I have a Q on Molly genetics

[Cichlidgirl91]

I have 3 albino female mollies. I was wondering what their babies would look like if I bred them with a non-albino molly. For example: I get a dalmation molly and breed him to the albinos. Are mollies like pythons and keep the dominant color (while being Het. for the inferior color) or do they get mixed (half and half)?
I've always been real into genetics, so this kinda fascinates me!

 

[KarlTh]

Albino is recessive. Most likely the fry will all resemble the non-albino parent, but if crossed with other mollies with albino ancestry will produce some albino fry.

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

So they will be heterozygous for albinism, but they'll have the non-albino coloring?

 

[THE V]

Color genetics are not always a simple as dominant or recessive. It all depends on the interaction of the genes. Albino's are often caused by a mutations in on of the upstream chemical pathways that are used to create pigments (epistasis). In mollies I read of an instance where breeding a orange molly with a albino produced a peach color one. This indicates to me that these genes are possibly codominant . With your dalmation mollies you might get all dalmations, all albino's, or some kind of strange mixture or a completely unexpected phenotype. There really is very little published in fish breeding as the breeders are very secretive and any new discovery is closely guarded. So basically breed them and tell us what happens.

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

Ok, will do! I'm still trying to decide on what color male I want to try first!

 

[jm1212]

they will most likley be heterozsygous for albinism, unless the father is already heterozygous. then some of the offspring will by albino, but the majority will not be.

 

[OldMan47]

There is another issue with mollies and it is a very simple one to state but makes predictions difficult. What we call mollies are 3 different types they are P Latipinna, P Shenops and P Velifera. This adds to the complexity because often what you have in your tank is some kind of hybrid between the different fish. Color then depends on the way these different fuish have been combined to get the look you are starting with.

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

Okay, I just picked up a male molly for my ladies, but I think I may have gotten a sailfin molly. Is it a bad idea to mix regular mollies with sailfins?

 

[Cichlidgirl91]

Well, I just found out that most mollies at the petstore are already hybrids, so I guess it doesn't matter much. Oh, and the male I got was called a Creamsicle Lyretail. He almost matches my little girl mollies exactly!