# golden killifish spending a lot of time with one molly???



## Crotalus (Sep 24, 2014)

Hi,
I have a 60-gallon stocked mostly with livebearers, but I recently picked up a group of golden killifish (Aplocheilus lineatus). Based on my research they seem to be pretty compatible (the killifish would probably prefer slightly softer water that is a little more acidic). Anyway, about a week after introducing the killies I noticed an unusual behavior. 

There are about 7 mollies in the tank and the male killifish has developed a strange relationship with a male silver molly. They follow each other around, rarely straying from one another, but do not seem to be acting aggressive towards one another. The killifish sometimes appears to "heard" the silver molly around, but I don't know enough about killifish behavior to know what that means in the killifish language. Basically the two fish swim in formation around the tank and occasionally the killifish will swim ahead of the molly, turn perpendicular to it, then block the molly and direct it somewhere else. 

The killi ignores all the other mollies. I don't know if this all means something or not, but I think it is interesting. It almost seems to me that the male killifish is courting the male silver molly, but I'm a total novice at killies so I don't know. Out of all the other fish in the tank the silver molly probably resembles a female golden killifish the most, so maybe there's something to it.

Has anybody else seen this sort of behavior?


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## Crotalus (Sep 24, 2014)

Sorry, I meant to post this in Cyprinids and Atherinids. I'm reposting there, feel free to delete this thread if you have the ability.


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