Someone help me identify this fish

[Colin_T]

I don't know what Florida law is regarding collecting fish from the wild but most countries don't care if you take introduced species from local water ways. They are mostly interested in protecting the native species.

If the OP contacts their local department of fisheries by phone or website, they should be able to find out what restrictions apply to introduced vs endemic species.

Mollies and Gambusia are not endemic to Florida.

 

[Libbyd]

How cool you can catch these- well not really if they have been introduced and not native, but you can’t catch anything exciting in UK like this and take it home. I guess you could catch like a stickleback or something. Not sure if you are allowed to take fish home here but I wouldn’t try anyway.

 

[emeraldking]

Recently I went out to catch some minnows to put into my fish tank for fun and while showing someone my tank they pointed out that the "minnows" didn't look like minnows at all but a different type of fish... I am a saltwater fishing type of guy so I have no clue about anything in freshwater so I need help Identifying these fish. Don't mind the names of the JPG I'm just trying to be funny lmao.

The bigger one is a molly and the other one which is speckled is a female eastern mosquitofish. And yes, eastern mosquitofish do occur in Florida as well.
It's certainly not a Phalloceros caudimaculatus reticulatus (also known as leopard fish and dusky millions fish). The shape of the head of this female specimen is typical for a Gambusia species. Females of the P.caudimaculatus reticulatus is different. The picture below will show this.

Above: A female specimen of the Phalloceros caudimaculatus reticulatus.

But I also have to note down that the Phalloceros caudimaculatus reticulatus can not be found in natural waters. For this is an aquarium strain and not a wild one. The same goes for the Phalloceros caudimaculatus auratus. Both are aquarium strains. But the Phalloceros caudimaculatus (without any name addition) does occur in the wild. But that one is not speckled at all.

I also like to note that dalmation mollies do not occur in the wild. Those are aquarium strains. But mollies with speckles do occur with multiple kinds of molly species.

Of course, I do have to say that people may release aquarium strains into natural waters. They shouldn't be doing that but certain people do.

 

[Jxcksxn]

i actaully used my bare hands