Easy to intermediate
Chocolate Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
£13.99
Platies are one of the best beginner fish — hardy, colourful, peaceful, and available in dozens of colour varieties. Perfect for community tanks of all sizes.
This listing is for a group of 5 Assorted Platies (Xiphophorus maculatus, mixed colours, 2-2.5 cm) — the same fish as our single Assorted Platy listing, supplied together as a mixed group.
Platies are hardy, peaceful livebearers that do best in a small group; five in mixed colours brighten a community tank and spread male attention across several females.
Assorted Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus mixture) is a hardy, brightly coloured livebearer and one of the most popular beginner-friendly tropical fish for UK community aquariums. Each assorted platy pack is a mixed selection of Xiphophorus maculatus colour strains — reds, oranges, sunsets, wagtails, and tuxedo patterns — so a small group brings varied colour to a planted tank. As true livebearers they give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs, which makes platies a rewarding first fish for new fishkeepers.
The care data below comes from this listing's catalogue record. Use it to check aquarium size, water parameters, diet, and tank-mate compatibility before adding your platies. For a fuller breakdown of platy keeping, breeding, and sexing, see our platy fish care guide.
| Catalogue name | Xiphophorus maculatus mixture |
|---|---|
| Common name | Assorted Platy (mixed colours) |
| Family | Poeciliidae (livebearers) |
| Adult size | 5 cm |
| Minimum aquarium | 60 litres |
| Temperature | 20–28°C |
| pH | 7.0–8.2 |
| Hardness | 10–25 dGH |
| Diet | Flakes, pellets, vegetables, small live foods |
| Temperament | Peaceful community fish |
| Recommended group | 3+ (1 male to 2–3 females) |
Platies thrive in a stable, well-filtered community aquarium with regular water changes and steady, well-oxygenated water. They favour slightly hard, alkaline conditions, which suits most UK tap water, and appreciate planted cover with open areas to swim. Keep them in a small group with a ratio of roughly one male to two or three females so no single female is over-chased.
As a peaceful community fish, the assorted platy mixes well with other calm species of similar size — guppies, mollies, swordtails, corydoras, small tetras, and peaceful rasboras all make good companions. Avoid aggressive fish, confirmed fin nippers, and any tank mate large enough to view a platy as food.
Platies are easy to feed omnivores. Use a quality flake or micro-pellet as the staple and supplement with vegetable matter (such as blanched spinach or algae wafers) and the occasional small live or frozen food to bring out their colour. Offer small portions once or twice a day, vary the foods, and remove anything uneaten so water quality stays stable.
Because Xiphophorus maculatus are prolific livebearers, a mixed group of males and females will readily breed in a community tank. Females drop batches of live fry every four to six weeks; provide dense planting or a breeding box so the fry have cover, as adults may eat them in an open aquarium.
Check the live stock status and current size on this page before ordering. We pack livestock for licensed live-animal courier service with Live Arrival Guarantee, and recommend slow acclimation into a mature, cycled aquarium after delivery.
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