Silver Sailfin Molly (Poecilia velifera)
£6.99
A pack of 3 unsexed Gold Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia velifera) in the selected 4-7 cm size band. Plan a mature 150L+ hard-water aquarium; colour, sex and fin development vary.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Poecilia velifera
Save when buying multiple fish. Each quantity is one fish; sex and pair formation are not guaranteed unless the selected variant explicitly states them.
A pack of 3 unsexed Gold Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia velifera) in the selected 4-7 cm size band. Plan a mature 150L+ hard-water aquarium; colour, sex and fin development vary.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Lively, colourful livebearers for hard UK water, including black, dalmatian, sailfin and lyretail varieties with careful UK dispatch available.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
This listing is for a pack of 3 Gold Sailfin Mollies (Poecilia velifera). Choose the size shown in the variant selector; every selected variant represents three fish in that size band, not one fish. The group is supplied unsexed, and the balance of gold colour, darker markings, sex ratio, pregnancy status and dorsal-fin development will vary naturally.
The Gold Sailfin Molly is a domestic colour form of the large Yucatan or Giant Sailfin Molly. It combines an active livebearer personality with a deep body and the tall display fin most strongly developed by mature males. It can be a peaceful and very visible community fish, but it needs hard, alkaline water, strong filtration and more adult swimming room than a small juvenile molly.
| Sale unit | Pack of 3 unsexed Gold Sailfin Mollies |
|---|---|
| Size choice | Select 4-5 cm, 5-6 cm or 6-7 cm when that variant is in stock |
| Accepted scientific name | Poecilia velifera |
| Colour form | Gold / Goldleopard domestic aquarium form; pattern varies |
| Other species names | Yucatan Molly; Mexican Sailfin Molly; Giant Sailfin Molly |
| Adult planning size | Plan for up to about 15 cm |
| Aquarium for this pack | 150 litres or more with at least 100 cm of swimming length; 180-200 litres is preferable for a mixed community or several males |
| Temperature | 23-29 C recorded range; 25-28 C is a useful core target |
| pH | 7.0-8.0; keep it stable and alkaline |
| Hardness | 10-30 dGH recorded range; mineral-rich water is important |
| Temperament | Social and generally peaceful; mature males may display and chase |
| Diet | Omnivorous, with a meaningful plant and algae component |
| Swimming area | Mainly middle and upper water, with grazing throughout the aquarium |
| Care level | Moderate because adult size, minerals and stable water matter |
| 4-5 cm | The smallest listed size. Allow for substantial growth and do not use the delivery size to justify a small permanent aquarium. |
|---|---|
| 5-6 cm | A useful middle size for a mature hard-water community. Check the selector for current stock and price. |
| 6-7 cm | The largest listed size and closer to showing the deeper body of the adult form, although further growth should still be expected. |
| Every option | One product quantity is a pack of 3 fish in the selected size band. Sex, exact colour pattern and individual appearance are not selectable. |
Availability and price belong to the selected size, so check the live variant selector before ordering. The three size choices are kept together because they are the same colour form and species, while each size keeps its own live stock and price.
The accepted species name is Poecilia velifera. The word gold describes the domestic colour form; it is not part of the formal scientific name and does not identify a separate subspecies. Goldleopard fish may show a warm yellow-to-gold ground colour with variable dark speckling or patches, but domestic stock is naturally variable.
The species itself is native to the Yucatan Peninsula and nearby Mexican systems. Published sources distinguish it from the Florida Sailfin Molly, Poecilia latipinna, although both are often sold under the broad name Sailfin Molly. P. velifera is the larger Yucatan species and can reach around 15 cm, so its adult space requirement should not be copied from a small common molly listing.
Mature males can raise a high sail-like dorsal fin in display. Females and juveniles usually carry a lower dorsal profile and fuller body. Fin height also depends on sex, age, condition and ancestry, so a selected size does not guarantee a show-sized male sail.
For the three-fish pack, plan a mature aquarium of at least 150 litres and around 100 cm in length. A 180-200 litre aquarium gives a better margin when the mollies share the tank with other active fish, several males are present or fry are allowed to remain. Adult body size, constant movement and waste output matter more than the size of the fish on delivery day.
Leave a broad middle and upper swimming lane, with robust plants and decor around the margins. Vallisneria, Java fern and Anubias can work where the water suits them. Wood, rock and tall planting can break sight lines, but avoid packing the tank so tightly that a deep-bodied adult cannot turn comfortably or retreat from a persistent male.
Use mature biological filtration, good surface movement and a secure lid. Ammonia and nitrite should remain at zero, while nitrate is controlled through sensible stocking, plant growth and regular partial water changes. Match new water for temperature and mineral content so routine maintenance does not cause abrupt changes in pH or hardness.
Gold Sailfin Mollies are a poor match for soft, acidic aquariums designed around delicate rainforest fish. Use a reliable liquid test or calibrated meter to confirm the source water before ordering. A stable pH of 7.0-8.0 and hardness within roughly 10-30 dGH reflects the recorded care guidance, while 25-28 C sits within both the recorded range and published species references.
If your tap water is naturally soft, use one repeatable remineralisation method and test the prepared water before each change. Irregular additions made after the fish show stress can produce more instability. Persistent shimmying, clamped fins or poor appetite should prompt immediate checks of temperature, pH, GH, KH, ammonia, nitrite and oxygenation.
Poecilia velifera occurs in both fresh and brackish environments, but that does not mean routine aquarium salt is necessary. Controlled research found better juvenile growth performance in freshwater than at higher salinity. Stable hard freshwater, good oxygenation and clean conditions are the priority; salt should only be used for a defined purpose after checking every fish, plant and invertebrate in the tank.
Sailfin Mollies are active social fish that graze, investigate food and remain visible for much of the day. They are usually peaceful with compatible hard-water fish, but males may spread the dorsal fin, spar and pursue females. Because this pack is unsexed, a particular male-to-female ratio cannot be guaranteed.
Provide several visual breaks and watch whether one fish is being followed continuously or excluded from food. If the group contains more than one mature male, extra floor area and swimming length are more useful than simply adding ornaments. If there is one male and one or two females, monitor the females for persistent courtship pressure.
This is a livebearing species. A mixed-sex pack may produce fry, and females can arrive already carrying developing young or stored sperm. Dense fine-leaved plants can improve fry survival, but do not let unexpected fry turn a suitable adult aquarium into an overcrowded one. A small breeding box is not appropriate as long-term accommodation for a female.
| Often suitable | Robust livebearers, peaceful rainbowfish and other active community fish that genuinely share hard, alkaline water requirements |
|---|---|
| Use judgement | Bottom dwellers that tolerate the same minerals and can feed confidently around active mollies |
| Avoid | Soft-water specialists, persistent fin nippers, aggressive or predatory cichlids and very timid feeders |
| Not guaranteed | Safety with ornamental shrimp, fry or very small fish; assess adult size and behaviour before mixing |
Water compatibility comes before colour or temperament labels. A peaceful fish that needs soft acidic water is not a suitable companion. Browse the wider Molly Fish collection and livebearer collection for fish that may share the same general water profile, then compare the adult size and behaviour of each listing.
For related sailfin forms, compare the Silver Sailfin Molly, Marble Sailfin Molly and Goldleopard Sailfin Molly. Similar appearance does not automatically mean identical adult size, sale unit or water guidance, so read each page separately.
Use a quality complete flake or granule as the staple, choosing a formula with a meaningful algae or vegetable component. Rotate spirulina foods, suitable algae wafers and carefully prepared greens with small portions of daphnia, brine shrimp, mosquito larvae or similar frozen foods. FishBase records worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter in the species diet, so both plant and animal foods have a place.
Offer small portions that the group can finish promptly and spread food across the surface so less assertive fish can feed. Mollies also browse algae and biofilm between meals. This natural grazing is useful enrichment, but it does not make them an aquarium-cleaning substitute or remove the need for water changes.
Overfeeding quickly affects a three-fish group because mollies are eager feeders and substantial waste producers. Watch body shape, appetite and faeces rather than responding to begging behaviour with another large meal.
Our acclimation timer helps organise the arrival process, while the live-fish delivery page explains packing, delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee steps.
One product quantity includes a pack of 3 fish in the size selected. The displayed variant price is for the complete three-fish pack, not for one fish.
No. The pack is supplied unsexed, and the exact gold colour, darker markings, pregnancy status and dorsal-fin development are not selectable or guaranteed.
The supply record notes up to 12 cm, while FishBase and Smithsonian records for Poecilia velifera reach about 15 cm. Plan the aquarium around the larger published size.
They are generally peaceful community fish, but they are active and mature males can display, spar or chase females. Space, visual breaks and monitoring are important.
No routine salt is required in stable hard, alkaline freshwater. The species tolerates brackish conditions, but salt is not a substitute for suitable minerals, oxygenation or water quality.
Cross-breeding among compatible domestic molly forms can occur. Keep a dedicated group if maintaining a particular colour line matters, and plan for fry in any mixed-sex aquarium.
No. The existing gallery images are representative aquarium views. They do not show the exact fish dispatched or guarantee colour, sex, scale, pattern or fin development.
Eligible livestock orders are packed for UK live-fish transport and covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee when the published receiving steps are followed. New customers can use WELCOME10 for 10% off a first order, subject to the current offer terms. The product selector shows live availability for each size before checkout.
Species identity, native range, adult size, diet and water guidance were checked against recognised biodiversity databases, an institutional species account and peer-reviewed salinity research. The aquarium-size advice is a conservative Tropical Fish Co planning recommendation for this three-fish sale unit and should be increased where existing stock or decor reduces usable space.
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