# Can all livebearers be crossed...



## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

This is the most FAQ's by the experienced livebearer breeder, and unfortunately the answer is "NO!" They will only breed within their species.

Genus:

*Mollies* – Poecilia Latipinna
*Guppies* – Poecilia Reticulata

*Swordtails* – Xiphophorus helleri
*Platies* - Xiphophorus maculatus

Platies and swordtail are so very closely related that they will often breed resulting to many color varieties of xiphophorus.

Mollies and Guppies are not that common crossed, but there are some rumor that they do succesfully crossed them, and here are some proof... the Guppy-tail Molly. I don't really know if this is true or just an evolution of their fins from sailfin crossed and a high-fin varieties but perhaps true coz they belong to the same genus. 

And here is another proof, maybe... snakeskin guppy and molly cross?
http://www.hawaii.edu/environment/IntroducedFish/molly.gif

Hope this helped, thank you!
Ronn

Please feel free to correct me, if I’m wrong or add something... so that this will be very useful to the others or new into fish keeping of this type of fish. Thank you.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Great info. Very helpful! Maybe this can be "stickied" too?


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## doggydad38 (Jan 18, 2005)

Xiphophorus variatus is it's own species and the Guppy-tailed Molly is the result of selectively breeding for longer tailed Mollies. Guppy/Molly crosses tend to be sterile and die at a young age.


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

some muppys/gollys have been sucsessfuly raised but many get cancers from imune system problems and as doggydad38 said there are always sterile. I'm actualy thinking about trying to breed some for a science project. If i do it i'll be sure to post here but the project isn't due till Febuary, 2006


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## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

I have always pondered over this subject! I will try to cross swordtails and platies some day, amking Swatie Tails.


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## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

Okay, thank you guys for the comments, it means a lot. I posted it here so that we can have good information for new hobbyist or new in this type of fish and for future reference. I will not argue to anyone, just give us some proof or link so that we can improve it better and so we can help a lot of people. Thanks once again! And God bless!

Just don’t forget one thing, we are here in this forum to help and to be helped.
Ronn


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Ronnfive, that picture you've uploaded isn't a guppy cross molly, It's a long-finned balloon molly, apart from that, good post.


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## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

Like I said above... _"I don't really know if this is true or just an evolution of their fins from sailfin crossed and a high-fin but perhaps true coz they belong to the same genus."_ yes I know it's a balloon, but I am not talking with the shape of their body just their tails. I uploaded that picture from this link and has a name of it http://fish2u.com/mogb.html.

Why is that this site www.fish2u.com claims that it is a guppy-tail (balloon) molly. How do you exactly know that this isn’t true? ...like I said in my second post, just give us some helpful information, proofs or links to support your statement. Coz I’m not just assuming things that this is the real one without links or information. 

Please do not misunderstand my post. I speak these words with a friendly tone. Thank you!

Ronn


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

You said "I don't know if it's true", and I said, "no, it's not true".
The reason why it's called a guppy tail molly is because it has a tail that looks like a guppy's, but is a molly. Just like a tiger barb, now it doesn't mean it's half tiger half barb does it?
Don't worry I fully undersatnd your post. Thank you for the contribution.


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## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

Okay I see your point… You are consistent with your answer. Does that mean a molly and a guppy do not really cross or breed with each other? Well, I am usually gathering info, searching, and sometimes reading some others post. So, I could learn something, and I found this forum and it has a picture of a guppy and molly cross, well, “they say”. But the fish is quite unusual its fin is like a snake-skin guppy with a molly body… 

here it is, just do a little scrolling and see for yourself. http://www.guppies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8122&highlight=cross+breeding

Hoping to get more info to share,
Ronn


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

i posted that 1 in my water spec post! This is in fact a golly. Although if you google image search for molly fish i think someone on another website labeled this picture as a molly but that info is false


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## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

fishboy said:


> i posted that 1 in my water spec post! This is in fact a golly. Although if you google image search for molly fish i think someone on another website labeled this picture as a molly but that info is false


Yup, it is in your post... so you are saying that there really a cross between molly and guppy. If anyone agree or not agree please post. thanks!

ronn


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

I don't agree, mollies and guppies are genetically incompatable. That picture is a spotted lima, not a golly.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yep, looks like a Limia to me, too.

So can they cross? 
Yes & no.

Heres a hint: There are many different species of mollies.


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## ronnfive (Sep 19, 2005)

First, I know that there are many different species of mollies, and that includes the limia. And I know that this picture I’ve shown you looks like a bit closer to a male limia caymanensis. But it also looks a little bit different and so that I doubt it. And I still posted it here so that anyone can see and decide for themselves. The fins of the limia are spotted than this one, perhaps a limia and a guppy cross? ...Mmm, just me though! So, are we going to stop now? Are we going to conclude that there’s no such thing as a guppy and a molly cross? What’s it gonna be…? ;-) 

Here’s a picture of a male *limia caymanensis* 

BTW, TheOldSalt says, yes and no, could you please explain why yes, and why no? Thank You.

ronn


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