Platy

Xiphophorus maculatus

Also known as: Southern platyfish, Common platy

Quick Facts

• Adult size: 5-7.5 cm (1.96-2.95 inches)
• Minimum tank size: 55 litres (14.5 gallons)
• Lifespan: 3–4 years
• Temperament: peaceful
• Swimming level: middle-and-top
• Diet: omnivore
• Minimum group size: 4
• Difficulty: beginner

Water Parameters

• Temperature: 20–26°C
• pH: 7–8.2
• Hardness: 178–535 ppm

Care Summary

A hardy, colourful livebearer often recommended as a first fish. Less prone to inbreeding weaknesses than fancy guppies, with a longer lifespan. Females produce roughly 20–40 fry per month, so a single-sex group is recommended unless you want a breeding population. Active mid-water swimmers that show their best colour with strong lighting and varied diet. Generally undemanding but appreciates well-planted tanks and gentle current.

Tankmates

Peaceful livebearer that mixes well with most community species. Like guppies, best kept with more females than males to spread out male attention. Will interbreed readily with swordtails, since they are closely related. Tolerates harder, alkaline water better than soft-water species like neon tetras.

Compatible with

• Guppy
• Bronze Corydoras
• Harlequin Rasbora
• Mystery Snail
• Cherry Shrimp
• Otocinclus

Avoid keeping with

• Betta
• Angelfish Adult
• Fin Nippers
• Large Cichlids

Common Problems

• ich
• fin rot
• overpopulation from breeding
• constipation from over-reliance on flake food

Sources: seriouslyfish.com, fishbase.org · Last updated: 2026-06-02