Platy - Xiphophorus maculata breeding
In aquaria Xiphophorus maculata is known as platy. Their natural environment is in Mexico and Guatemala. The body is relative prolonged, with prolonged back and abdomen. There also are some
varieties with high back and stumpy body. The dorsal fin has 9-10 rays, being relative small. There are some veil forms with a very prolonged dorsal fin. The male can reach 4 cm length and the female 6 cm. Even in nature, there are lots of coloration varieties, and in aquariums, due to selections, they are even more.
At the main platy variety, the scruff and the back area are dark olive, it has blue flanks. The laterals have dark colored transversal lines, the abdomen is white and the fins are transparent. On the base of the tail black spots can appear with different brown, red, blue drawings. As coloration varieties there are: golden platy, red platy, wagteil (red body with black tail and fins), tuxeto platy (black and shining scalds on a red or green background). In USA, Gordon obtained a variety called blooding heart which has the neck and the pectoral area colored in a bloody red and the rest of the body is white. The optimal temperature for breeding is 20-25° C. They are viviparous fish; females give birth to up to 100 living fry depending on the size of the female.