All species
fishbeginner
Platy
Xiphophorus maculatus
A cheerful, rainbow-colored livebearer that's nearly bulletproof — the classic starter community fish.
2–3 in3–5 years
Habitat
Enclosure
10 gal minimum
Temperature
70–78°F
Humidity / Water
Freshwater · pH 7.0–8.0
Heating & lighting
Heater with stable temperature; hardy across water types but prefers slightly alkaline. Floating plants protect the frequent fry.
Diet
Feed these
- Flake food
- Micro pellets
- Frozen brine shrimp
- Blanched spinach
Never feed
- Overfeeding
- Cold, unheated rooms
- Feeding fry uncrushed food
Pinches once or twice a day. They breed constantly — one male per two females keeps everyone comfortable.
Cohabitation
Can live with
Mollies Guppies Neon tetras Corydoras catfish Harlequin rasboras Other platies
Never house with
Betta — long fins get nipped Oscar — eaten Angelfish — predation risk
Peaceful with everything calm. Mix colors freely — all platies are the same species.
