Poecilia maylandi

Alternative names

 * , Mayland's Molly

Sexing

 * Males have stronger colouration and possess a gonopodium. Females have less colour and are substantially larger than the males.

Tank compatibility

 * A social livebearer, due to these fish being unusual in the pet trade, they're best kept in breeding groups in species tanks.

Diet

 * Omnivorous, will take live food, and prepared foods. Will graze on algae around the tank. Best kept on a mostly-vegetarian diet supplemented with occasional meaty foods.

Feeding regime

 * Feed once or twice a day.

Environment Specifics

 * Likes a spacious tank, minimum of 30" in length, with live plants and not too strong a current.

Behaviour

 * An active sociable typical livebearer, constantly moving around the tank looking for food and mating prospects. Male Mayland's will spar with each other for mates.

Identification

 * Similar shape to the more common Poecilia sphenops, elongated and a pointed head. The Mayland's is an olive-brown fish with iridescent blue highlights and a yellow-brown caudal. Males possess a higher and more colourful dorsal fin. Alpha males can possess an orangey dorsal fin, sometimes with black dots. In older males, the rounded caudal fin may be orange or banded with black and yellow. Females have little colour.