Mickey Mouse Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

The Mickey Mouse Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) gets its name from a small marking at the base of the tail: a dark crescent with two round spots above it that looks just like a famous cartoon mouse. Around that signature mark, this listing is an assortment of colors, which can include reds, oranges, golds, yellows, and bluish or silvery fish depending on the batch. Platies are sturdy, cheerful, always busy, and one of the very best first fish for a new community tank. Browse the rest of our live fish and freshwater supplies to build around them.

Care Guide

• Tank size: 10 gallons for a small trio, 20 gallons or more for a group or a mixed community. Platies are active swimmers and a colony grows fast.
• Water parameters: 70 to 78°F, pH 7.0 to 8.2, moderately hard to hard water. Platies do poorly in soft, acidic water, so if your tap water is soft, Seachem Equilibrium helps raise hardness.
• Stocking ratio: keep two or three females for every male, or an all male group. Males chase females constantly, and spreading that attention keeps everyone less stressed.
• Feeding: omnivore with a real appetite for plant matter. Feed a quality flake like Fluval Bug Bites Spirulina Flakes or TetraMin once or twice a day, with frozen daphnia or brine shrimp as treats.
• Filtration and maintenance: livebearers eat a lot and produce a lot of waste. Change 25% weekly and do not let the population outgrow the filter.
• Plants and cover: dense plants such as Guppy Grass give females a break from males and give babies somewhere to hide.

Specifications

Compatibility

Platies are about as easygoing as fish get. They mix well with other livebearers like the Bumble Bee Platy, Silver Redtop Mickey Mouse Platy, Sailfin Molly, and swordtails, plus peaceful fish that enjoy the same harder water such as Zebra Danios and Cherry Barbs. Corys, bushynose plecos, and nerite snails work well on the bottom.

What goes wrong: large or aggressive cichlids, which will bully or eat them, and fish that need soft, acidic water such as discus. Any fish with a big enough mouth will eat platy fry, so if you want babies to survive, give them heavy plant cover or a breeding box. Platies may also crossbreed with swordtails, which is harmless but worth knowing if you care about pure colors.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Fluval Bug Bites Spirulina Flakes for the vegetable side of their diet
• TetraMin Tropical Flakes as an everyday staple
• Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Daphnia as a treat that also aids digestion
• Seachem Equilibrium if your water is soft
• Guppy Grass for fry cover and grazing
• Fluval Hang-On Breeding Box to raise babies safely

FAQ

Which color will I get?
This is an assorted listing, so colors vary with each batch and we pick from what is in the tank. If you prefer a certain color, ask us when you pick up and we will choose one for you if we have it.

Can I get all males or all females?
Usually, yes. Just ask. Males have a pointed, rod shaped anal fin called a gonopodium, while females have a fan shaped one, so we can sort them at the tank.

I only bought females. Why are there babies?
Female platies store sperm and can give birth several times without a male present. If a female spent any time with males before you bought her, expect a surprise batch or two.

How do I keep the population under control?
Keep single sex groups, or let the other fish in the tank eat most of the fry. Extra healthy platies can usually find a new home through hobbyist groups or a local fish store.

Do platies need a heater?
In most homes, yes. They tolerate cooler water than many tropicals, but a steady 72 to 78°F keeps them active and resistant to disease.