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Encyclopedia / Livebearers / Platy
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Variations

11 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Platy

Xiphophorus maculatus · Platyfish, Moonfish, Southern platyfish, Mickey mouse platy

Peaceful, hardy and active; prefers harder water.

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6 cmAdult size ✓
20–26 °CTemperature ✓
7–8.2pH ✓
54 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Platy only grows to 6 cm.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Platy only grows to 6 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (20–26 °C vs 27–30 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

329 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓10–30 dGH
Group size ?3 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–3.5 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Peaceful, hardy and active; prefers harder water.

Food

Flakes, pellets, algae and vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Platy
Male
Female Platy
Female

Males are smaller and have a gonopodium (a pointed, rod-like anal fin); females are larger with a normal fan-shaped anal fin.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Livebearer · Easy

Livebearer that breeds readily in aquaria; aquarium strains mature at 3-4 months.

Pairing

Buy 1 male and 2-3 females.

Setup

40 L tank with plants and a sponge filter.

What starts it

No trigger needed; females give birth about every month.

Eggs

20-80 young per brood after about 24-30 days gestation (up to 4-6 weeks).

Raising the fry

Fry are born ready to eat. Feed crushed flake, baby brine shrimp and microworms several times a day. Separate fry from adults or use plants as cover. Sort by size and sex early.

Common mistakes
  • Overcrowding
  • Leaving fry with adults
  • Poor food variety
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAtlantic slope of Mexico, Guatemala & Belize
Rivers and lakesCoatzacoalcos and other Gulf of Mexico drainages to Belize
HabitatWarm, slow, vegetated waters
Native rangeAbout 500 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

Dwarf sagittariaLudwigiaBacopaHygrophila polyspermaWater wisteriaHornwort

The story of the platy

Described by Günther in 1866. Many of the colour forms in shops were produced by crossing platies with swordtails (X. hellerii) or variatus platies (X. variatus). It is one of the best beginner fish, as long as the water is hard and above pH 7.

Albert Günther described the platy in 1866. In the early 20th century, hybrids with swordtails produced many colourful strains. Platies also became important in early cancer genetics research.

First described by Albert Günther in 1866.

  • Crosses of platies and swordtails helped scientists study inherited melanoma.
  • Most platies in shops are hybrids of several Xiphophorus species.
  • Platies give birth to live young.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources