Variatus platy care
Xiphophorus variatus · Atlantic slope of northeastern Mexico: southern Tamaulipas and northern Veracruz
Variatus platies are hardy livebearers a little larger than common platies and happy in cooler water, 61 to 75 °F, so they can live in an unheated tank indoors.
- Tank size
- 15 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 61 to 75 °F (16 to 24 °C)
- Group size
- 3 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2.8 in
- pH
- 7 to 8.2
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 25 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 4 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 15 gallon
24¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep variatus platies
Variatus platies are hardy livebearers a little larger than common platies and happy in cooler water, 61 to 75 °F, so they can live in an unheated tank indoors. Keep three or more, with more females than males, in a 15 gallon or larger tank with hard, alkaline water; they breed readily, so plan for the young.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, micro pellets, vegetables, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Variatus platy tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Guppy
2.8 in · 10+ gal · 72–82 °F
Peppered corydoras
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 64–77 °F
Wrestling halfbeak
2.8 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Croaking gourami
2.8 in · 15+ gal · 72–82 °F
Bronze corydoras
2.75 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Reticulated hillstream loach
3 in · 20+ gal · 68–75 °F
Emerald corydoras
3 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Celebes rainbowfish
3 in · 29+ gal · 68–82 °F
Keep apart
Betta: No shared temperature: variatus platies need 61 to 75 °F, bettas 76 to 82 °F.
Dwarf gourami: No shared temperature: variatus platies need 61 to 75 °F, dwarf gouramis 77 to 82 °F.
Pearl gourami: No shared temperature: variatus platies need 61 to 75 °F, pearl gouramis 77 to 82 °F.
Angelfish: No shared temperature: variatus platies need 61 to 75 °F, angelfish 76 to 84 °F.
German blue ram: No shared temperature: variatus platies need 61 to 75 °F, German blue rams 78 to 85 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
What a variatus platy tank needs
A tank of 15 US gallons or more (such as the 15 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below. Variatus platies are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 5–15 gal
Rated by the maker for 5–15 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon variatus platy tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger AquaFall Aquarium Filter, M
Rated by the maker for 12–17 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon variatus platy tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding variatus platies.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, but its display reads 64 to 86 °F, so it can’t show the bottom of the 61 to 75 °F variatus platy range. Check it with a second thermometer that reads below 64 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common variatus platy problems
- They breed fast; plants give the fry cover, or keep only males.
- Soft, acidic water does not suit them.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Xiphophorus variatus. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Variatus platy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peppered corydoras Przemysław Malkowski, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Wrestling halfbeak Ahsan_al_hidayat, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Croaking gourami Howard Jelks, U.S. Geological Survey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bronze corydoras Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Reticulated hillstream loach Spiketooth, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Emerald corydoras NonstickRon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celebes rainbowfish Brent Tibbatts, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Betta ivabalk (Pixabay), CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Dwarf gourami Quatermass (English Wikipedia), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pearl gourami h080, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Endler's livebearer Dgrummon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Molly LPA74, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Platy Monika Korzeniec, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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