1. Egg:
- Female mollies give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Inside the female, the fertilized eggs develop and hatch while still inside her body.
- The gestation period can vary from 21 to 30 days.
2. Fry (Neonate):
- Once born, the molly fry are fully formed and free-swimming.
- They are initially very small, measuring only a few millimeters in length.
- Molly fry primarily feed on infusoria and other microscopic organisms present in the water.
3. Juvenile:
- As the molly fry grows, they go through a juvenile stage.
- They begin to resemble adult mollies in terms of body shape and color patterns.
- The juvenile mollies continue to feed on small organisms and may start accepting commercial fish food.
4. Sub-Adult:
- The sub-adult stage is reached as the mollies approach sexual maturity.
- At this stage, males begin to develop their gonopodium, which is a modified anal fin used for reproduction.
- The females' bodies start to become fuller, indicating that they are ready for reproduction.
5. Adult:
- Once the mollies reach full maturity, they are considered adults.
- They are sexually mature and capable of reproducing.
- Adult mollies continue to grow in size and may reach lengths of up to 4 inches (10 centimeters) or more.
- Mollies are continuous spawners, meaning that they can reproduce repeatedly throughout their adult life.
6. Reproduction:
- Male mollies use their gonopodium to inseminate females internally.
- Fertilization occurs inside the female's body.
- After a gestation period of about 21-30 days, the female gives birth to live fry, completing the life cycle and starting the cycle anew.
The life expectancy of a molly fish varies depending on the species and environmental factors, but they typically live for two to three years in captivity.