Platy
Xiphophorus maculatus
One of the easiest livebearers for beginners: peaceful, colourful and undemanding, happiest in moderately hard water with plants.
Key facts
- Body length
- 2.4 in without fins
- Minimum tank
- 17 gallons
- Group
- 3+
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Care level
- 1 / 5
- Lifespan
- Not well documented
- Diet
- Flakes, micro pellets, spirulina, brine shrimp
- Origin
- Atlantic slope of Mexico and Central America
- Hardier than61%
- Bigger than36%
- Calmer than68%
Water: their range vs yours
Platy tank mates
- Neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Harlequin rasboraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Fancy guppyGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Panda corydorasGets along in shared water.Good mates
- OtocinclusGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Cherry shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- BettaGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Tiger barbGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Amano shrimpGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black neon tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Black widow tetraGets along in shared water.Good mates
- Blood parrot cichlidGets along in shared water.Good mates
- AngelfishAngelfish can eat young or small Southern platyfish; adults are big enough to be safe.Risky
- Chinese algae eaterChinese algae eater attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Southern platyfish.Risky
- Clown loachClown loach attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Southern platyfish.Risky
- DemasoniDemasoni attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Southern platyfish.Risky
- Golden mbunaGolden mbuna attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Southern platyfish.Risky
- Peacock cichlidMalawi butterfly peacock attacks fish with a similar shape or colour: Southern platyfish.Risky
- Blue dolphin cichlidBlue dolphin cichlid can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 6.3 cm.Avoid
- Convict cichlidConvict cichlid can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
- Firemouth cichlidFiremouth cichlid can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 3.0 cm.Avoid
- GoldfishGoldfish can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 3.0 cm.Avoid
- Iridescent sharkIridescent shark can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 32.5 cm.Avoid
- Jewel cichlidJewel cichlid can eat Southern platyfish: prey body depth 1.1 cm ≤ mouth 3.8 cm.Avoid
How we check
The numbers the tank model uses for platies: water as ideal and tolerated ranges, bioload from adult mass, space, flow and how they act on other species.
- Standard length
- 6 cm (TL)
- Adult mass
- 2.91 g
- Bioload at 25 °C
- 2.18 BU
- Min. water
- 54 L net
- Min. footprint
- 60 × 30 cm per group
- Group
- 3+ (best 6)
- Swims in
- middle, top
- Flow
- low
- Body / fins
- fusiform, normal fins
- Diet type
- omnivore plant
- Fin nipper
- none
- Sensitive to
- —
Sources: Seriously Fish: Xiphophorus maculatus · FishBase: Xiphophorus maculatus
Care notes
Platies come from Atlantic-slope streams of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua. Females reach about 2.5 inches and males stay smaller.
A 15-gallon tank with several females per male works well. Unlike guppies, adults usually leave their fry alone, and platies crossbreed with swordtails and variatus platies.
Questions
What size tank does a platy need?
At least 17 gallons (54 litres of water after decor). Adults reach about 2.4 inches without fins.
How many platies should be kept together?
Keep at least 3, ideally 6 or more: fewer feel exposed and hide or turn nippy.
What water do platies need?
68–79 °F, pH 7–8.2 and 10–30 dGH. Platies come from Atlantic slope of Mexico and Central America.
How long do platies live?
Not well documented with good care.
What fish can live with platies?
Good tank mates include Neon tetra, Harlequin rasbora, Fancy guppy, Panda corydoras and Otocinclus. Each is checked both ways for size, fin nipping, temperament, territory and shared water.