- Sku: FW1-F4247
- Vendor: Squeaky's Aquatics
Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)
Your order is reserved — we hold off on bagging until you arrive, so it stays healthy in its display tank.
The Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna) is a hardy, peaceful livebearer best known for the males' towering "sailfin" dorsal. Color phases we carry rotate through the classic palette — silver, dalmatian, marbled green, and gold — so each shipment is a colorful, beginner-friendly addition to a community tank. Note that mollies thrive in hard, alkaline water and can even adapt to brackish setups. Browse our other freshwater livestock to round out a compatible community.
Care Guide
- Minimum tank size: 30 gallons. Sailfin Mollies are bigger than common short-finned mollies and need swimming room — long tanks beat tall ones.
- Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C).
- pH: 7.5–8.5 — they thrive in hard, alkaline water. Avoid acidic blackwater setups.
- Hardness: Moderately hard to hard (10–25 dGH). A pinch of aquarium salt or marine salt is welcomed but not required.
- Diet: Omnivore leaning herbivore. Offer a high-quality tropical flake daily, plus blanched zucchini, spirulina, or algae wafers 2–3 times a week. Bloodworms and brine shrimp work as treats.
- Stocking ratio: Keep more females than males (2–3 females per male) to spread out the male's attention and prevent harassment.
- Livebearer: Mollies are prolific live-bearers. If you don't want fry, plan to rehome them or expect natural attrition in a community tank.
- Brackish capable: Sailfins are one of the most salt-tolerant livebearers and can be slowly acclimated up to low-end brackish (SG 1.005–1.012) if desired.
Specifications
| Common Name | Sailfin Molly (assorted colors) |
| Scientific Name | Poecilia latipinna |
| Family | Poeciliidae (livebearers) |
| Origin | SE United States & Mexico — coastal & brackish wetlands |
| Care Level | Beginner-friendly |
| Diet | Omnivore — flake + veggie supplements + occasional protein |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
| Adult Size | 4–6 in (10–15 cm), males show a tall sail dorsal |
| Water Type | Freshwater (hard/alkaline) or brackish |
Compatibility & Tank Mates
Sailfin Mollies are peaceful in community setups with calm tank mates that share their water preferences. Avoid aggressive fin-nippers and very soft-water species.
- Other livebearers — Bumble Bee Platy, Red Wag Platy, Peppermint Platy
- Calm schoolers — Zebra Danio, Black Emperor Tetra, Bleeding Heart Tetra
- Bottom dwellers — Panda Corydoras, Orange Laser Corydoras, Kuhli Loach
- Peaceful cichlids — Bolivian Ram (if pH overlap allows)
- Nerite snails, ramshorn snails (legal in GA — avoid mystery/apple snails)
Avoid: Male bettas, aggressive cichlids, tiger barbs and other nippers, and very acidic-water specialists like discus or wild Apistos.
Recommended Foods & Supplies
- Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flake — high-protein staple flake
- Seachem Prime Water Conditioner — dechlorinator for every water change
- Live freshwater plants — broadleaf and grass plants for cover; mollies graze biofilm off leaves
- All freshwater foods — rotate spirulina flake, algae wafers, frozen brine for color and gut health
FAQ
Will I get fry?
Almost certainly. Mollies are livebearers and breed readily in good conditions. Hidden fry survive better in heavily planted tanks; otherwise most are eaten by tank mates and adults.
Do I need salt in the water?
No — Sailfin Mollies do fine in straight fresh water as long as it's hard and alkaline. A pinch of aquarium salt won't hurt and can help with stress, but it's optional.
Why do my mollies look pale or have clamped fins?
Usually a water quality or hardness issue. Mollies struggle in soft, acidic water — test pH and GH and adjust toward 7.5–8.5 / 10–25 dGH. Stable parameters fix most "molly diseases" before they start.
Can I pick the colors?
We rotate stock by what arrives from our suppliers — silver, dalmatian, marbled green, and gold are common. Come in and we'll show you what's swimming in the display.
Have a question?
Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)
