Blue Spotted Redtail Platy - Xiphophorus maculatus

Blue Spotted Redtail Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus)

The Blue Spotted Redtail Platy, Xiphophorus maculatus, is a colourful captive-bred livebearer selected for a blue-toned or spotted body pattern with a contrasting red tail. Hardy, active and peaceful, it is an excellent choice for mature community aquariums, especially those with moderately hard to hard water. Like other platies, this strain is easy to feed, lively in groups and capable of breeding readily if males and females are kept together.

Common Name:
Blue Spotted Redtail Platy, Blue Spotted Platy, Redtail Platy, Southern Platyfish, Platy.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Xiphophorus maculatus
Captive-bred ornamental colour form.

Maximum Size:
Males usually around 4–5 cm. Females may reach around 5–6 cm and are usually fuller-bodied.

Water Type:
Freshwater; can tolerate slightly brackish conditions, but normally kept in freshwater aquariums.

Origin / Natural Habitat:
The Blue Spotted Redtail form is captive-bred and does not occur as a wild population. Wild Xiphophorus maculatus is native to North and Central America, from Mexico to northern Belize, where it occurs in warm springs, canals, ditches, creeks, swamps and slow-moving weedy waters with vegetated margins.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–26°C
pH Range: 7.0–8.2
Hardness or Salinity: Moderately hard to hard freshwater preferred; avoid very soft, acidic water. Stable mineral content and regular maintenance are important for long-term health.

Temperament:
Peaceful, active and social. Blue Spotted Redtail Platies are ideal community fish for aquariums with other peaceful species that enjoy similar hard-water conditions. Males may chase females, so mixed groups are best kept with more females than males where possible.

Diet:
Omnivorous. Offer quality tropical flakes, small pellets, livebearer granules, spirulina flakes, algae-based foods, frozen daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, bloodworm and occasional vegetable foods such as blanched courgette, spinach or peas. A varied diet with plant matter helps support digestion, colour and condition.

Minimum Tank Size:
A minimum of 60 litres is recommended for a small group, with 90 litres or more preferred for mixed-sex groups or community aquariums. Larger aquariums are easier to keep stable and help reduce chasing.

Behaviour & Activity:
An active upper-to-midwater livebearer that spends much of its time swimming in open areas, grazing plants and decor, and interacting with its group. Females give birth to live, free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs, and breeding can be frequent if both sexes are present. Dense planting, mosses and floating cover help fry survive in community aquariums.

Aquarium Category:
Community Fish
Suitable with peaceful hard-water community fish such as guppies, mollies, swordtails, peaceful rainbowfish, small barbs, hardy tetras that tolerate alkaline water, bristlenose plecos, snails and calm Corydoras-type catfish kept in suitable conditions. Avoid aggressive cichlids, large predators, persistent fin-nippers and very soft-water specialists.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Keep in a mature, heated and well-filtered aquarium with stable hardness, regular water changes and gentle to moderate flow. Provide plants, open swimming space and some cover for females and fry. If keeping males and females together, expect regular breeding and plan stocking accordingly. Avoid overcrowding, soft acidic water and unstable new aquariums.

Suitable for:
Beginner fishkeepers

Availability:
Common to occasional in trade / Captive-bred ornamental strain

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.