Variety of Black molly
Gold dust molly
Poecilia sphenops
One of 4 varieties of Poecilia sphenops · See all varieties →
FreshwaterBrackishFish
Varieties · Poecilia sphenops
See all 4 →
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 70–82°F
- 21–28°C
- pH
- 7.0–8.0
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 24 gal
- 90 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Very common
- Family
- Poeciliidae
Overview
Gold dust is a two-tone fish. Warm gold covers the head and front, black covers the rear and tail, and the boundary scatters into flecks. How clean that split looks is the main quality difference between suppliers, and evenly muddy fish are common in bulk tanks. Mostly sold short-finned, though lyretail gold dusts exist under the same color name.
In the wild
A selection line on domesticated molly stock, which blends the short-finned and sailfin species rather than tracking either one. The gold and black distribution was picked out and stabilized in farm breeding. Most retailers list it under Poecilia sphenops and at least one lists the same fish as Poecilia velifera, which shows the label is a trade convention more than a determination. No breeder, country or date is on record for the line.
Good to know
Two pigment systems show at once here: melanophores holding the black rear, xanthophores holding the gold front, with the boundary varying from fish to fish. Breeders report that the form does not come sharply true, with fry from one pair running from nearly all gold to nearly all black. Selecting for a clean split every generation is what keeps the look going.
Did you know
The gold is pigment lying over the same reflective layer that gives a silver molly its shine, which is why the front half catches light while the black rear swallows it. Retailer grading turns on the boundary rather than the shade of gold. A high-grade fish shows a sharp change from gold to black with no muddy bleed between the halves.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Gold dust molly is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Blue-eyed livebearer
Priapella intermedia
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Apple snail
Pomacea canaliculata
Freshwater5.9 in (15 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)64–81°F (18–27°C)
Guntea loach
Lepidocephalichthys guntea
Freshwater4.7 in (12 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)64–82°F (18–28°C)
Lesser bleeding heart tetra
Hyphessobrycon socolofi
Freshwater2.2 in (5.6 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Siamese flying barb
Laubuka siamensis
Freshwater2.6 in (6.5 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Charcoal loach
Schistura carbonaria
Freshwater3.4 in (8.6 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)
Common questions
Is a Gold dust molly a different species from the Black molly?
No. A Gold dust molly is a variety of the Black molly, Poecilia sphenops, and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.
What size tank does a Gold dust molly need?
A Gold dust molly needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
How big does a Gold dust molly get?
An adult Gold dust molly reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
Related species
4.7 in (12 cm)24 gal (90 L)70–79°F (21–26°C)Sailfin molly
Poecilia latipinna
4.7 in (12 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)24 gal (90 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Liberty molly
Poecilia salvatoris
3.9 in (10 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)30 gal (113 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Giant sailfin molly
Poecilia velifera
5.9 in (15 cm) · 30 gal (113 L)
4.3 in (11 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)Shortfin molly
Poecilia mexicana
4.3 in (11 cm) · 32 gal (120 L)
3.9 in (10 cm)26 gal (100 L)72–86°F (22–30°C)Gill's molly
Poecilia gillii
3.9 in (10 cm) · 26 gal (100 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Amazon molly
Poecilia formosa
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)