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Freshwater fish

Red Wag Platy

Red Wag Platy

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The red wag platy features a red body with a black tail. These are friendly pet fish that do well in all non-aggressive fish tanks. Platies can also handle brackish water conditions but are most popular in freshwater community fish tanks.

Quick Facts

Scientific Name Xiphophorus maculatus
Origin Southern Mexico and Central America
Care Level Easy, good for beginners
Temperament Peaceful
Adult Size Up to 2"
Lifespan 3–4 years
Diet Omnivore
Water Temperature 70–80°F
pH 7.0–8.2
Breeding Livebearer – breeds easily in the aquarium

Care Guide

Tank setup: Platies are hardy and easy to keep. Give them 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.

Feeding: Feed a quality flake or small pellet once or twice a day, only as much as they eat in a couple of minutes. Platies also need some plant matter, so a vegetable flake is a good choice. They also enjoy frozen brine shrimp.

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 more females than males gives the females a break from the males' attention.

Good to know: Platies are one of the easiest fish to keep, which makes them a great choice for a first aquarium.

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