Can African Butterfly Fish and Sailfin Molly Live Together?

African Butterfly Fish is a moderately assertive species (5/10), while Sailfin Molly is generally mild-mannered (3/10). This modest difference means African Butterfly Fish may occasionally assert dominance over Sailfin Molly.

African Butterfly Fish and Sailfin Molly both frequent the Top (Surface) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Worth noting: African Butterfly Fish is nocturnal and will be most active after lights-out, naturally reducing daytime encounters. Also, African Butterfly Fish is a known jumper, so a tight-fitting lid is essential.

The safe temperature window for both species falls between 24°C and 28°C. Aim for the midpoint of this range (around 26.0°C) for optimal comfort.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 7.5 and 7.5. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

Hardness requirements are incompatible: African Butterfly Fish needs 1–10 dGH while Sailfin Molly requires 15–30 dGH.

To house African Butterfly Fish and Sailfin Molly together, plan for an aquarium of at least 110 litres with a minimum length of 80 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Providing a mix of open swimming space and sheltered areas with rocks, driftwood, or plants will keep both species comfortable and allow natural behaviour.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Plants - Floating, Established Algae (Otocinclus), Plants - Densely covered. Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with low (still water) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

African Butterfly Fish and Sailfin Molly are the kind of pair that can look acceptable in a shop but become a maintenance problem at home. The main risk is not a single number in the chart; it is the way incompatible behavior, water needs, or pressure on space compounds over time once both fish are established in the same tank.