Calico Platy

The Calico Platy, a color morph of *Xiphophorus maculatus*, is a freshwater fish characterized by its vibrant and mottled coloration. Typically, these fish display a mix of iridescent black and golden hues across their bodies, resulting in a unique pattern resembling speckled markings. Selective breeding has led to a wide array of color and fin variations within the Platy species, with the Calico Platy being a popular example of an aesthetically distinct variety.

Platies are native to rivers and coastal lagoons in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. They are adaptable and peaceful fish, making them suitable for community aquariums. Calico Platies thrive in well-planted tanks with a minimum size of 40 liters, where they can exhibit their natural behaviors. They are livebearers, with females giving birth to free-swimming fry. The male can be distinguished from the female by the presence of a gonopodium.

As omnivores, Calico Platies accept a varied diet consisting of commercially prepared flake food, algae, and small live or frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia.