Sexing Mollies

Miss Mila

How in the world can I tell a male from female. Is it that obvious and I'm just missing the differences? If you have pictures to help point out the differences I would be appreciative.

Little-Fizz

These aren't my pictures, the easiest way to tell male from female is the gonopodium. In the anal fins, the one in the back will be pointed and sticking backwards in males and the females will be open. Lol worst description ever, but I hope you got the gist of it.

Miss Mila

okay so the females' fin is always out?

Little-Fizz

Yeah pretty much.

fishman09

well the male has a modified anal fin, and the females looks like a normal fin, it closes to, you can see the males is more pointy,

Oldman47

The males fin in the picture is also out as far as it can go. It is shaped sort of like a folded female's fin. My avatar is a male endler, same easy way to sex them.

dylan94

The anal fins is probably the best way to tell the difference between male and female but usually females are fatter and pregnant females can have a gravid spot near their anal fin.

Lovemykids

I bought a Black Molly and the novice I am didn't know it was a girl. I have been looking around the web and found some credibility to the platy and molly possibly cross breeding. I have a Male Mickey Platy and a Femail Black Molly. The Molly has always been a really aggressive eater and I noticed my inital Mickey Platy chasing it quite a bit after a few days of being together. Now the Molly just keeps getting fatter and she has this white anal spot. I don't know what a gravid spot is, but could this be it? I attached some pics. The best I could. Lately she has been very aggressive chasing the other fish in the tank when feeding time comes. I have had fish with ick and this doesn't look like ick at all. She's not hiding or rubbing herself against the rocks and the spot is right where she goes to the bathroom. Tank info: 10 gallon, some salt, weekly water changes. 1 zebra danio, 3 tetras, snail, african frog, platy, molly. Can you tell me if she looks pregnant. What do I do if she is? I am freaking out. I bought this tank for my daughter's 6th birthday and now I am a vet and a chemist all in one :).

Attached Images

	Black Molly Blurry.JPG (97.1 KB, 79 views)
	Black Molly Side Shot.jpg (80.4 KB, 79 views)
	Black Molly Side View.jpg (97.5 KB, 76 views)
	Black Molly White Anal Spot.jpg (93.4 KB, 83 views)
	Blurry Shot of White Anal Spot.jpg (83.0 KB, 81 views)

Oldman47

She may be pregnant but unlikely to deliver before the end of February by the looks of her. She will not cross with a platy no matter how much misinformation you find on the web. A molly can carry sperm packets and keep producing fry for about 6 months with no compatible males around so that may be where the stories come from.
This is one of my mollies the day she gave birth.



This is the same female 5 weeks later, 2 days ago, and she is getting close to delivering her next batch of fry. The only adult fish in her tank are the female herself so there is no way she could have received sperm from anyone else.



The shape of her belly has definitely become more square looking in the last 5 weeks and she is larger than she was a few weeks ago. I go by the size and shape of the fish's belly when trying to decide how close they may be to delivering. The mossy looking stuff behind the female in the second picture is called java moss. It provides a good hiding place for new born fry to hide. This female has been living with her fry since they were born.