Xiphophorus maculatus

Breeding

 * Platies are one of the easiest fish to breed. As long as there is a male and a female, you are almost certain of eventually having fry. It is recomended you have 2 females for every male, as one male will put stress on a single female.  Platies are livebearers, and the babies are born fully formed and ready to swim.  They are capable of eating very shortly after birth.  The female will sometimes eat her young so provide spawning grass, fine leaved plants, or put the newly born fry in a breeding trap (never put a pregnant female into a breeding trap as this will cause undue stress and possibly cause her to abort the fry).  Young platies can be raised on baby brine shrimp or even finely crushed flake foods.  They grow rapidly if the water quality is kept immaculate.
 * Platys can hybridise with Swordtails.