Lyretail Red Leopard Molly
Lyretail Red Leopard Molly
Species: Poecilia sphenops
Growth Form: Livebearer
Colouration: Red, Orange, Silver & Black Leopard Pattern with Lyretail
Temperament: Peaceful
Tank Size: Minimum 20 Gallons
Placement: Middle to Upper
Lighting: Low to Moderate
Flow: Low to Moderate
Diet: Omnivore – Flakes, Pellets, Spirulina, Algae Wafers, Brine Shrimp & Bloodworms
Feeding: 1–2 Times Daily
Care Level: Easy
Special Notes: Hardy community fish that prefers moderately hard to hard, alkaline water. Livebearer that can produce large numbers of fry.
Lyretail Red Leopard Molly
Common Names
- Lyretail Red Leopard Molly
- Red Leopard Molly
- Leopard Lyretail Molly
- Lyretail Molly
Identification
The Lyretail Red Leopard Molly is a striking freshwater livebearer featuring a beautiful combination of red, orange, silver, and black leopard-like markings across the body and fins. Its most distinctive feature is the elegant lyre-shaped tail, with elongated upper and lower fin rays that give this Molly a graceful appearance.
This selectively bred variety is an active and attractive addition to community aquariums and is particularly popular with hobbyists looking for something more colourful than the standard Molly varieties.
Behavior & Role
Lyretail Red Leopard Mollies are generally peaceful, active community fish that spend much of their time swimming through the middle and upper portions of the aquarium. They are social and can be kept with other peaceful livebearers and community species.
Like other Mollies, they are livebearers and can reproduce readily when males and females are kept together.
Compatibility & Caution
They are excellent community fish and can be kept with other peaceful species of similar size.
Suitable tank mates include:
- Guppies
- Platies
- Swordtails
- Other Mollies
- Corydoras
- Tetras
- Rasboras
- Peaceful Gouramis
- Other peaceful community fish
Avoid aggressive species and fin-nipping fish that may harass their flowing lyretail fins.
Care Level
Easy
- Tank Size: Minimum 20 gallons
- Temperature: 72–80°F (22–27°C)
- pH: 7.0–8.5
- Water Hardness: Moderate to Hard
Lyretail Red Leopard Mollies are hardy and adaptable, making them an excellent choice for beginner aquarists. They generally thrive in stable, well-filtered aquariums with good water quality and benefit from harder, mineral-rich water.
Provide a varied diet consisting of:
- High-quality flakes
- Micro pellets
- Spirulina-based foods
- Algae wafers
- Brine shrimp
- Bloodworms
- Other high-quality frozen or freeze-dried foods
Regular vegetable-based foods are beneficial because Mollies naturally graze on algae and plant matter.
Tank Mates
Ideal companions include:
- Guppies
- Platies
- Swordtails
- Corydoras
- Tetras
- Rasboras
- Peaceful Gouramis
- Other Mollies
- Other peaceful community fish
Fun Fact
Mollies are livebearers, meaning females give birth to fully formed, free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs. A healthy female can produce a surprisingly large brood, so a mixed-sex group can quickly result in a growing population.