A fish with a very long aquarium history, the Southern platyfish or Moon platy found its way to Europe around 1900 and was soon bred into a range of colour forms that are remarkably different from their drabber wild ancestors. Their ability to hybridise with closely related species such as Swordtails, as well as Variatus platies, made the transfer of characteristics possible and now there’s a huge overlap between all of these fishes.
| Synonyms | Poecilia maculata, Platypoecilus maculatus |
| Distribution | Wild stocks can be found in many parts of Central America living in warm springs, canals and ditches with slow moving water and abundant plant growth. This species was introduced to Northern America, the Caribbean, South America, parts of Africa and much of South-east Asia. |
| Maximum Size | 6cm (2.36") |
| Temperature | 20-25°C |
| Water Parameters | pH: 7.0-8.0, dH: 8-20 degrees. |
| Compatibility | Community |
| Lighting | No special requirements |
| Sexual Dimorphism | Males possess an obvious spike-shaped gonopodium, females retain a fan-shaped anal fin. |
| Feeding | Flake, granules, pellets, algae wafers and frozen foods |
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