Photo: Carlosar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Southern platyfish
Xiphophorus maculatus
5 cm
Adult size
60 L
Minimum volume
4
Minimum group
3 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Xiphophorus
- Diet
- omnivore
- Social life
- harem
In the wild
Overview
Described in 1866 by Albert Günther of the British Museum, the platy owes its name maculatus (“spotted”) to the dark spots of the wild form. Xiphophorus means “sword bearer” in Greek, for the pointed gonopodium of males, their anal fin transformed into a copulatory organ.
Together with its cousin the swordtail, it has been a model in cancer research since the 1920s: some hybrids between these two species develop melanomas, which made it possible to identify genes involved in the disease. The countless aquarium varieties (red, “mickey mouse”, wagtail…) often come from these crosses.
- Scientific name
- Xiphophorus maculatus (Günther, 1866)
- Classification
- Cyprinodontiformes › Poeciliidae
- IUCN Red List
- Data deficient (DD)
Natural habitat
Atlantic slope of Central America, from Veracruz (Mexico) to Guatemala, Belize and Honduras
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It is native to the Atlantic coastal plain of Mexico (from Veracruz), Guatemala, Belize and northern Honduras. It has been introduced to many countries, where it has sometimes harmed local species.
It lives in warm springs, canals, ditches, creeks and slow-flowing marshes, over silt and with vegetated banks, in hard, alkaline water.
Behaviour
Very peaceful, it suits most community aquariums; even males tolerate each other. They relentlessly chase the females: several females per male are recommended.
An omnivore, it feeds on worms, crustaceans, insects and plant matter, and readily grazes algae. A livebearer, it matures in 3 to 4 months and breeds without any intervention: broods are born continuously in a mixed tank.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth