Platies Fish Care and Breeding


The Red Wag Platy is a colour variant of the Platies family (Xiphophorus maculates), one of the popular tropical fish which possibly a hybrid between two species and native to Mexico and Central America. They are predominantly red, but have black fins and lips. Like many other tropical fish, they have yellow and black eyes. Note that Platies can grow quite large in an aquarium - mine are about two inches long.

"Feeding Platies" is not difficult because Platy fish love to eat! They eat regular flake food for common tropical aquarium fish, as well as frozen food such as brine shrimp or bloodworm. During the feeding times, if they are pecking they also seem to suck algae off the vegetation in the tank.

Although it seems tasteful in algae, Platies inappropriately used as natural algae control for the aquarium because other behaviour of Platies which generate a lot of waste can actually cause more algae in the aquarium. I think, this is because they eat a lot more than other fish such as Neon Tetras or Tiger Hillstream Loaches.

About the resistance against fish diseases, Platies seem quite prone to the common aquarium ailments of white spot and various fungal infections, but they also respond well to treatment.

Platies are a live bearer, which are they giving birth to live young. Breeding Platy fish can be done en masse, but they have bad habits like eating their baby fish (fry) of its own, especially when the daily ration feed late or less. In fact other than the parent, there's more threat than any other aquarium inhabitants.

If you want to raise the fry you will need to move them to a breeding trap within the tank or moving them to a special fry tank. This is recommended to avoid the fry from predator such as Neon tetras, Aquarium Shrimps or other fish which may eat them. Therefore, in order to obtain maximum results, "Platies breeding" should be coupled with efforts to protect the baby fish (fry).