MS Livebearers

Platy Info

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For all you platy lovers, here's some informtation for you!

Platy

Xiphophorus maculatus

Size: females: up to 2.5 inches (7 cm), males: somewhat smaller at 2.0 inches (6 cm)

pH: 7.0 to 8.3

Temperature: 68-79°F (20-26°C)

Tank Size: 10 gallons or larger

Tank Range: Top, Middle, Bottom

Care: Platies are omnivorous and will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. But they have a very high herbivorous requirement, and their diet needs to include lots of algae and other vegetation, such as a vegetable based flake. You can feed them brine shrimp (either live or frozen) or blood worms as a treat.  They will enjoy the proteins but they must also have vegetation in their diet.   They do like a bit of salt though it is not necessary.

Sexing: The female is usually bigger than a male of the same age. Males also have a modified anal fin called a gonopodium.  It is a bit more difficult to sex them until they are mature as male platies won't show their colors until they are mature.

 

Breeding: Livebearer: Platies are prolific breeders, and usually not much more is need than a just to have fish of both sexes for them to breed.  Like most livebearers, a female platy can give birth every 28 days. Lots of floating and ground cover will give the baby platies a better chance at survival.  You could also put the babies in a separate tank or breeding net to raise them large enough that the adults will not eat them.  It is best to keep platies in groups of 1 male to 3 or more females.

Murray, NE