Mollienisia Latipinna 



G. J. HEEDE 



Jh 



In habits and actions in the aquarium, 

 though not in color, Mollienisia latipinna 

 resembles the female of Xiphophorus 

 helleri, but is larger and more stoutly 

 built. While both sexes are attractive, 

 the male is more beautiful, the unusually 

 well-developed dorsal making it a dis- 

 tinctive member of any collection. The 

 body is grayish olive, crossed from head 

 to tail by a series of red or orange dots, 

 which appear as stripes or lines ; vertical 

 stripes mark the abdominal region. The 

 gill covers have blue markings, which are 

 also present on the dorsal and caudal fins 

 of the male, the latter fin also marked 

 with red. The caudal fin is rather round, 

 with a stout peduncle. The colors are 

 most intense during the breeding season, 

 at other times, and in young examples, 

 rather less distinct, though the stripes are 

 always present. 



This species may be readily propagated 

 in the aquarium if a temperature of 75 

 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, is maintained. 

 Preparations should be similar to those 

 used for other live-bearing or viviparous 

 fishes ; a well-planted aquarium and 

 prompt removal of the female after the 

 young have been delivered. A consider- 

 able quantity of loose Anacharis can be 

 grouped on the window or light side of 

 the tank. 



The best foods are Daphne, Cyclops, 

 raw scraped beef, clams, etc., but they 

 will do fairly well on prepared foods. 

 They are largely vegetarian, however, 

 and do not need as much animal foods as 

 carnivorous species such as Gambusia 

 holbrooki. That they are plant-eating 



I 



4 



must not he taken to mean that they de- 

 stroy the higher forms. The reference 

 is to Algae. 



This fish when first imported from the 

 South, unless previously acclimated to the 

 conditions of the aquarium, is rather 

 sensitive to rough treatment in shipping, 

 changes in temperature and transfers 



Mollienisia latipinna 



from aquarium to aquarium. It is advis- 

 able to disturb them as little as possible 

 until they adapt themselves to confine- 

 ment. 



In writing of the abundance of this 

 species, in a past number of Aquatic 

 Life, Major Shufeldt says : "Many years 

 ago I saw thousands of specimens of 

 this species in the very shallow pools con- 

 necting with the bayous south of New 

 Orleans, La. ; they were mating, and, as 

 the gorgeously colored males chased the 

 females about in the clear water of the 

 pools, a scene was presented that I have 

 never forgotten. To the best of my recol- 

 lection I would say that some of the old 

 males exhibited markings of a bright 



