sailfin molly
Poecilia latipinna
A small fish of calm, brackish waters, native to the southeastern United States and Mexico. It can become a pest outside its native range.
Also called: molinésia-de-vela, molinésia, topote velo negro, sailfin molly
- maximum
- 15 cm
who is the sailfin molly
A fish of the family Poeciliidae, with a spindle-shaped body, reaching 15 cm. It lives in calm, warm waters of small streams, ditches, lagoons and vegetated backwaters, and also in coastal and brackish waters such as ditches and tidal channels, where it is abundant. It feeds mainly on algae, and also on small crustaceans, aquatic insects and rotifers. Painted forms are also common. It bears live young, and the water it lives in is between 20 °C and 28 °C. It has been introduced to other countries, where it is an exotic species.
Essential profile. Identification, where it occurs and rules, with data from FishBase and the cited regulations. Season, time of day, technique and bait are added once we have a good source for the sailfin molly.
fun facts
- After 28 days of gestation, 10 to 100 young are born.
identification
Males have a large, sail-shaped dorsal fin, the most visible mark of the species. Females lack this large fin. The color varies from green to gray and even black, and there are painted forms. The body is spindle-shaped and small.
Loading the next 7 days…
Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Essential profile: the index uses a general fish model (weather, sun, moon and tide), without a season or time of day specific to this species.
where found
It is native from North Carolina to Mexico. In the Bahamas and in Colombia, where it was introduced, it is an exotic species.
Habitat: Calm, warm and brackish waters, in tidal ditches, streams and lagoons.
rules for the sailfin molly
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
We found no species-specific rule beyond the region's general rules.
catch and release
catch and release Releasing the fish alive, quickly and with a wet hand. During a closed season it isn't always allowed: what the regulation says applies.
It can become a pest: where it was introduced, it caused ecological impact. Do not release live fish or bait into natural waters.
how much it weighs without taking it out of the water
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.01288, b = 3.06; FishBase (relação peso-comprimento bayesiana, estimativa da própria espécie)). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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sources and references
Essential profile: size, length-weight, depth, countries and conservation come from FishBase and the cited regulations, and the texts were written from those sources. Season, time of day, sensitivities, technique and baits and lures are not included yet, because we did not find a good source for this species.
- scientific FishBase: Poecilia latipinna (ficha da espécie)Size, length-weight, depth, habitat, distribution, biology, and IUCN status. Page checked on Oct 13, 2026.
- scientific FishBase: nomes populares de Poecilia latipinnaNames by country and language.