A vivid molly variety with a bright red to orange body and contrasting black fins and tail, giving it the classic 'wagtail' look. Hardy, peaceful, and striking in community aquariums.
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A vivid molly variety with a bright red to orange body and contrasting black fins and tail, giving it the classic 'wagtail' look. Hardy, peaceful, and striking in community aquariums.
Bright red to orange body with jet-black fins and tail. The contrast makes the wagtail pattern distinct. Males are slimmer with a pointed gonopodium, while females are larger and more rounded, especially when gravid.
3–5 years with proper care
Omnivorous — thrives on flakes, micro-pellets, vegetable matter (spirulina, blanched vegetables), and live or frozen foods such as brine shrimp and daphnia.
Red Wagtail Mollies combine vivid coloration with ease of care, making them a favorite among aquarists. Their adaptability, peaceful nature, and prolific breeding make them ideal for community setups. With their contrasting red and black colors, they add a striking visual appeal to freshwater tanks.
Beginner
20 gallons for a small group
7.0 to 8.5
10–30 dGH
72–82°F (22–28°C)
3–4 inches (females typically larger than males)
Guppies, Swordtails, Platies, Corydoras, peaceful tetras, rasboras, danios, snails, and shrimp (fry may require protection).
Large aggressive fish like cichlids, bettas, and fin-nippers such as tiger barbs.
Poecilia sphenops (Red Wagtail Molly variety)
Poeciliidae
Captive-bred strain of Poecilia sphenops, developed for its red coloration with black fins.
Community-oriented; thrives in groups and shows shoaling behavior. Peaceful with other livebearers and similarly sized fish.
Feed 2–3 times daily in small portions. Base diet should include high-quality flakes or pellets, supplemented with algae wafers, spirulina, and blanched vegetables. Offer live or frozen foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms several times per week to boost color and breeding health.
Livebearer — females give birth to free-swimming fry every 4–6 weeks.
Females give birth every 4–6 weeks, producing between 20–80 fry. Adults may eat their fry, so provide dense vegetation, floating plants, or breeding traps for fry protection. Fry can be raised on powdered flake food, infusoria, or baby brine shrimp. Conditioning adults with protein-rich foods improves breeding success.
pH: 7.0–8.5, Temperature: 72–82°F (22–28°C), Hardness: 10–30 dGH, Ammonia/Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: <30 ppm
Ich, fin rot, fungal infections, and constipation. Most issues arise from poor water quality or overfeeding and can be avoided with proper care.
Peaceful and social, but males may chase females during breeding. Best kept in groups with more females than males.
Active mid-to-top swimmers that enjoy being in groups. They are peaceful toward most other community fish but males may harass females during courtship. Maintain a higher female-to-male ratio to reduce stress. They interact well with other livebearers and small schooling fish.
Red Wagtail Mollies are an eye-catching variety of the Poecilia sphenops species, characterized by their deep red or orange bodies paired with striking black fins and tail. The color contrast gives them the classic 'wagtail' appearance, making them popular with aquarists. These mollies are hardy, adaptable, and thrive in both freshwater and slightly brackish tanks. They are peaceful community fish, best kept in groups, and are well-suited for beginner aquarists. Like other mollies, they are prolific breeders, capable of producing fry frequently under proper conditions. Their algae-grazing behavior also helps maintain tank cleanliness, making them both functional and decorative.