Molly Guppy X Breeding

mlowe22

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 31, 2007
17
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Michigan
I have recently read that Mollies can be bred with Guppies. I am hoping to try it but was wondering if anyone has any experience in doing this. I know you should only breed the male guppies with female mollies but is there anything else I should know? I am not looking to sell these. It's just for interest/experience. Any information you have would be helpful! Thank you!
 

bigspizz

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 20, 2007
8,114
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92
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Having 23 tanks under 55 gallons is a waste of time....:popcorn: Go for it and I would love to see this done.
 

Alistriwen

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Im assuming the above posters know nothing about the subject or otherwise would have refrained from making those comments. Yes, you can cross the two species. If you cross a male molly with a female guppy you will kill your guppy. If you cross a female molly with a male guppy you MIGHT get fry and some MIGHT survive and they MIGHT not have the genetic defects common in such a cross but you won't EVER be able to produce viable offspring from the crosses themselves as they are essentially mules, and those that have been successfully bred have never survived to produce a viable breeding population which is why you don't see Gollies in the stores everywhere.

So good luck with this if you want to take it on, but I'm going to stick with my initial opinion that it is not worth your time. If you're looking to create interesting hybrids, try some africans or cross different coloured guppies or even do endler X guppy crosses although you will incur the wrath of the livebearer purists for doing so.

As for my tanks.. they pay for themselves and are damn near turning a profit and they keep me busy and happy. I'd say they're worth my time thanks.
 

bigspizz

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 20, 2007
8,114
13
92
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Alistriwen;1429988; said:
Im assuming the above posters know nothing about the subject or otherwise would have refrained from making those comments. Yes, you can cross the two species. If you cross a male molly with a female guppy you will kill your guppy. If you cross a female molly with a male guppy you MIGHT get fry and some MIGHT survive and they MIGHT not have the genetic defects common in such a cross but you won't EVER be able to produce viable offspring from the crosses themselves as they are essentially mules, and those that have been successfully bred have never survived to produce a viable breeding population which is why you don't see Gollies in the stores everywhere.

So good luck with this if you want to take it on, but I'm going to stick with my initial opinion that it is not worth your time. If you're looking to create interesting hybrids, try some africans or cross different coloured guppies or even do endler X guppy crosses although you will incur the wrath of the livebearer purists for doing so.

As for my tanks.. they pay for themselves and are damn near turning a profit and they keep me busy and happy. I'd say they're worth my time thanks.



Much better INPUT....:) Explain why it is not worth his time in your personal opinion. I have no problem with the above post when compared to your previous one...
 

Druu

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 16, 2007
4,135
5
0
Notre Dame, IN
Different genus. You might as well try to create a child with a female gorilla. Don't let a male gorilla try with a female human though- the larger male might be too aggressive.
 

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
Both are Poecilia.. As stated in several articals when Mollies were changed to poecilia, they are able to breed.. the viability of the offspring is in question however. Also, there are several cases documented of crosses both ways. The problem at hand is the are indeed mules and most have other severe issues. They have been attempted thousands and thousands of times.. still no luck as far as I've seen for a viable fish. If you want to spend the kind of effort in breeding something like that why not spend the effort on a viable fish that can atleast pay for itself... Line Breed guppies.. shurg
 

Mystix212

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jun 27, 2007
4,991
6
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Brisbane, Australia
Guppies and Mollies are both in Poecilia, Swords and Platy's are Xiphophorus. I dont know about Swords and Platy's cross-breeding but I'd give it your best shot with the Gups and Moles.
 

Rivermud

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 14, 2007
980
14
48
Idaho
Platys and Swords crossbreed quite readilly. Guppies and Mollies do breed, but the breeding results are not worth the effort. I've seen some pictures of some nice looking fry from a Male Molly X Female Guppy cross.. however they did not survive. Infact I have only heard of a few of these ever surviving from either type of cross male to female or female to male.
 
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