One species · 2 varieties
Variable platy
Xiphophorus variatus
Also known as Hawaii Variatus Platy
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 68–79°F
- 20–26°C
- pH
- 6.8–8.0
- Adult size
- 2.8 in
- 7 cm
- Minimum tank
- 15 gal
- 55 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Very common
- Family
- Poeciliidae
- Origin
- Mexico
Pick a variety
One setup covers every line on this page: care is the species' care.
Overview
Keep them in groups, ideally with more females than males to spread out male attention. They swim mostly in the middle of the tank and are peaceful and easygoing with other community fish. They are not picky eaters, so feed a good flake with some vegetable matter and occasional frozen foods. A 55 liter tank works for a small group, and they prefer temperatures in the low to mid 20s C.
In the wild
Variable platies come from the warm, hard waters of eastern Mexico, living in springs, ditches, and slow streams with plenty of plants. That background makes them easy to please as long as the water stays on the harder, more alkaline side. A planted tank with open swimming room and a pH from about 6.8 to 8 suits them well.
Good to know
This is a livebearer in the family Poeciliidae, the same group as guppies and mollies. Adults stay small, around 7 cm, with females a bit larger and fuller than males. They give birth to live young rather than scattering eggs, and a healthy female can drop a brood every month or so. Most fish in stores are tank-bred color forms, not wild types.
Did you know
They breed so readily that you often end up with fry without trying. The catch is that adults will eat their own young, so if you want the babies to survive, give the tank dense planting or move pregnant females to grow-out space before they give birth.
Other named lines
Variatus platies carry the same trade patterns as their southern cousins; these two are pattern names rather than separate fish.
- Rainbow
- multicolor flanks with dark fins
- Tiger
- dark marbling over gold
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Every variety on this page wants the same water, so one set of picks fits them all. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.
Assam banded loach
Neonoemacheilus assamensis
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)
Infrafasciatus killifish
Epiplatys infrafasciatus
Freshwater2.4 in (6 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)68–77°F (20–25°C)
Barred pencilfish
Nannostomus espei
Freshwater1.2 in (3 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Zebra pleco
Hypancistrus zebra
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
New Guinea blue-eye
Pseudomugil novaeguineae
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)
Pygmy gourami
Trichopsis pumila
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a Variable platy need?
A Variable platy needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Variable platy need?
A Variable platy is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.8–8.0.
How big does a Variable platy get?
An adult Variable platy reaches about 2.8 in (7 cm).
Related species
2.8 in (7 cm)15 gal (55 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Southern platy
Xiphophorus maculatus
2.8 in (7 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)
2 in (5 cm)16 gal (60 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Spiketail platy
Xiphophorus xiphidium
2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)
4.1 in (10.5 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)Kallman's swordtail
Xiphophorus kallmani
4.1 in (10.5 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
2.8 in (7 cm)24 gal (90 L)68–81°F (20–27°C)Sheepshead swordtail
Xiphophorus birchmanni
2.8 in (7 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)24 gal (90 L)68–82°F (20–28°C)Green swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii
5.9 in (15 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)29 gal (110 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)Northern mountain swordtail
Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl
3.5 in (9 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)