Platy fish are a very similar fish to both the Guppy and Molly in that they are livebearers. There are two main species of Platy – the Southern Platy and the Variutus Platy. As they have been interbred over time, these species are now are quite similar and hard to distinguish. When purchasing a Platy for your aquarium, it is common that you will get a hybrid of these two species. The maximum length for this fish is 7cm and they can have up to 50 fish fry at once, as often as monthly. It is important to know that it is normal for Platies eat their own young.
How to Set-Up Your Tank for a Platy Fish
One thing to keep in mind with Platy fish is that they prefer to be kept in small groups. They are active fish and like to have plenty of room to move around. They spend most of their time around the middle of the water column in a tank and hiding amongst aquarium plants.
Platy fish are not aggressive; however, it is important to keep the right ratios of females to males to not overwhelm them. They can also jump so always keep the tank covered as they can actually jump out of the tank!
If you have a refugium, it can be highly beneficial to use the Freshwater Refugium Packs available at Aquatic Live Food. These packs contain everything you need to set-up a self-sufficient tank for your Pearl Gourami and any other freshwater fish you may have.
Ensure usual tropical tank care is maintained, including; filtration, lighting, substrate, decorations and plant maintenance.
What to Feed Platies
Platies are omnivores, meaning they will consume both algae and aquarium plants as well as plankton and fish eggs. The first step to ensure that these fish have adequate algae needs is to add a phytoplankton to the tank. This can be purchased either by itself in the Freshwater MicroMagic product or it is also included in the Freshwater Refugium Packs. To satisfy their meat needs, you can feed Platies many types of small plankton including; Blackworms and aquarium insects such as Daphnia, Microworms, Vinegar Eels and Copepods.
