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Platy

Scientific name: Xiphophorus maculatus

Origin: Central America

Temperament: The Platy is commonly housed in community tanks since it is a peaceful species.
Feeding: You can give your Platy live food and Tubifex worms.

Care: The Platy is sturdy and therefore very popular among novice aquarists. If you add some salt to the water, the risk of fish diseases will decrease.

Water conditions: The Platy needs warm waters and the temperature should be kept in the 25 – 28 degrees C (77 – 82 degrees F) range. The pH should be neutral or slightly alkaline; 7.0-7.5 is ideal.

Gender: The anal fin of the male Platy has developed into a reproductive organ, a so called gonopodium. The female Platy is large than the male, and her body is plumper.  

Breeding: If you care for your Platies, they will happily breed without any special coaxing. The fry survival rate increases in well planted aquariums where they fry can stay hidden among the leaves and avoid being eaten by adult fish. You can also remove the newborn fry from the community tank and raise them in their own tank.

Additional comments: The Platy can reach a size of 5 centimetres. It will spend most of its time swimming around in the tank looking for food. There are several types of Platy, including the common Platy and the Variatus Platy.