What is the smallest type of molly or platy? And what is the smallest type of live bearer? Also what is the?

Question

SMALLEST TYPE OF NON BOTTOM FEEDER FISH THAT IS EASY TO BREED?

Answer 1

I believe most, if not all, of the liverbearers (mollies, platies, swordtails, variatus, guppies...) reach 2-2.5 inches.

When you say "non bottom feeder fish", what do you mean? The easiest fish to breed are the livebearer groups mentioned above.

Answer 2

The variatus and platys would probably have the least body mass of the molly/platy group. The variatus are the ones also sold under the name of "sunset platy". Balloon mollies would be similar in size, but plumper. Next larger would be a swordtail, then a standard molly, followed by a sailfin molly. There's a pygmy swordtail that would be smaller than the variatus and platy, but these aren't commonly seen for sale.

The smallest livebearer overall would probably be a "wild type" guppy or and Endler's livebearer (males of both species are only around 0.7 inches with the females slightly larger). Guppies would be your best bet as "easiest to breed" as well, although any of the common livebearers are relatively easy.

Answer 3

Mollies are all basically the same size.
Platys are all basically the same size.
The smallest type of livebearer would probably be the guppy.
Also, the smallest type of non-bottom feeder fish that is easy to breed is, without a doubt, hands-down, the guppy.

Answer 4

The smallest livebearers are probably Heterandria formosa, or Dwarf Livebearers, which are as easy as any livebearer to breed and generally don't bigger than 1". They're not all that easy to find though, and aren't as pretty as guppies.
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Heterandria_formosa.php

Endler's livebearers and fancy guppies both hit about 1.5". Fancies are available just about anywhere and are really inexpensive. Some of them seem weak due to overbreeding to me. Endler's are related to guppies but are more rare. The females are a lot larger than the males, but the males are absolutely gorgeous.
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Fancy_Guppy_Poecilia_reticulata.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Poecilia_endlers.php

Platies all *should* be only about 2" but I've bought some that grew bigger, likely because they've been hybridized with swordtails, which can get as big as 4-6".
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_platy.php

Mollies are usually the same size as platies, but some of them -- namely, the sailfins and the dalmations, can also get as big as swordtails, so be careful!
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_molly.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_molly2.php

Are any of them really easier than the others? They're all so easy. Guppies are probably the easiest, and the Endler's the easiest of those, if only because they don't eat their young like the Fancies do.