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Calico Platy
Xiphophorus maculatus
📍 Aquarium-developed colour morph; wild platies originate from Central America (Mexico, Guatemala, Belize)
The Calico Platy displays a striking patchwork of red, orange, black, and white patches across its body, creating a unique mosaic pattern on each individual fish. Like all platies, Calicos are peaceful, active community fish that thrive in groups and make excellent additions to planted or decorated tanks.
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Care Guide
Diet
Calico Platies are omnivorous and should be fed a varied diet of high-quality flake food, micro pellets, and small frozen foods such as daphnia or bloodworms 2-3 times daily. Supplement with blanched vegetables like spinach or zucchini weekly to support digestive health and colour vibrancy.
Behavior
Calico Platies are peaceful, active mid-water swimmers that spend much of their time exploring and grazing. They are highly social and should be kept in groups of at least 5, ideally with more females than males to prevent aggressive courtship behaviour and harassment. They are livebearers and will readily produce fry in community tanks.
Breeding
Calico Platies are prolific livebearers that give birth to fully-formed, free-swimming fry every 4-6 weeks when kept in warm water. Females can store sperm and produce multiple broods from a single mating. Provide dense plants or a breeder box to protect fry from predation; they readily hybridize with other platy and swordtail colour morphs if housed together.
Tank Mates
Same species, compatible colour morph; breeds readily together
Same species, peaceful platy morph; ideal group tank mate
Small, peaceful schooling fish; similar water parameter requirements
Peaceful, similar size; may occasionally chase fry but generally compatible
Peaceful algae-eater; large enough not to be eaten by adult platies
Common Diseases
Ich (White Spot Disease)
Small white spots on body and fins, rapid gill movement, fish rubbing against objects, lethargy
Raise temperature gradually to 28-30 C (82-86 F) over 48 hours, increase aeration, perform daily 25% water changes, use aquarium salt (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons) or commercial ich treatment for 7-10 days
Fin Rot
Frayed or ragged fin edges, discolouration at fin margins, progressive fin deterioration
Perform 50% water change immediately, improve water quality and reduce ammonia/nitrite, treat with antibacterial medication or salt bath, remove sharp decorations that may damage fins
Fungal Infection
White or grey fuzzy growth on body or fins, lethargy, loss of appetite, torn fins
Isolate affected fish if possible, perform 50% water change, treat with antifungal medication (methylene blue or commercial fungicide), maintain pristine water conditions, remove decaying food/plants
Shimmies (Shimmy Disease)
Fish trembling or shaking while stationary, loss of balance, lethargy, often triggered by poor water quality or mineral deficiency
Perform 50% water change immediately, check and adjust pH and hardness parameters, ensure adequate mineral content (add calcium/magnesium if water is too soft), improve filtration and aeration, maintain stable water temperature
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Quick Facts
- diet
- omnivore; flake food, micro pellets, blanched vegetables, occasional live/frozen foods
- lifespan
- 3-4 years
- max size
- 6 cm (2.4 in)
- tank size
- 10 gallons minimum
- temperament
- peaceful
Water it likes
- ph
- 7.0-7.8
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- hardness
- 10-28 dGH
- temperature
- 72–79°F (22–26°C)