Tankwise

A hardy, cool-tolerant livebearer for harder water; it colours up nicely.

  • Temperature20–25 °C
  • pH7–8.2
  • Minimum tank60 L
  • DifficultyBeginner
FoodFlake + greens
FeedingTwice a day, lightly
Water change20–25% weekly

Behaviour and habits

Variatus platies are peaceful, active livebearers that browse constantly for algae and food and colour up nicely in the right water. Like all livebearers they breed readily, so a mixed group soon produces young; keep more females than males so no single fish is chased to exhaustion. They are tolerant of cooler temperatures than most livebearers, which makes them useful in mixed or temperate tanks.

What to feed, and how often

Flake plus blanched greens such as courgette or spinach and occasional frozen food; feed twice a day, lightly. Vegetable matter keeps them healthy and busy, and prevents the constipation that greedy livebearers can suffer.

Water changes and maintenance

Change 20–25% weekly in harder water, matched closely. They are easy to keep and tolerate a range of conditions, but steady, clean, harder water keeps them at their best.

Care and how easy it is

One of the easiest fish to keep, provided the water is on the hard side and the group and sex ratio are right.

Common health problems

Fin rot and 'shimmies' (twitching) when the water is cold or poor.

If it gets sick

Keep the water hard, warm and clean, and treat fin rot early with water changes, observing the group.

Good tank mates

GuppyBeginner with population planning
GuppyPoecilia reticulata
  • 22-26 C
  • pH 7.0-8.5
  • 60 L+; 60 x 30 cm base
Livebearers | Social; males pursue females | Omnivore
PlatyBeginner
PlatyXiphophorus maculatus
  • 20–26°C
  • pH 7–8.2
  • 50 L+
Livebearers · Peaceful · Omnivore
MollyBeginner
MollyPoecilia sphenops
  • 22–28°C
  • pH 7–8.5
  • 70 L+
Livebearers · Peaceful · Omnivore
Neon tetraIntermediate; stable group aquarium
Neon tetraParacheirodon innesi
  • 21-25 C
  • pH 6.0-7.5
  • 60 L+; 60 x 30 cm base
Tetras & rasboras | Peaceful shoaler | Omnivore

Best avoided with

Similar species

GuppyBeginner with population planning
GuppyPoecilia reticulata
  • 22-26 C
  • pH 7.0-8.5
  • 60 L+; 60 x 30 cm base
Livebearers | Social; males pursue females | Omnivore
PlatyBeginner
PlatyXiphophorus maculatus
  • 20–26°C
  • pH 7–8.2
  • 50 L+
Livebearers · Peaceful · Omnivore
MollyBeginner
MollyPoecilia sphenops
  • 22–28°C
  • pH 7–8.5
  • 70 L+
Livebearers · Peaceful · Omnivore
Endler's livebearerBeginner
Endler's livebearerPoecilia wingei
  • 22–28°C
  • pH 6.8–8
  • 40 L+
Livebearers · Peaceful · Omnivore

Compare at a glance

ParametersVariatus platyGuppyPlatyMolly
Parameters
Temp20–25 °C22–28 °C20–26 °C22–28 °C
pH7–8.26.8–87–8.27–8.5
GH10–25 °dGH8–20 °dGH10–25 °dGH12–25 °dGH
Min. tank60 L40 L50 L70 L
Size6 cm5 cm6 cm8 cm
DietOmnivoreOmnivoreOmnivoreOmnivore
TemperamentPeacefulPeacefulPeacefulPeaceful
DifficultyBeginnerBeginnerBeginnerBeginner

Care guides

GuideHow Often Should You Feed Fish?Overfeeding causes more aquarium problems than underfeeding. Here is a realistic feeding routine, and the signs that you are giving too much.GuideHow Often Should You Change Aquarium Water?Water changes remove waste that the filter cannot, and keep minerals topped up. There is no single number, but there is a simple way to find yours.GuideHow to Treat Ich (White Spot Disease)Ich looks alarming but is one of the most treatable fish diseases. Act early, raise the heat, and it clears within a week or two — here is how.GuidepH, GH and KH Explained (Simply)pH, GH and KH confuse a lot of new keepers. Here is what each one actually measures, and why stability matters more than any single number.

New to the words? See the aquarium glossary.

Sources and research notes

Parameters are typical ranges for the species in home aquariums and vary with the individual fish and the water you use.