Everglades fish

[jennypenny]

Hello everyone,
I just got back from Florida and was lucky enough to make a quick (all too short) trip to the everglades. I saw a plethora of amazing creatures including some fun fish. One small fish that I saw was dabbled like a dalmation molly. At first I though the fish may just have been pets (or the descendents of) that had been let loose into the ecosystem. However, when I got a better look at the fish they did not seem to be mollies. My pictures of them have too much glare to be helpful but if anyone has a guess as to what they are let me know.

1) I saw them in multiple sections of the park. (In fresh water)
2) They were about an inch long maybe a little longer. No more than 2 inches.
3) They had speckled or blotchy black and white marks all over there bodies.
4) They were much thinner then the typical molly or platy.
5) I always saw more than one at a time, but they did not seem to be schooling.

Who know maybe they were small skinny mollies, but I am just curious to find out what they might be.
PS: I have some other neat fish pictures from the everglades and from snorkeling off of Dry Tortugas. I’ll post them when I get a chance.

 

[sumthin fishy]

Psssst. look at the locations of molly origins http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0597&view_records=1

On an aside, the fish you see in aquaria labled mollies, like bettas for example, have been bred in captivity over so many generations, they do not look exactly like thier wild cousins. The betta example may be a little extreme, but same principle.

 

[Aqualung]

Did they look like This ?

 

[jennypenny]

Something, I know mollies can live there it was the coloring that kind of through me though. It is not the natural pattern (at least I don't think it is). Plus, the size and shape was a little off.

Aqualung, they were similar to that (the ones I saw were darker, but I imagine there is some variation). I only saw them from above so and it was difficult to get to close I saw some off of a bridge and the other I saw were precariously close to alligators.

 

[jennypenny]

bumb

 

[SnakeIce]

It could have been the black spotted variety of gambusia that lives down that direction. gambusia are livebearers and would have a slightly different shape than a typical mollie.

 

[jennypenny]

That shape seems just about right. I couldn't find any pics of a black and white variety, but that a real possibility. Thanks