Red Wag Platy | Community Fish, Omnivore

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The Red Wag Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is one of the most iconic livebearers in the hobby — a vivid, fire-engine red body paired with bold black "wag" fins that pop in any planted tank. Peaceful, hardy, and endlessly active, platies are an excellent beginner-friendly community fish that breed readily and add constant color and motion to a freshwater setup.

Looking for more freshwater fish? Browse our Fresh Water collection and our Nutrition & Fish Food selection.

• Tank Size: 10 gallons minimum — 20+ gallons recommended for a small group
• Temperature: 72–78°F (22–26°C)
• pH: 6.8–8.0
• GH: 10–28 dGH (loves harder, mineral-rich water)
• Feeding: Quality flake or micro pellets, plus frozen brine/daphnia and blanched veggies. Try SFBB Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp or SFBB Freeze Dried Plankton as a protein boost.
• Temperament: Peaceful — ideal community fish, best in groups of 5 or more
• Max Size: 2.5 inches (6 cm)

Platies are quintessential community fish — calm, social, and tolerant of a wide range of tank mates. They thrive in groups and do best alongside other peaceful species of similar size.

Good tank mates: balloon mollies, guppies, swordtails, corydoras catfish, neon tetras and other small tetras, rasboras, otocinclus, peaceful gouramis, nerite snails, neocaridina shrimp (with cover).

Avoid: aggressive cichlids, large barbs known for fin nipping (e.g., tiger barbs), and any fish large enough to swallow a 2–3 inch platy.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• SFBB Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp — high-protein treat platies love
• SFBB Freeze Dried Plankton — varied diet for color and growth
• Nutrition & Fish Food — browse all our community-fish foods
• Maintenance & Water Care — conditioners and water-change essentials
• Freshwater Plants — cover for fry and natural cycling

How many platies should I keep together?
Groups of 5 or more are ideal. To minimize harassment, keep more females than males (2–3 females per male).

Do platies breed in a community tank?
Yes — platies are prolific livebearers and will breed readily without intervention. Provide dense plants or a breeder box if you want to save fry.

Are platies good for beginners?
Absolutely. They are hardy, adaptable, peaceful, and forgiving of minor water-parameter swings — one of the best starter fish in the hobby.

What do I feed them?
A high-quality flake or micro-pellet as a staple, supplemented with frozen brine shrimp or daphnia and occasional blanched zucchini or spinach.