Although
Innes included the liberty molly in Exotic Aquarium Fishes, most subsequent writers have
regarded it as a mere variety of Poecilia sphenops, the common molly. Only recently has
the liberty molly been recognized as something distinct, and this very pretty
livebearer is now increasingly regularly traded.
This
species has very lovely colors. Both sexes are silvery white with orange and
blue speckles, but while the females have rather weak colors on their fins, the
males have fins that are boldly marked with black, neon blue, and either
burgundy or yellow depending on the morph. The burgundy one is most often
traded, and the combination of red, white, and blue is presumably where the
liberty molly name comes from. Coloration improves with age, and older,
dominant males have large, almost sail-like dorsal fins and intense coloration.
But while
the small livebearers mentioned so far have been more or less peaceful,
community-safe fish, the liberty molly can be very nippy and aggressive.
Actually, most other kinds of mollies can be quite nasty toward their tankmates
as well, something beginners often learn the hard way. While liberty mollies
are supremely attractive fish in many ways, they aren’t for everyone, and
they’re definitely best kept alone in a tank of their own.
Males will
fight relentlessly in small tanks, and if there are only two males in the
group, the weaker one will likely be bullied to death. Keep liberty mollies in
groups where females outnumber males two to one, and keep either just a single
male or at least three.
As with all
mollies, this species is primarily herbivorous and does well on algae-based
flake food. Their maximum length is about 3 inches, with males being generally
smaller than females. A 30-gallon tank should be adequate for a group of three
males and six females. Like most other mollies, this species is jumpy and
shouldn’t be kept in an open-top aquarium. - Neale Monks
