Bleeding Heart Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) CB

The Bleeding Heart Platy (Xiphophorus maculatus) is a particularly attractive breeding form of the popular platy. With its high-contrast markings and striking coloration, this lively ornamental fish brings a lot of dynamism and beautiful color accents to any underwater realm. Due to its extremely peaceful nature and high adaptability, it is an ideal choice for both ambitious beginners and experienced aquarium enthusiasts. Our animals are captive bred (CB).

Origin and Habitat

The wild form of the platy is native to Central American river and stream systems. There, the animals usually inhabit slow-moving or standing waters with dense plant growth and sun-drenched shallow water zones. The Bleeding Heart breeding form was developed from these robust wild forms and enjoys great popularity in the aquarium hobby.

Appearance and Size

The most striking feature of this variant is the individual color pattern with the characteristic red spot in the chest area, which gave the Bleeding Heart Platy its name. The rest of the body often shows light, silvery or slightly yellowish tones that form an intense contrast. Males remain somewhat smaller and slenderer at around four centimeters than the females, which can reach a body length of up to six centimeters.

Aquarium Care

Care is exceptionally straightforward. A well-structured tank with sufficient open swimming space and more densely planted retreat zones is optimal for the well-being of the fish. The vegetation serves as a hiding place for the animals and offers protection. As the platy is a livebearer, it feels particularly comfortable in medium-hard to hard water values at moderate temperatures.

Tankmates

The Bleeding Heart Platy is an absolutely peaceful and sociable group fish that should always be kept together with several conspecifics. In a community aquarium, it can be combined excellently with other peaceful fish species, such as smaller tetras, rasboras or catfishes. Keeping them together with larger shrimps or snails also usually works without any problems.

Feeding

As a classic omnivore, the platy makes no high demands on its food. It readily accepts common dry food such as flake food or granules. For optimal health and high color intensity, a varied menu is recommended, which is regularly supplemented with fine live food or frozen food as well as occasionally with vegetable foods and greens.

Behavior and Breeding

Platies are extremely active swimmers that are tirelessly on the move in the aquarium. Breeding these livebearing toothcarps is very easy even in the home aquarium. After a gestation period of about four weeks, the females give birth to fully developed fry. In a densely planted aquarium, sufficient young animals usually survive all on their own.