Bleeding Heart Platy

The bleeding heart platy, also called the tiger ruby platy, has a light cream body and orange stripes that come together at the chest, hence the name "bleeding heart." These platies are difficult color variations to breed and command a higher price. Bleeding heart platies are mild-mannered fish (after all, they do wear a bleeding heart on their body) and feel less stress in a group of four or more.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Platies are hardy and easy to keep. Give a small group at least a 10-gallon tank with a filter, a lid and plenty of plants. Use a heater to keep the water steady in the 70s. They prefer harder, slightly alkaline water. Change about 25% of the water every week.

Feeding: Feed a quality flake or small pellet once or twice a day, only as much as they eat in about two minutes. Platies also need plant matter, so include a vegetable or spirulina flake, plus treats of frozen or live brine shrimp and daphnia.

Tankmates: Platies get along with most peaceful community fish, such as other livebearers (mollies, guppies and swordtails), tetras, rasboras and corydoras. Avoid large or aggressive fish that may bully or eat them.

Breeding: Platies are livebearers, so a tank with males and females will almost certainly have babies (fry). Adults will eat fry, so add dense plants or use a breeding box if you want to raise them. Keeping two or three females per male gives the females a break from the males' attention.

Good to know: This premium color variety is calmer and shows its best color in a group of four or more.