Some Experiences Keeping a Rare Wild Poeciliid

In the June 2005 issue of Lundkvist wrote about the habitats of Poecilia vandepolli in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (“Orange Tail Mollies in Dutch Waters?”). He also expressed his view of the conservation status of the species. Having kept this rare molly in captivity since December 2004, he shared his experience. The species seems to vary considerably as to pigmentation, also within a population. Some males have a shoulder blotch that is more or less faint, while others display black marks instead in the same place, especially when courting. Among the 22 specimens that he collected as tiny fry at the beginning of December 2004, five had developed a gonopodium (i.e., had become males) by May and June. Poecilia vandepolli is a very active species and demands plenty of space, but a 20-gallon tank will do for about 10 specimens.

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