What tank size does a Platy need?

A Platy needs an aquarium of at least 55 litres (14.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Platy need?

Platy does best at 18–26 °C (64.4–78.8 °F), pH 7–8.2 and a general hardness of 10–28 °dGH.

What group size does a Platy need?

Platy is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Platy suitable for beginners?

Yes — Platy is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Species library

Platy

Xiphophorus maculatus

Poeciliidae

FishDifficulty: ●○○○○Data: well-established

📷 Usien · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Platy — Xiphophorus maculatus — 📷 Usien · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The platy is a robust, brightly coloured livebearer from the fresh waters of Central America, ranging from southern Mexico to Belize and Guatemala. Domesticated for over a century, it now exists in a huge palette of reds, yellows, blues and patterned varieties such as wagtail and mickey-mouse. Peaceful, tolerant of a wide temperature range and undemanding of exact water chemistry, platies suit community tanks and beginners alike. Like other poeciliids they are prolific livebearers, so a species tank will quickly fill with fry.

Care

Keep small groups in hard, neutral-to-alkaline water 18-26°C, ideally more females than males. Feed a veggie-rich omnivore diet; breeds readily.

Diet

Omnivore that leans herbivorous; algae/spirulina flake, blanched veg and occasional live foods.

Tankmate compatibility

Gets along with (28)

Possible with care (173)

Acei Cichlid African Butterfly Cichlid African Butterflyfish Agassiz's Cory Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid Auratus Cichlid Bamboo Shrimp Banjo Catfish Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Neon Tetra Black Phantom Tetra Black Ruby Barb Black Skirt Tetra Blackline Rasbora Bleeding Heart Tetra Blue Acara Blue Dolphin Cichlid Blue Velvet Shrimp Boesemani Rainbowfish Bolivian Ram Borleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo Sucker Brevis Shell Dweller Brichard's Teleogramma Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose Pleco Bronze Corydoras Buenos Aires Tetra Buffalohead Cichlid Bumblebee Cichlid Bumblebee Goby Butterfly Hillstream Loach Calvus Cichlid Celebes Rainbowfish Celestial Pearl Danio Checkered Barb Cherry Barb Cherry Shrimp Chocolate Cichlid Clown Pleco Cobalt Blue Zebra Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Colombian Ramshorn Snail Compressiceps Cichlid Congo Tetra Convict Cichlid Cuckoo Catfish Cylindricus Cichlid Cyprichromis Demasoni Cichlid Denison Barb Doctor Fish Dogtooth Cichlid Dojo (Weather) Loach Duboisi Tropheus Dwarf Chain Loach Dwarf Flag Cichlid Dwarf Gourami Dwarf Pea Puffer Dwarf Petricola Catfish Electric Yellow Lab Elephantnose Fish Ellioti Cichlid Elongate Mbuna Emperor Tetra Endler's Livebearer Even-spotted Synodontis Featherfin Squeaker Festivum (Flag Cichlid)Figure-8 Puffer Firemouth Cichlid Five-bar Cichlid Flame Tetra Forktail Rainbowfish Ghost Shrimp Glass Catfish Glowlight Danio Glowlight Tetra Goby Cichlid Golden Dwarf Cichlid Golden Julie Golden Pencilfish Golden Tetra Golden Wonder Killifish Harlequin Rasbora Head-and-Tail-Light Tetra Honey Gourami Hongi Cichlid Jewel Cichlid Johanni Cichlid Julii Cory Kenyi Cichlid Keyhole Cichlid Kissing Gourami Kribensis Lambchop Rasbora Lemon Cichlid Lemon Tetra Leopard Danio Little Corydoras Macmasteri Dwarf Cichlid Maingano Cichlid Marlieri Cichlid Masked Julie Medaka Ricefish Molly Moonlight Gourami Multifasciatus Shell Dweller Ocellatus Shell Dweller Otocinclus Panda Corydoras Paradise Fish Paraguay Eartheater Peacock Cichlid Pearl Gourami Peppered Corydoras Pictus Catfish Polka Dot Loach Port Cichlid Powder Blue Cichlid Purple Emperor Tetra Pygmy Corydoras Rabbit Snail Rainbow Cichlid Rainbow Shark Red Empress Red Rainbowfish Red Whiptail Catfish Red Zebra Cichlid Red-Tail Shark Redhead Cichlid Regan's Julie Reticulated Hillstream Loach Rosy Barb Rosy Tetra Rummynose Tetra Rusty Cichlid Sailfin Molly Salt and Pepper Cory Sand-sifting Xenotilapia Saulosi Cichlid Scarlet Badis Scissortail Rasbora Serpae Tetra Severum Siamese Algae Eater Silver Tip Tetra Similis Shell Dweller Skunk Cory Sparkling Gourami Spotted Hoplo Star Sapphire Sterbai Corydoras Striped Kribensis Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp Sunshine Peacock Sveni Eartheater T-Bar Cichlid Taiwan Reef Cichlid Thai Micro Crab Thick-lipped Gourami Threadfin Acara Threadfin Petrochromis Threadfin Rainbowfish Three-spot Gourami Tropheus Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid Vampire Shrimp White Cloud Mountain Minnow Wrestling Halfbeak Yoyo Loach Zebra Danio Zebra Mbuna

Avoid (70)

Adonis Pleco Altum Angelfish Angelfish Bala Shark Black Moor Goldfish Blue Tiger Shrimp Cardinal Tetra Checkerboard Cichlid Chili Rasbora Chocolate Gourami Clown Killifish Clown Loach Cochu's Blue Tetra Comet Goldfish Common Goldfish Common Pleco Congo Dwarf Cichlid Crystal Red Shrimp Demon Eartheater Diamond Tetra Discus Dwarf Rasbora Electric Blue Ahli Ember Tetra Endlicheri Bichir Fantail Goldfish Frontosa German Blue Ram Green Discus Green Neon Tetra Green Spotted Pufferfish Green Terror Heckel Discus Iridescent Shark Jack Dempsey Jaguar Cichlid Koi Kuhli Loach Livingstoni Malawi Eyebiter Malawi Hawk Marble Hatchetfish Neon Tetra Oranda Goldfish Ornate Bichir Oscar Peaceful Betta Peacock Bass Pike Cichlid Ranchu Goldfish Red Devil Red Terror Reticulated Flying Fox Rostratus Rosy Red Minnow Royal Pleco Ryukin Goldfish Sailfin Pleco Salvini Cichlid Shubunkin Goldfish Silver Arowana Silver Moony Strawberry Rasbora Striped Raphael Catfish Telescope Goldfish Texas Cichlid Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf Cichlid Zebra Pleco

Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.

Full tank-mates guide with reasons →

Telling males from females

What works for this species, most reliable first.

The gonopodiumDefinitive · from about 4 weeks old
Look at the anal fin, underneath and just behind the belly. In females it stays a broad triangular fan. In males it narrows into a rod and angles forward — that rod is the gonopodium, a rebuilt fin rather than an organ that appears from nowhere.

All the methods, with diagrams

Also in these lists

Shrimp-safe fish Fish for hard water Fish for a first aquarium Peaceful community fish

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Platy need?: A Platy needs an aquarium of at least 55 litres (14.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Platy need?: Platy does best at 18–26 °C (64.4–78.8 °F), pH 7–8.2 and a general hardness of 10–28 °dGH.
What group size does a Platy need?: Platy is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Platy suitable for beginners?: Yes — Platy is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature18–26°C

Optimal temp.22–25°C

pH7–8.2

Hardness (GH)10–28°d

Carbonate (KH)4–15°d

Adult size6 cm

Min. volume≥ 55 L

Min. tank length≥ 60 cm

Group size≥ 6

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~3 yrs

Try in the calculator