Can Molly Live With Southern platyfish?

Mollies and platies are both hard-water livebearers. Mollies want pH 7.5 to 8.2 at 24 to 28 °C, and platies pH 7 to 8.2 with 10 to 30 dGH at 20 to 26 °C. Aim for pH 7.5 to 8.2 at 24 to 26 °C, which is the top of the platy's temperature range.

Platies are very peaceful and show none of the aggression some mollies can. Mollies are peaceful as a rule and mix well with similarly sized fish, and at 7 to 8 cm they are about the size of a female platy. Molly males court persistently, so keep more females than males in both species.

Both give birth to live young, and in a community tank most fry get eaten. Platy females alone produce 20 to 80 fry every four to six weeks, so a planted tank with plenty of cover can fill up quickly. Give the group at least 60 litres, open swimming space and a secure lid, since platies are known to jump.