Can A Molly's Gonopodium Be Too Long To Mate With?

[NuclearMuse]

First of all hello because I'm new here.
Second of all, I have a question! I have a male lyretail dalmation molly whose gonopodium and anal fins are extremely long and flow-y. When I look at my male swordtail, his gonopodium is nowhere near as long as Carlin's (the molly)... I've read about "Ribbon Fin" Guppies who have extremely long anal fins and gonopodiums, but because they're so long they can't inseminate the females. Is it possible that my lyretail molly has this same problem? I've had him with some females for a few weeks now with no sign of pregnancy in any of them, barring the one that gave birth a few days after I bought her. He does, however, chase the females around a lot. Is Carlin doomed to a life of failure as the father of my grandchildren?

 

[snake007]

I dont know anything about mollies really but I think lyretails its hard for them to breed ?

 

[winkle]

I'm afraid so. Male ribbon guppies, lyretail swordtails and lyretail mollies commonly have this problem. I can only think it would be like trying to joust with a rubber pole!

 

[helterskelter]

Lyre tail mollies rarely have problems with long gonopodiums.
However if it is extended like feather fin guppies then yes it's impossible for the to breed as they don't understand the physics of it all.

 

[NuclearMuse]

Well that is unfortunate. He's such a cute Molly. but the mollies were just a side project at least, so now I won't have to worry about being completely overrun by their fry while I experiment with swordtails! and I'll know to look out for that in the future.

 

[KrystaK]

I've have a male lyretail and two female mollies for almost 3 months now, and haven't seen any fry. I read a few days ago about his possible 'problem'.... So I'm wondering if that could be it..
But then again, I've had a pair of Platys for over 6 months and they haven't bred either, it's possible one or both is sterile, but I don't know.. It seems odd to me that they would all have breeding problems.
Anyone have an opinion on that? lol

 

[winkle]

Lyre tail mollies rarely have problems with long gonopodiums.
However if it is extended like feather fin guppies then yes it's impossible for the to breed as they don't understand the physics of it all.

To clarify; I suppose this kind-of depends on what kind of lyretail mollies you see most often. As I have a lyretail sailfin population with the elongated anal/gonopodium/pelvic fin genes knocking about, I see them quite often. Too often; pretty boys but useless in the sack!