Montana Field Guide

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Montana Field Guides

Home - Other Field Guides
- Kingdom - Animals - Animalia
  - Phylum - Vertebrates - Craniata
    - Class - Fish - Actinopterygii
      - Order - Killfish / Mollies - Cyprinodontiformes
        
        Family - Livebearers (Mosquitofish / Mollies / Swordtails) - Poeciliidae
        
        Species - Sailfin Molly - Poecilia latipinna

Sailfin Molly - Poecilia latipinna

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Non-native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: SNA

Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:

External Links

General Description

This tropical aquarium fish is an illegally released pet fish. The native range is southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Variety found in Montana is solid black. Small in size.

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database

Number of Observations: 7

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Relative Density

Recency

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

Habitat

The only natural habitats suitable for tropical fishes in Montana are warm springs and ponds or small streams resulting from such springs.

Ecology

Apparently, well adapted to survival in oxygen depleted waters.

Stewardship Responsibility

References

Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
Do you know of a citation we're missing?
- Joslin, Gayle, and Heidi B. Youmans. 1999. Effects of recreation on Rocky Mountain wildlife: a review for Montana. [Montana]: Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
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Dragonflies / Damselflies

Ferns and allies

Conifers

Flowering Plants (Dicots)

Flowering Plants (Monocots)

Citation for data on this website:
Sailfin Molly — Poecilia latipinna. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved on November 3, 2025, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AFCNC04020