Platy (fish) facts for kids
Platies are small, colorful freshwater fish that are very popular in home aquariums. They belong to the Xiphophorus family. Unlike some of their relatives, Platies don't have a long "sword" shape on their tails. They are known as livebearers, which means the mother fish gives birth to live baby fish, instead of laying eggs. Other famous livebearers include guppies and mollies. Platies originally come from the warm waters of Central America and southern Mexico.
There are two main types of Platies: the southern platyfish and the variatus platy. Over time, these two types have been bred together so much that most Platies you see in pet stores are a mix of both!
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Meet the Platy Fish
The Southern Platyfish (scientific name: Xiphophorus maculatus) can grow up to about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long. It's a bit hard to tell the difference between male and female Platies just by looking at them, but male Platies usually have a more pointed tail fin.
How Platies Reproduce
Male Platies have a special fin called a gonopodium. This fin is shaped like a stick and is used for reproduction. Female Platies have a fan-shaped anal fin. Platies can have many babies, called fry, at one time – usually between 20 and 50! They can give birth as often as once a month. Sometimes, adult Platies might even eat their own young, so it's good to give the fry places to hide.
In the wild, Platies are often duller in color. They don't have the bright colors or dark lines that many aquarium Platies do.
Variatus Platy Fish
The Variatus Platy (scientific name: Xiphophorus variatus) also grows to about 7 centimeters (2.8 inches) long. In their natural homes, these fish are usually olive green with black spots or patterns near their tails. Larger male Variatus Platies might have black spots on their top fin.
Unlike some other fish in their family, the Variatus Platy doesn't have a claw-like tip on its fin rays. They typically have 20 to 24 scales along their sides and two rows of teeth in their jaws.
Caring for Platies in an Aquarium
Platies are very popular fish for home aquariums because they are easy to care for and come in many beautiful colors. You can find Platies that are red, yellow, orange, blue, or even a mix of colors like "rainbow" Platies. There are also white Platies!
If you take good care of them, Platies can live for about 3 years. To keep your Platies happy and healthy, their aquarium water needs to be just right.
Ideal Water Conditions
Here are the best water conditions for Platies:
- Water Hardness: The water should be moderately hard, between 10 and 28 dGH.
- Temperature: The water temperature should be warm, between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius (72 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Water pH: The water should be slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, with a pH level between 6.8 and 8.0.
See also
- Plati (disambiguation)
- Platy (disambiguation)
