Description

Platies, come from Central and South America, in the region from Vera (Mexico) to Belize. Platies prefer small, warm bodies of water with silty bottoms and vegetation, such as ditches, canals, springs, and marshes. Interestingly, platies were first brought to Europe during the early 20th century and quickly became an aquarium favorite due to their easy-going nature, pretty colorings, and prolific breeding habits.

Tankmates

The Platy is a harmonious species and it does best with similar freshwater fish. Good options include mollies, guppies, swordtails, and tetras. Male wagtails, while they can be sexually aggressive, are rarely aggressive toward other males; in general, they are compatible with a variety of tankmates. Be careful about adding more aggressive species, such as angelfish, to a tank containing platies, as platies can easily fall prey to larger, more assertive bullies.

Red Wagtail Platy Habitat and Care

All platies are especially popular with fishkeepers because they don’t have any particular needs in the tank beyond clean, filtered water kept more or less at room temperature. Choose a tank that holds at least 5 gallons (but 10 gallons is better), and keep a ratio of at least two females to every male, so that the females are not constantly pursued to mate. Females also appreciate a few plants in which to hide out from persistent males.

The platy is a good choice for new fishkeepers because they are easy to care for, but they do struggle in an early cycling tank. Wait until your aquarium’s nitrogen cycle has been completed before adding platies or risk the possibilities that your new fish will perish.

Platy Diet and Feeding

Platies in the wild survive on not only protein but also algae, which provides them with plenty of fiber. Be sure your platies get plenty of fiber in their new aquarium home. In addition to the protein foods, they thrive on vegetables such as cucumbers, squash, and spinach. It’s also a good idea to select flake foods that include vegetable supplements.

If they don’t eat all foods provided in a few minutes, then you may be overfeeding. If you feed a flake food diet, supplement it with live food which offers much more nourishment. Try live or frozen brine shrimp as well as microworms, bloodworms, mosquito larvae, Daphnia, fruit flies, and chopped-up earthworms. Platies need to eat once or twice a day, and they are usually eager to eat but do not overfeed.