Platy Fish

Platy is a general name for two associated varieties of freshwater fish in the Xiphophorus genus. These two Platy varieties of fish include the Variatus Platy fish and the Southern Platy fish. These fish breeds have been inter-developed to the point where they are hard to differentiate. Both varieties of Platy are livebearers, like other fish, such as Molly and Guppy of the Poeciliidae family. These Platy fish breeds hail from the east coast of southern Mexico and Central America. Platy fish breeds are wonderful, strong schooling fish. They come in an extensive range of colors that add attraction to any community tank. Currently, nearly all Platy fish breeds that are being sold in aquariums are hybrids of both varieties.

Features

Variatus Platy fish

This Platy fish variety appears with the maximum body length of 2.8 inches. In the wild, these fish breeds appear with olive color with black-colored marbling or marks on the side of the tail peduncle. Big-sized male breeds demonstrate blackish spots on the dorsal fin, and their fifth anal fin ray tip has no claws. They usually have 10 to 12 dorsal rays, 20 to 24 lateral scales and two lines of jaw teeth.

Southern Platy fish

This Platy fish variety appears with the maximum body length of 2.4 inches. These fish breeds have a slight sexual dimorphism, and the caudal fin of the male breeds is more pointed, and their anal fin has developed into a gonopodium, a stick-formed organ employed for reproduction. The anal fin of the female breed is in the shape of a fan. Wild breeds are dull in coloration, lacking the unique dark lateral stripe common to several Xiphophorus varieties.

Diet

The Platy fish breed is an omnivore and it feeds on algae and flaked foods, including freeze-dried Tubifex and bloodworms, and brine shrimp.

The average lifespan of the Platy fish breed ranges from 2 years to 3 years.