Red Coral Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) – Locally Bred

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The Red Coral Platy is a brilliantly colored, peaceful livebearer that's perfect for beginners and seasoned aquarists alike. Our specimens are locally bred, ensuring they are healthy, hardy, and well-adapted to life in a home aquarium. With deep red-orange bodies and subtle hints of gold and coral shimmer, these fish bring warmth and vibrancy to any freshwater tank.

Platies are easy to care for, highly social, and thrive in a variety of tank setups. These fish are ideal for planted aquariums, community tanks, or beginner hobbyists looking for active and colorful pets.

What We Love About This Fish:

• Vivid red-orange coloration with glowing undertones
• Peaceful and community-friendly—gets along with a wide variety of tank mates
• Hardy and adaptable, perfect for beginners
• Livebearers—easy and rewarding to breed in the home aquarium

Natural Habitat:

Though selectively bred in captivity, the platy’s wild relatives are native to slow-moving streams, ponds, and marshes in Central America. These environments are typically planted and rich with leaf litter and natural cover.

Aquascaping:

• Plants: Hornwort, Water Wisteria, Anubias, and Java Fern
• Hardscape: Smooth river stones, driftwood, or rootwood for natural texture
• Botanicals: Indian Almond Leaves, Alder Cones, or soft Catappa Bark. We recommend the Aquatic Arts Botanical Combo Pack for an easy and effective way to add natural tannins, shelter, and grazing surfaces to your setup.

Diet and Feeding:

Red Coral Platies are omnivores that accept a variety of foods. We recommend Ultra Fresh Guppy Mignon for daily feeding—it's packed with protein and enhances color naturally. Supplement with high-quality flakes, pellets, algae wafers, and the occasional frozen or live treat like brine shrimp or daphnia.

Tank Mates and Compatibility:

These peaceful fish do well with other small, community-friendly species like tetras, rasboras, corydoras, guppies, and snails. Avoid fin-nipping or aggressive tank mates.

Not Shrimp Safe:

Generally safe with adult Neocaridina and Caridina shrimp. Like most fish, they may opportunistically eat shrimp fry if not well-hidden.

Breeding:

Platies are livebearers, meaning they give birth to free-swimming young. Males are smaller and slimmer, while females are rounder-bodied. A 1:2 male-to-female ratio is ideal for reducing stress. Provide dense plants like moss or floating cover to protect fry.

Recommended Tank Parameters:

• Temperature: 70° – 80° F (21° – 27° C)
• pH: 7.0 – 8.2
• KH: 10 – 25 dKH
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons

Care Guidelines:

• Diet: Omnivorous; feed a varied diet with Ultra Fresh Guppy Mignon as a staple
• Social Behavior: Peaceful; best kept in groups of 3 or more
• Origin: Locally bred in the USA
• Average Adult Size: 1.5 – 2.5 inches (3.8 – 6.4 cm)
• Average Purchase Size: 1 – 1.5 inches (2.5 – 3.8 cm)

Add a splash of vibrant color and peaceful energy to your freshwater setup with our Locally Bred Red Coral Platies—a perfect choice for hobbyists of all levels.

Live Arrival Guarantee:

All Aquatic Arts brand animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!