Silver Redtop Mickey Mouse Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

The Silver Redtop Mickey Mouse Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is a hardy, cheerful livebearer with a bright silver body, a warm red-orange dorsal, and the classic "Mickey Mouse" marking at the base of the tail. Peaceful, active, and endlessly easy to keep, platies are one of the best fish for a beginner or a busy community tank.

Build out the tank with more of our freshwater livestock and live aquarium plants.

Care Guide

• Beginner-friendly and hardy. Platies adapt to a wide range of conditions as long as the tank is cycled and stable. They are a great first fish.
• Tank size: A 10 to 20 gallon (or larger) aquarium suits a small group. They are active swimmers and appreciate open space.
• Water parameters: Temperature 70 to 82°F, pH 7.0 to 8.2. Like most livebearers, platies prefer moderately hard, slightly alkaline water.
• Keep a group. Platies are social and look their best in groups. If you keep both sexes, keep two or three females per male to spread out attention.
• Feeding: Omnivores with an appetite for greens. Offer a quality flake or micro pellet plus occasional veggie or spirulina foods and frozen treats. Feed small amounts once or twice daily.

Specifications

Compatibility

Platies are model community citizens, peaceful and friendly with other calm fish. They mix beautifully with other livebearers and small, gentle species. Great companions include:

• Blue Wag Platy and other platy color varieties
• Pineapple Swordtail
• Lyretail Mollies and fancy guppies
• Corydoras catfish, small peaceful tetras, and rasboras

Platies are livebearers, so a mixed-sex group will produce fry. Add floating plants if you want some young to survive in a community tank.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Seachem NutriDiet Tropical Flakes as a staple
• Hikari Vibra Bites for variety and color
• Java Moss and Anubias for easy, hardy greenery
• Frogbit for surface cover and fry hiding spots

Frequently Asked Questions

Are platies good for beginners?
Absolutely. They are among the hardiest and most forgiving aquarium fish, which makes them a favorite first community fish.

Will they breed in my tank?
Yes, if you keep males and females together. Platies are livebearers and reproduce readily. Provide floating plants or dense cover if you want fry to survive.

What should I feed them?
A varied diet of quality flakes or pellets with some vegetable matter keeps their color rich. They graze on soft algae too.

How many should I get?
A small group of three or more looks great and keeps them comfortable. If mixing sexes, favor more females than males.