Question regarding Molly Type

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Can any one tell me what type of Molly it is that has an enlongated tassle type arangement on the end of a cord looking thing dangling from between its pectrals that measures aprox one and a half inches long. Its a silver male of which apparantly only comes in one other colour, black. It is a high fin with a lyre tail. Is it a deformity? I have a photo of him but dont know how to post it.

Thanks,

Melinda.

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The above is a post from another board, but got my attention, and to be honest I don't know what it could be.

Any ideas ?

Pegasus said, that Melinda said...

> Can any one tell me what type of Molly it is that has

> an enlongated tassle type arangement on the end of a

> cord looking thing dangling from between its pectrals

> that measures aprox one and a half inches long. Its a

> silver male of which apparantly only comes in one other

> colour, black.

Like the one in the bottom right picture here?:

http://www.aquariumfish.com.my/fishnotes/mollypics.html

With long finned fish, all fins can be elongated. The gonopodium

of livebearers is a modified anal fin so...

Andrew.

WOW AJ,

Good example. Thanks muchly. Never knew they got THAT long.

Will inform the poster and give credit to you for the search

These long-fin livebearers, where the gonopodium is affected, are often functionally infertile ie they still produce viable sperm but they are incapable of successfully inseminating the female. This has lead to some people experimenting with artificial insemination of livebearers.

Obviously size does matter. Artificial insemination must be a fiddly job on a small fish.

Bill said,

Good example. Thanks muchly. Never knew they got THAT long.

I of course meant the lower finnage, not the gonopodium, which seems to be a prob in specialized breeding.

In the early days of development of the King Cobra, Snakeskins, and Delta Guppies this was a major prob but the breeders obviously found ways around it.

Hi all

I had a silver hi-fin mollie (sailfin), same as the link pointed out by Andrew. That was the father, the mother was a true black normal-fin molly. When I had the accident and all my fish died, the mollie was the only survivor. Now I have 3 generations. Mostly sailfin, beautifully coloured and quite a few lyretails. But none have those tassles. To be honest, I would not like them either. The mollie looks out of proportion then. But that is only my opinion.

John