Platy

Common name: Platy, sometimes variatus or southern platy.

Origin: North Eastern Central America

Size: 2 - 2½ in. (5 - 6.25 cm.)

Scientific Name: Xiphophorus maculatus and Xiphophorus variatus

Family:Poeciliidae

Care: Platys are very easy to care for, and are great beginner fish. Platy's prefer water temperature at 76-79F ( 24.4-26.1C). Platy's are very hardy, and can adapt to many types of water. PH can rage from acidic (6.5) to basic (8.2). Platy's have even been reported to live in brackish water (lightly salted water) and experience no negative effects of it.

Diet: Flake, frozen, freeze dried, and live food is all accepted by the Platy, and all should be fed to them on a rotating basis. Although flake can be their staple diet, it will keep them more healthy to feed varying food, and help them show better colors. Fry (baby fish) will also be consumed by the Platy and company.

Sexing: There are many ways to sex a Platy (these sexing methods, by the way, can be applied to all livebearers), but there are two that are more widely used than others. The first method is to observe the shape of the Platy, Females will be longer, and also have wider stomachs (even when not pregnant) than males. The second method (and most accurate) involves observing the three fins on the underbelly of the fish. Female Platy's will have three almost identical fins, two a little further up the belly (closer to the front) than the rear, and with a male, the two frontal fins will be the same, but the aft fin will be much smaller, and pointed.


Breeding: Breeding Platy's is said to be exceptionally easy, because the caretaker of the fish has to do nothing to start it, and usually can do nothing to prevent it. Platy's, like all other livebearers (Molly's, Guppy's, Swordtail's, and Mosquito Fish) give birth to live young, and do not lay eggs, so for a period of time, the fish is actually pregnant. Gestation usually lasts about a month, at which point the fry are released from the mother, and usually shortly thereafter are eaten by the mother and other platys. Determining whether a Platy is pregnant, like sexing, is not hard to do. If she exhibits one or all of the following signs, she is most likely pregnant.
1. She is much fatter than you remember her, and seems about ready to explode
2. She has a black spot that was not there before forming above the three fins used to determine the sex (this spot is called a gravid spot, and is said to be the eyes of developing fry)
3. She is a Platy
Caring for fry, like everything else about the Platy, is also exceptionally easy. If you would like a large brood (batch, litter, etc.) of fry, it is best to isolate the mother in a breeding net (purchasable at almost any Local Fish Store (LFS)) or even a separate tank, but make sure to do so before she is giving birth or close to it, or she will abort the babies and reabsorb them. There are many liquid foods and such out there and to feed baby fish, but Platy's are not demanding, and therefor flake food crushed into tiny pieces will do. Feed in the morning and at night, and feed small amounts.

Platies can, and will hybridize with Swordtails too.

Comments: Platy's are a very hardy fish, and are good beginner fish, but are in no way limited to those who have just started keeping fish. They have a very inquisitive personality, and will explore all levels of the tank. Platys have a wide range of colors, including red, orange, yellow, white, black, and blue, with many different combinations of the colors. They can be found at almost any LFS, and are one of the cheapest fish available.

some varients are:

Painted



Sunset fire wag



Gold twin bar




This post has been edited by Annastasia: Nov 17 2006, 01:44 PM

Rainbow Platy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/spy...la/IMG_1022.jpg

Calico Platy

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v683/spy...la/IMG_1086.jpg

This post has been edited by love_fish: Nov 29 2005, 12:25 AM

I own another variant.

Mickeymouse Platy
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/7726/platys3cu.jpg

Would Platies hybridize with Mollys? It's just that I have a Platy which appears quite friendly with a couple of my Mollys.

Mod Note: Nope, they cannot. Platies will always be "friendly" with other fish, because are just mate-happy. It's nothing to worry about.

Xiphophorus Maculatus: Dorsal fin has 9-10 rays, Lateral 22-25 Scales, Size: Males up to 3cm, Females up to 4cm.

Xiphophorus Variatus: Dorsal fin has 9-14 rays, Lateral 25-28 Scales, Size: Males up to 4.5cm, Females up to 5.5cm.

*numbers taken from the book "Swordtails and Platies" by: Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod & Mr. Lothar Wischnath*

Most platy varieties in pet stores have been hybrid with other Xiphophorus species to transfer various traits, then back crossed to their origional species. (This is where the colors, hi-fins & lyretails come from).

Broods of fry range from like 6 to 120. (20 seems about average to me with 80 being the most I've seen).

Stress during pregnacy can result in still born fry and small broods.

Poor water conditions can stunt their growth.

All fry appear female until they are several months old and nearly mature.

This is my Bleeding heart platy that I'm keeping.

platy

PLATY

My mickey mouse platy


My Sunset/Orange platies

This post has been edited by sunpirate2u: Jan 4 2008, 05:24 PM

Some more platy variations - all of these fish are mine. (HOOKED ON PLATIES!! lol)

Sunset with black markings
Yellow/orange tuxedo - pregnant in this photo
Some bizarre strain we are calling Copperblack/moss

here are pictures of my platys

More platy pics!

My sunburst and some type of hi-fin platy.


My blue platy on top.

My beautiful 6+ month old Red Wag Platy, "Feisty":


she was one of 3 fish i bought the first day i ever bought fish, January 5 2008. she has survived through hell and high(and low!) water. she is now the biggest, plumpest fish in my tank and the healthiest. she has never gotten infected with ICH in the two bouts i've dealt with. she's never been nipped, never been attacked...she lives the happiest live in my 38G community. because she's the oldest she believes she's the carekeeper, and she bullies my tiger barbs around when they get near her territory(?)...i guess she doesnt like my rambunctius babies...

Note: she came pregnant from the LFS, had beautiful fry. As soon as she was done with the pregnancy, my male Mickey Mouse Platy:

wouldn't stop chasing her (i guess he wanted to mate again?! and again!?) until she became very recluse and that was the only time i feared for her (~4 months back now). I removed him and gave it to my fiancee...a day after she came back out and has never hidden again. now that she's fully grown i'm looking to get her a blue male to mate (and just keep her company) but just be aware that if your female is hiding it could be hostitlity from the male!