Mollies ballon
Molly balloon or Molliesia balloon, English trade name Balloon molly. It is a collective name for a breeding form bred on the basis of Molliesia sphenops, Molliesia velifera or Molliesia latipin, or their hybrids.
The main distinguishing feature of the breed is the shape of the body – a hunched back and a rounded abdomen, resembling a ball. The color and pattern of the body can be very diverse: black, yellow, white, speckled, etc.
The dimensions of the dorsal fin and the shape of the tail are determined by the species or breed from which a particular variety of Balloon Mollies originated. For example, if the genes of Velifera Molliesia dominate, then the fin will have an impressive size, and if the tail resembles a lyre in shape, then this indicates the presence of a lyretail Molliesia in the pedigree.
Thus, Molly balloon is considered a very variable form, which, in addition to its main feature, often carries the features of other species and breeds that participated in the selection process.
Brief information:
- The volume of the aquarium is from 100–150 liters.
- Temperature – 21-26°C
- Value pH — 7.0–8.5
- Water hardness – medium to high hardness (15-35 GH)
- Substrate type – any
- Lighting – any
- Brackish water – acceptable in a concentration of 10-15 gr. salt per liter of water
- Water movement is weak
- The size of the fish is 12–18 cm.
- Nutrition – any feed with herbal supplements
- Temperament – peaceful
- Content alone, in pairs or in a group
The attitude of aquarists towards this fish is ambiguous. In Europe and America, where the positions of animal protection organizations are strong, breeders who breed this breed are negatively perceived, so it is not so popular. In Asia, on the contrary, they do not see anything shameful in the artificial deformation of the body of a fish in order to make it more “interesting” for the buyer.
Maintenance and care
The optimal size of the aquarium for a group of 3-4 fish starts from 100 liters. In the design, it is desirable to provide thickets of aquatic plants, in which weak and subdominant individuals can find temporary shelter from the excessive attention of their neighbors, which is especially important in small tanks.
Able to successfully adapt to various conditions. It can live in both soft and hard water, including in a brackish environment, so there are no problems with water treatment.
The mollies ballon is compatible with most peaceful species of comparable size. However, due to its structure, it is rather slow and often loses the competition for food to more active fish. For this reason, it is advisable to keep it in a species tank or together with similarly calm and/or bottom-dwelling species such as corridor catfish.
Food. They belong to the omnivorous species. They accept most popular feeds in dry, frozen and live form. Nevertheless, the basis of the diet should be foods rich in plant components, with a lack of which the fish can damage the soft parts of plants.
