What live bearers can interbreed?

Wondering which of these livebearers can interbreed with eachother

Platy
Molly
Swordtail
Guppy

I have tried looking it up and get different answers, that some can or cannot then another site says otherwise

 

Wondering which of these livebearers can interbreed with eachother

PLATY
MOLLY
SWORDTAIL
GUPPY

I have tried looking it up and get different answers, that some can or cannot then another site says otherwise

I’m pretty sure I have read before that plaited and swordtails and interbreed but it’s discouraged.

 

You can remember by their scientific names; platies (x. maculatus) and swordtails (x. helleri) are members of the genus xiphophorus and can interbreed. Mollies and guppies are of the genus poecilia and it is said they can potentially interbreed.

 

I have heard, but don't know for sure, that they will only interbreed if there are no same species fish around for the ones that can interbreed.

 

You can remember by their scientific names; platies (x. maculatus) and swordtails (x. helleri) are members of the genus xiphophorus and can interbreed. Mollies and guppies are of the genus poecilia and it is said they can potentially interbreed.

This is how it works. Platies and swordtails can breed with each other but not guppies or mollies. Guppies and mollies can breed with each other but not platies or swordtails.

 

You can remember by their scientific names; platies (x. maculatus) and swordtails (x. helleri) are members of the genus xiphophorus and can interbreed. Mollies and guppies are of the genus poecilia and it is said they can potentially interbreed.

This is how it works. Platies and swordtails can breed with each other but not guppies or mollies. Guppies and mollies can breed with each other but not platies or swordtails.

That is what I thought but then I found some info online that said they could all breed together and I didn’t think that was right

I’m pretty sure I have read before that plaited and swordtails and interbreed but it’s discouraged.

Why would it be discouraged?

 

Why would it be discouraged?

They're usually sterile and most of the fry die. It doesn't happen enough to really worry about though. I've had female mollies in with male guppies just because I was curious but I never got any offspring. Not for the lack of the guppies trying either. This leads me to believe viable impregnation isn't as easy when crossbreeding. Of course I'm only going off my one experiment so who knows.

 

I’m pretty sure I have read before that plaited and swordtails and interbreed but it’s discouraged.

From my understanding, essentially all platies have a little bit of swordtail in them and all swordtails have a little bit of platy in them. They cross-bred a lot back in the day to get desired colors and fin shapes. Of course, this doesn't apply to wild strains, just the domestic strains. Take a look at the wild strain swordtails, their swords are longer than their bodies! Look up montezuma swordtail to see what I mean. Those are what swordtails have the potential to look like without platy blood.

Anyway, my whole point is it's not very much discouraged, it's actually just the way it's been for a long time.

It is much more discouraged in molly/guppy crossbreeding for the reasons mentioned above.

 

That is what I thought but then I found some info online that said they could all breed together and I didn’t think that was right

Those who claim that all kinds of livebearers can interbreed with another doesn't know what he or she is talking about. Besides different genera, also the sexual organs should be compatible with another to have an actual mating. If they're not compatible, a male can chase and point his gonopodium as often as he wants but no actual mating will take place. No matter how desperate the male might be.