Guppies are popular among hobbyists for their vibrant colors. They are an easy pet with low maintenance costs. Their easy-going nature makes them compatible tank mates with most of the peaceful fish species. Just like guppies, platies are also popular with aquarium owners. So, the question is, can guppies live with platies?
Yes, guppies can live with platies in the same aquarium as both are peaceful fish. They also have similar requirements for tank size, water conditions, water temperature, pH levels, and have more or less the same feeding needs. Both of these species are livebearers too.
Having said that, there are many factors that you need to keep in mind while keeping guppies and platies together. Let’s discuss this in detail so that you can provide the best habitat for your guppies and platies.
Tank Size For Guppy Fish And Platy Fish
Guppies are small fish as compared to platies.
Both platies and guppies love to swim, and so they need ample space in the aquarium.
A 20-gallon tank is an ideal size for your guppies and platies.
However, if you plan to breed them in the future, you can go for a larger tank.
Since both guppies and platies are livebearers, your tank can get overcrowded with their fry.
Platies are schooling fish. So, it’s better if you have multiple platies in your aquarium.
Similarly, guppies also prefer company.
That is why it’s always better to opt for a large aquarium considering the number of fish you will be placing in the tank.
Another reason for having a large aquarium is that both these fish enjoys live plants in their habitat.
Live plants are excellent as they help in cleaning the toxins from the water.
Besides, live plants also play an essential role in speeding up the nitrogen cycle.
Your tank needs to be cycled before adding any fish into it.
You can place live plants such as Java Fern, Java Moss, Hornwort, and Anubias in the tank.
Related Further Reading:
- Can Guppies Live In A Bowl? (Why Bowls Are A Bad For Guppies)
- Can Guppies Live In A Pond? (Why, How, How Long, And Dangers)
Water Parameters For Guppy Fish And Platy Fish
Water parameters are a critical factor while determining if two different fish species can be kept together.
Guppies and platies can thrive in the same water conditions.
The water temperature in your aquarium should be between 72°F to 74°F (22°C to 24°C).
This is the ideal temperature for both guppies and platies.
You can control and regulate your aquarium’s water temperature by using a heater with an in-built thermostat.
The heater will ensure that your fish have a stable temperature to thrive.
You need to maintain the following water parameters to keep guppies and platies together:
- Water Hardness – up to 12 dGH
- Water pH – around 7.0 to 7.8
- Water Temperature – 72°F to 74°F (22°C to 24°C)
Also, the water needs to be clean for optimal fish growth.
You can do a partial water change of 30% to remove the ammonia, chemicals, and other nitrates present in the water.
Related Further Reading:
- Can Guppies Live In Cold Water? (What Happens If You Do That?)
- Do Guppies Need Oxygen? + Ways To Increase Oxygen Levels
- Do Guppies Need Light? – The Definitive Guide To Guppies And Light
Diet For Guppies And Platies
A good diet is essential for every fish.
In the wild, both guppies and platies eat various foods, including fish eggs, fry, water insects, larvae, and algae.
Guppies and platies, both being omnivores, eat plant and meat-based products.
Both of these fish are not picky eaters and so gladly devour whatever food is offered to them.
You can provide them with commercial fish food like quality flakes, which contain vegetable ingredients.
Besides this, you can occasionally feed them live brine shrimps, daphnia, and micro worms that are rich in proteins.
You can even feed them homemade fish food rich in vitamins and minerals, and the ones that contain high protein content.
Vegetables such as lettuce, zucchini, and cucumber are good options as they can be fed to both guppies and platies.
You should always aim to feed them various food so that they do not get bored of eating the same food.
Whatever you feed them, ensure that you feed once or twice a day and not more than that.
Avoid overfeeding your guppies and platies as it can harm them.
Overfeeding leads to digestive issues in your little ones and also pollute the water.
Recommended Further Reading:
- What Do Guppies Eat – The Ultimate Food Guide For Guppy Owners
- Can Guppies Eat Betta Food? (Here’s What You Should Know)
- Do Guppies Eat Algae? + How Algae Affect Guppies?
Best Filter For Guppy And Platy Fish Tank
A filter is essential when it comes to cleaning and purifying the water.
A filter is highly recommended in a home aquarium, especially when you have a large tank because regular water changes are not feasible all the time.
While choosing a filter for your guppy-platy aquarium, you can opt for a hang-on-back filter.
It provides you with mechanical, biological, and chemical filtration, thereby resulting in higher water quality.
Besides, ensure that whichever filter you choose, it should be big.
The filter should have the capacity to hold large filter media. It will ensure that the aquarium water is well filtered.
Related Further Reading:
- Do Guppies Need A Filter? + How To Keep Guppies Without A Filter?
- Can Guppies Live In Saltwater? Here’s What We Found
The Ratio Of Guppies And Platies In A Tank
Guppies and platies are both peaceful and so live in harmony with each other.
However, while having a community tank, you can keep them in a 1:1 ratio.
It means that the number of guppies and platies in the tank can be equal.
Also, both of these species tend to breed easily in close captivity.
So, you can keep a ratio of 1:3 between males and females of each species. It means one male and three females of each species.
Such a ratio will ensure that both these species’ male fish will have a female partner to mate.
This is necessary because male fish get irked if they do not get a female partner.
In that case, your male fish will try to mate with whichever female fish is available, even if the female fish is of some other species.
This can be dangerous as it may hurt or sometimes even kill your female fish.
Breeding Platies And Guppies In The Same Aquarium
Guppies and platies are both livebearers.
After reaching the maturity age, both guppies and platies will breed and give birth to their fry.
The gestation period for guppies is 30 days, whereas, for platies, it is around 28 days.
Guppies can give birth to more than 50 fry, whereas platies can have 20 to 50 fry at a time, as often as once a month.
Both of these fish do not show parental care, and so the chances of fry being eaten by their parents are high.
If you want to save and raise the fry, you either need to separate the female fish in a breeding box before giving birth or need to provide a hiding place for your little fry by placing some plants or rocks in the aquarium.
Whether you want to breed your fish is entirely your choice.
But for sure, it is fun to raise baby fish and watch your little ones grow and live a healthy life.
If you do not want to breed, you can opt for a complete male aquarium. However, it has its cons.
Interesting Further Reading:
- Ideal Platy Lifespan and 8 Ways to Increase It
- 2 Main Reasons Why Guppies Die
- How To Stop Guppies From Dying? (10 Different Ways)
- Can Guppies Live Together? + How To Stop Guppies From Fighting?
Related Questions
Will guppies eat platy fry? A big fish will eat a small fish if it fits into its mouth. Guppies are no exception to this rule. Guppies are not known for their parental care, and so they will eat their fry if they are in sight. They will eat their fry as well as the fry of platies.
Will platies eat guppy fry? Just like guppies, platies too will eat the guppy fry. If you want to save the fry, you need to separate them or provide enough hiding places in the tank. Once your fry become adults, they will no longer be in danger of being eaten.
