CACAdmin
Mar 23rd 2007, 03:44 AM
Common name:
Platy (pl. platies, platy's, platys)
Scientific names:
Xiphophorus variatus and Xiphophorus maculatus
Note: Platys are comprised of both the variatus and maculatus species. Commonly captive bred platys are hybrids and tend to be labelled based on which species traits they most lean most toward. For a detailed description of the various platy species (including photos) see: ID Your Platy Species (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346&highlight=platy)
Family: Poeciliidae
Origin: Mexico and Central America
Adult size: 2 in. – 2.5 inches (females are larger than the males).
Tank Specs
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallon+ recommended. (preferably planted to give refuge to females and fry).
Water Parameters: pH: 7-8 and Platys prefer prefer medium to hard water.
Temperature: 72-80F
Suitable Tankmates: Suitable with a wide variety of community fish (inlcude: mollies, swordtails, catfish, gouramis). Note: If kept with swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) they will likely cross breed.Minimum Group Size: 1 (if both sexes F:M ratio should be at least 2:1)
Diet:
Omnivorous and will eat almost any type of food presented however they do require a substantial amount of vegetable in their diet. Flake food, sinking pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms, peas, steamed green vegetables.
Sexing:
The female has a dark gravid spot on her body just above her anal fin. This is more visible if the platy is of a light coloring. As babies grow this spot will become larger and darker. The male has a modified anal fin (gonopodium) which allows him to inseminate the females. See: Sexing Poecilidae Livebearers (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181&highlight=sexing)
Breeding and Reproduction:
Extremely easy to breed and very prolific. These fish tend to have only two things in mind: eating & breeding. The males will incessantly chase the females, hence the need for a least two females per male in addition sufficient plants to provide hiding places. Also, lots of fine leaved vegetation (i.e. watersprite and hornwort) and floating plants (ie. water lettuce, duckweed, etc.) will help save the babies as platys will eat their own fry (as will might other omnivorous or carnivorous tankmates).
Gestation period is usually 4-5 weeks. The average number of fry vary ranging from 20-50 with older females usually having larger broods.
Females store sperm from multiple inseminations and later impregnate themselves so that even without a male present for months, the female can give birth to a number of batches of fry.
Colors:
Captive bred Platys come in a wide variety of colors and markings including commonly seen: Sunset, Red Wag, Marigold, Mickey Mouse, Spotted, Comet, Tuxedo, and more.
Finnage: Regular fin, HiFin, Plumetail, Pintail.
Images of various Platies which I currently breed (PM me if interested):
L: Marigold Wag Maculatus Male R: Redtailed Plumetail Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp2.jpg
Red Velvet HiFin Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp3.jpg
Blue Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp4.jpg
Plumetail Variatus Female
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp6.jpg
HiFin Spotted Sunset Maculatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp8.jpg
Mickey Mouse Maculatus Female
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp9.jpg
Very Pregnant Young Red Hifin Variatus Female & assorted other fry
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp10.jpg
Marigold Wag Maculatus Female & Juvenile Gold Mickey Mouse Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp11.jpg
Red Tailed Plumetail Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp12.jpg
Copper Wag Macularus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp13.jpg
Silver Spotted Maculatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp14.jpg
© Canadian Aquarium Connection
Platy (pl. platies, platy's, platys)
Scientific names:
Xiphophorus variatus and Xiphophorus maculatus
Note: Platys are comprised of both the variatus and maculatus species. Commonly captive bred platys are hybrids and tend to be labelled based on which species traits they most lean most toward. For a detailed description of the various platy species (including photos) see: ID Your Platy Species (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=346&highlight=platy)
Family: Poeciliidae
Origin: Mexico and Central America
Adult size: 2 in. – 2.5 inches (females are larger than the males).
Tank Specs
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallon+ recommended. (preferably planted to give refuge to females and fry).
Water Parameters: pH: 7-8 and Platys prefer prefer medium to hard water.
Temperature: 72-80F
Suitable Tankmates: Suitable with a wide variety of community fish (inlcude: mollies, swordtails, catfish, gouramis). Note: If kept with swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri) they will likely cross breed.Minimum Group Size: 1 (if both sexes F:M ratio should be at least 2:1)
Diet:
Omnivorous and will eat almost any type of food presented however they do require a substantial amount of vegetable in their diet. Flake food, sinking pellets, brine shrimp, bloodworms, peas, steamed green vegetables.
Sexing:
The female has a dark gravid spot on her body just above her anal fin. This is more visible if the platy is of a light coloring. As babies grow this spot will become larger and darker. The male has a modified anal fin (gonopodium) which allows him to inseminate the females. See: Sexing Poecilidae Livebearers (http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/forum/showthread.php?t=181&highlight=sexing)
Breeding and Reproduction:
Extremely easy to breed and very prolific. These fish tend to have only two things in mind: eating & breeding. The males will incessantly chase the females, hence the need for a least two females per male in addition sufficient plants to provide hiding places. Also, lots of fine leaved vegetation (i.e. watersprite and hornwort) and floating plants (ie. water lettuce, duckweed, etc.) will help save the babies as platys will eat their own fry (as will might other omnivorous or carnivorous tankmates).
Gestation period is usually 4-5 weeks. The average number of fry vary ranging from 20-50 with older females usually having larger broods.
Females store sperm from multiple inseminations and later impregnate themselves so that even without a male present for months, the female can give birth to a number of batches of fry.
Colors:
Captive bred Platys come in a wide variety of colors and markings including commonly seen: Sunset, Red Wag, Marigold, Mickey Mouse, Spotted, Comet, Tuxedo, and more.
Finnage: Regular fin, HiFin, Plumetail, Pintail.
Images of various Platies which I currently breed (PM me if interested):
L: Marigold Wag Maculatus Male R: Redtailed Plumetail Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp2.jpg
Red Velvet HiFin Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp3.jpg
Blue Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp4.jpg
Plumetail Variatus Female
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp6.jpg
HiFin Spotted Sunset Maculatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp8.jpg
Mickey Mouse Maculatus Female
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp9.jpg
Very Pregnant Young Red Hifin Variatus Female & assorted other fry
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp10.jpg
Marigold Wag Maculatus Female & Juvenile Gold Mickey Mouse Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp11.jpg
Red Tailed Plumetail Variatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp12.jpg
Copper Wag Macularus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp13.jpg
Silver Spotted Maculatus Male
http://www.canadianaquariumconnection.com/jb_images/pp14.jpg
© Canadian Aquarium Connection