Platy Firetail Tuxedo

Platy fish belong to Xiphophorus genus and along with Mollies, Guppies and Swordfish are a member of the Poeciliidae family. Xiphophorus come from the Greek work ‘xiphos’ meaning sword and ‘pherein’ meaning carry. Platy fish is a common name that refers to three species: the Southern Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) the Variable Platy (Xiphophorus variatus) the Swordtail Platy (Xiphophorus xiphidium) Nowadays, these fish are very common in the aquarium hobby and have been interbred to mix colors and fins shape. The Southern Platy and the Variable Platy are the most common species and have been interbred so much that now it’s difficult to distinguish between the different species. The Southern Platy, also known as the Common Platy, was introduced to the aquarium hobby in 1907, while the Variable Platy was introduced later in 1932. The Variable Platy, as the name suggests, was named after its great color diversity. The Swordtail Platy still remains a rare specimen. This fish is also called the Spike Tail Platy, due to the shape of its fins. All Platies are hardy fish but have a relatively short life span. They live about three years; possibly five years if really well cared for. You will easily find the Southern and Variable Platy for sale. The Swordtail however, is very difficult to come by. Typical Behavior Platy fish are small peaceful fish. Even though they are not considered shoaling or schooling fish, they are much happier when kept in a small group. They are very active and love breeding. Platies spend most of their time swimming in small groups in the middle of the water column, among the plants and hiding between the floating leaves. They are not usually aggressive, but you might find that the males overwhelm the females if you don’t keep the right ratios (more on this later). Platy fish can jump! Remember to always keep the tank covered as they can jump out the tank.