Orange Saffron Molly 5cm

Orange Saffron Molly 

The vibrant orange colouration of the saffron Molly is a refreshing and stunning addition to an aquarium. Being a mini molly this fish is incredibly overlooked as they often get overshadowed by the larger common mollies. These adorable little fish are naturally occurring in the wild and are not have short bodies or genetic anomalies which is the most surprising thing! The other benefit is they still come in all the beautiful colours that the larger mollies come in whilst staying at a max size of 5 cm which makes them great for small aquariums. 

The orange saffron moly has got to be the most perfect name for this fish. It has a very mellow orange colour with hints of a deeper orange and metallic yellow scales. The colouration has the perfect balance of being vibrant but not extreme in any way. These fish would be perfect against plants and are greasy utility fish in planted tanks due to their hair-algae-eating capabilities. 

The orange saffron moly is also a livebearer much like other species in the Poecilia family. Overall just a great fish for both beginners and well-seasoned aquarists to enjoy and experience. One other amazing fact about these fish is they can live in full fresh, brackish, and saltwater which just shows how hardy they are. The wild habitat of the wild sphenops molly is widespread from South America to Mexico.

Tank Recommendations for your Orange Saffron Molly

Being a fish, which grows to only 5 cm and remains very easy to care for, the saffron molly can be kept in a fairly small aquarium with the minimum being 30 liters. However, a larger size is always recommended for these fish due to their active nature. A sand or gravel substrate would be fine for these fish as well as they spend most of their time exclusively at the top of the aquarium.

Because mollies like alkaline or high ph environments crushed coral or aragonite sand would be optimal. They will also enjoy plants in the aquarium with great options being ferns, Anubias, Pogostemon, and Vallisneria as these are large and denser growing plants. This will allow for great natural breeding grounds and places for the fry to grow. As mentioned, orange saffron is considered to be a ‘hard water fish meaning they prefer the water to have an elevated PH of 7 or above. This still means they can be kept with tetras and most other community fish but the PH should not go lower than this. 

Suitable Tank Buddies

The orange saffron Molly is a very peaceful aquarium fish that can get along with a wide range of tank mates both in fresh and saltwater conditions.
 

Usually Compatible

Rainbow fish, mudskippers, platies, danios, loaches, and a lot of other common aquarium fish.

Sometimes Compatible

Smaller-sized soft water fish such as neon or cardinal tetras, bottom-dwelling fish such as Corydoras, and certain slower moving species like Apistogramma.

Rarely Compatible

Large and aggressive species would prey on the mollies such as Oscars and very slow-moving fish like Borneo suckers. 

Feeding your Orange Saffron Molly

The orange saffron Molly is very easy to feed once it is settled into the aquarium. It will readily eat a wide range of foods but would prefer to have high a floating nano pellet or flake due to its top dwelling behavior. Giving them nutritional food with good protein will ensure optimal health. Feeding should happen once during the day during lighting hours.