Physical description: A laterally compressed fish with and upturned mouth. The body may be elongated and the caudal fin in generally fan-shaped. The original form had a dark brown-olive back with bluish flanks. The flanks are often marked with two to five transverse stripes. The belly is whitish. Most Platies now available are selectively produced. Size/Length: Males to 1.5" (4 cm), females to 2.3" (6 cm) Similar species: Other Xiphophorus species Habitat: Inhabits rivers on the Atlantic slope of Central America; Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras S: middle Aquarium: A tank measuring 20" (51 cm) with a capacity of 10 gallons (38 L) is suggested. Use well-planted areas and maybe a cover of floating plants to serve as refuge for fry. Water chemistry: pH 7-8.3 (7.4), 10-28 dH (18); 68-79°F (20-26°C) Social behavior: A peaceful community fish. Adults may consume fry, although not as often as other Xiphophorus species. Suggested companions: Poecilia , Colisa , Corydoras , tetras which can tolerate harder, more alkaline water, Loricarids. FOOD: Flakes; small pellets; occasionally algae; live; insects, insect larvae, worms, brine shrimp SEX: Males are smaller with a gonopodium. Breeding techniques: This species is sexually mature at four months. As many as 80 fry are born after a gestation period of four to six weeks. The fry should be protected from the adults. Breeding potential: 2. An easily bred species. Remarks: There are numerous cultivated varieties available: Wag tail, red, Moon, blue, Coral, gold, Tuxedo, Mirror, Mickey Mouse, Comet, and black. X. maculatus had been crossed with X. helleri. Difficulty of care: 2. A hardy fish suitable for a beginner. If this fish dies, first test the pH to be sure that it is not below 7.0. Recent articles about fish Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health. Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees (10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine. Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina. |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
