lyndatu

Hello

We just added a fat female Black Molly(probably pregnant) and a male Guppy to our 20-gallon tank(it houses a male guppy and an albino pleco) from the Q-tank. The next morning, I saw a male guppy swimming around the female molly's body, like it's trying to inseminate her, while the molly doesn't mind. Then, the second guppy tries to mate with her too. The two guppies would follow her wherever she goes. A few minutes later, the 2 male guppies started fighting each other uncontrollably, like that in a wrestling match, while the female molly just minds her own business, eating shrimp pellets. Are the male guppies trying to mate the female molly?

Is it that maybe there are no female guppies for sale here in the Philippines, and the male guppies really want to mate that they go for the molly?

Thanks in advance!

COBettaCouple

Well, guppy males are the Romeos of the fish world and they'll try to mate with just about any female fish. Also, males can try to stress females to get them to abort the fry and then they can eat them.

lyndatu

Thanks, COBettaCouple.

I noticed that the female can't stand it anymore and the male guppies continue to chase her. So I caught him with the fish net and stayed in the fish net for a while. The molly seemed to be relieved. The other guppy stopped chasing her too much.

But, if guppies did inseminate the molly, what offspring will they get? Do you have a picture? I'm imagining a molly with a colorful tail.

Thanks in advance!

COBettaCouple

I could be wrong, but I don't think guppies can successfully produce fry with mollies.

Kiwwi

Mollies and Guppies may be livebearers but they are different species. This means they are not able to mate with each other. There semine won't be able to fertilize the mollies eggs.

Chief_waterchanger

Guppies and mollies ARE able to produce fry, but they are sterile... always.

They are called muppies.

They are both of the same genus (Poecilia, and they both have the same chromosome count). Sorry, but they are able to spawn and are able to produce fry, just not fry that can then produce more fry.. So they are said to not be able to produce VIABLE offspring, but they still produce offspring.

lyndatu

Muppies? Interesting.......I wonder what they look like......

Thanks for the info everyone. Do you have pics?

Well, they sound like they can't be sold.....

Kiwwi

Are you sure about this? I never heard about this. I decided to try to research what you call "muppies" but no information was found. Not that I am raising the BS flag but I would like a source of information proving that they exist.

COBettaCouple

I googled it & found lots of matches.

Cody

ahhh im pretty sad my packers are done but im interested in having muppies someday. most ppl i talk to dont even think its possible

Chief_waterchanger

Mollies and guppies crossing produces an ALWAYS sterile fry that most think are ugly.

Go to google and search: 'Muppy fish' or 'Muppy Molly Guppy'.

I do not believe it is a scientifically recognized cross, but Dino could enlighten us on that, he's had to deal with several people on other forums trying to figure out how to unsterilize a muppy... not possible to unsterilize a muppy though.

http://www.aquariumfish.nsinternet.com/platy.html (Last sentence of third paragraph.)

Beyond that it is hard to find actual documentation on google other than forums debating it, but if you put a fertile male guppy in a tank with 2 fertile virgin mollies you can see for yourself.

Dino

Since they cannot reproduce, they are not considered a separate species, and so do not have a scientifically recognized name.

This is no different than horses and donkeys crossing to produce mules.
As far as I know, mules have never been bred to each other either.

Kiwwi

OK I googled it again but instead of "Muppies" I searched "Muppy fish" ok I guess they do exist.

Dino

Since you are new to the site, you are not aware that CWC and myself do not post something unless we have our facts in order.

I have been keeping fish 30 years, have a B.S. in biology and co own a fishhouse with CWC which houses over 120 aqauria.

So I have no need to post just to see a post with my avatar.

"Not that I am raising the BS flag but I would like a source of information proving that they exist." your quote.

Coming onto a site and refering to a mods post as possible bs is not the way to introduce yourself to a site.

Kiwwi

"Not that I am raising the BS flag"

I was not calling it a lie. I just wanted a source of information or a more detailed post explaining the subject thats all. No need to say what you just said. Now you made me feel bad >.>

Dino

By mentioning bs, even in the negative, it implies that you saw some was there.

Do you not think it made CWC feel bad when you implied he did not know what he was talking about?

Sorry if I sound harsh, but respect for all members is something we have here at Fishlore, so being on this site less than a week and saying you doubt something a mod has posted does not show respect.

Kiwwi

Dino, I do not quite understand why you see what I wrote negatively. "Not that I am" means that I am not. I was implying that I was not aware and I had an open mind on this subject. Since I am a new member I have no clue on what other members knowledge and experience are with fish, because of that the "Do not believe everything you read on the internet" takes place for me. If you still wanna view me as a disrespectful person then go ahead. I will still be a active member regardless.

Chief_waterchanger

Woah guys.

Kiwwi, when he says saying something in the negative that means using a negative.. like no or not. So he is saying you said negatively about the bs thing because you said, "Not that I'm raising the BS flag."

Dino is pointing out that it is fine to ask for a source but mentioning the BS flag even when saying not raising it made your post come across to some of us as though it were hinting at bs. It is hard to tell the intent of the other party on a forum and often times offense is taken when there was none meant.

Its a cold day outside lets not make it cold on the forums to.