RED WAG PLATY | XIPHOPHORUS MACULATUS

The Red Wag Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is a bright, hardy, and peaceful livebearing fish that’s perfect for both beginners and seasoned aquarists. Its vivid red-orange body paired with striking black fins—especially the contrasting black “wag” tail—makes it one of the most eye-catching platy varieties available. This combination of color and personality adds a beautiful accent to any community aquarium.

Adult Red Wag Platies reach about 2.5 inches (6 cm) and are active swimmers that prefer to be kept in small groups. They are social, non-aggressive, and thrive in peaceful community tanks with other livebearers, tetras, rasboras, or corydoras. Like other platies, they are livebearers, meaning females give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs.

Ideal water parameters:
Temperature: 72–80°F (22–27°C)
pH: 7.0–8.2
Hardness: 10–25 dGH

Tank setup: A planted tank with open swimming space, smooth gravel, and gentle filtration works best. Platies enjoy exploring vegetation and benefit from live or artificial plants like Anubias, Java Fern, and Hornwort. Keep a ratio of one male to two or more females to reduce male harassment. Females give birth roughly every 4–6 weeks, and fry will hide among plants for safety.

Diet: Red Wag Platies are omnivorous and easy to feed. They thrive on a balanced diet of high-quality flakes or pellets, along with supplements like frozen or live foods (brine shrimp, daphnia, bloodworms) and vegetable-based foods such as spirulina or blanched spinach.

Behavior and compatibility: These platies are peaceful and active, often seen schooling in the middle of the tank. They get along well with other community fish of similar size and temperament, making them ideal for beginners or mixed-species tanks.

In short, the Red Wag Platy is a vibrant, resilient, and low-maintenance fish that brings constant color and movement to a freshwater aquarium while being easy to care for and breed.