Platy is a common name of

freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. The term excludes seawater and brackish water, but it does include non-salty mi ...

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

in the genus ''

Xiphophorus ''Xiphophorus'' is a genus of euryhaline and freshwater fishes in the family Poeciliidae of order (biology), order Cyprinodontiformes, native to Mexico and northern Central America. ''Xiphophorus'' species can be divided into three groups based ...

'' that lack a "sword" at the bottom of their tails. This species is a

livebearer Livebearers are fish that retain their eggs inside the body and give birth to live, free-swimming young. They are especially prized by aquarium owners. Among aquarium fish, livebearers are nearly all members of the family Poeciliidae and include: ...

, similar to other fish of the family

Poeciliidae Poeciliidae are a Family (biology), family of freshwater ray-finned fishes of the order Cyprinodontiformes, the tooth-carps, and include well-known live-bearing aquarium fish, such as the guppy, Poecilia, molly, Platy (fish), platy, and Green swo ...

, such as the

guppy The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) was initiated by the United States Navy after World War II to improve the submerged speed, maneuverability, and endurance of its submarines. (The "Y" in the acronym was added for pronouncea ...

and molly. Platies are native to the east coast of

Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...

and southern

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

The two species, the

southern platyfish The southern platyfish, common platy, or moonfish (''Xiphophorus maculatus'') is a species of freshwater fish in family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is closely related to the green swordtail (''X. hellerii'') an ...

and the variatus platy, have been interbred to the point where they are difficult to distinguish. Most platies now sold in aquariums are hybrids of both species.

Platy

The platy (''Xiphophorus maculatus'') grows to a maximum overall length of .

Sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different Morphology (biology), morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecy, di ...

is slight, the male's

caudal fin Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

being more pointed. The anal fin of the male fish has evolved into a gonopodium, a stick-shaped organ used for reproduction. The female southern platyfish's anal fin is fan-shaped. Wild varieties are drab in coloration, lacking the distinctive dark lateral line common to many ''Xiphophorus'' species. Platies can have from 20–50 fry (baby fish) at once, as often as once a month. They may also eat their own young.

Variatus platy

The variatus platy (''Xiphophorus variatus'') grows to a maximum overall length of . In the wild they are olive in color with black marbling or spots on the side of the

caudal peduncle Fins are moving appendages protruding from the body of fish that interact with water to generate thrust and help the fish swim. Apart from the tail or caudal fin, fish fins have no direct connection with the back bone and are supported only ...

. Large males show blackish blotches on the

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates. Dorsal fins have evolved independently several times through convergent evolution adapting to marine environments, so the fins are not all homologous. They are found ...

. Unlike some other members of the genus, ''X. variatus'' has no claw at the tip ray. The fourth pectoral ray shows well-developed serrae (i.e. saw-like notches). They typically have 20 to 24 lateral scales, 10 to 12 dorsal rays and two rows of jaw teeth.

Aquarium

Platys are widely used in tropical aquariums. Several different color variations have been developed, such as red, yellow, orange, blue, rainbow (combination of colors) and white. Platys will usually live for around 3 years if their aquarium water parameters are satisfactory. The platys' ideal water parameters are: * Water hardness – between 10 and 28 dGH * Temperature – * Water pH – in range from 6.8 to 8.0

References

{{Authority control Live-bearing fish Ovoviviparous fish Xiphophorus Fish of Guatemala Fish common names

Platy

Variatus platy

Aquarium

See also

References