veterinary advice. Report an error.