.Guppies and Platy fish are two of the most popular aquarium fish. Many people want to know if they can keep them together in the same aquarium, but is this a good idea? Can Platy Fish Live With Guppies?
Yes, Platy fish can live with Guppies. They both ask for similar water parameters and live in the same size tanks. The only thing is you will need to keep more live plants and have a filter suitable for both fish types.
This blog post will answer all your questions about keeping Platy fish and guppy fish together. But, before we dive into that, let’s talk about what these two species are.
Brief Details About Platy Fish And Guppy Fish
Platy fish and Guppy fish are both lively species of freshwater aquarium fish. They are best kept in groups, but they can be housed with other tank mates if necessary.
Platy fish originated from the wild in Central and South America. They are scavengers and prefer to eat insects, crustaceans, vegetables, and fruit.
While guppies are from the wild in South America, they prefer live foods, but they are also omnivorous and eat insects.
Both Platy fish and Guppy fish thrive when kept with various other species that enjoy similar water parameters to their own. Not only do guppies need less oxygen than platys, but they are also more likely to eat the Platy fry.
Platys need live plants because they come from a natural habitat with lots of plant life, and guppies need them for hiding places that will help keep their stress levels down. You want both fish types to feel comfortable in the tank, which means you’ll have many different hiding places.
The only other thing to consider when keeping Platy fish and Guppies together is the size of your tank. You’ll need a bigger space for both species if they’re kept together because platys are larger than guppies, but you can keep them in smaller tanks so long as it’s not overcrowded.
Can Platy Fish Live With Guppies?
Yes, they can be kept together. Platies and guppies are both live-bearing fish which means they give birth to fry instead of laying eggs. They will not have any problems getting along if there is enough room in the tank for each type of fish because platy females do not fiercely protect their territory from other female Platy fish or males as they do not have a male’s territory to protect.
So, Are Platies And Guppies Compatible Tank Mates?
Yes, they can live together in the same tank as long as there is enough space for each type of fish and that both types are given similar food, so they don’t starve or get too hungry from overfeeding.
These fish are quite compatible as they both live in the same environment, but some do not recommend keeping them together because they are aware of breeding problems and fry born with defects.
Keeping Platy Fish And Guppies In The Same Aquarium
If you want to keep a Platy fish tank with guppies, it is best to have a tank size of at least 29 gallons, but it could also be larger depending on the number of fish you plan to keep.
Tank Size For Platies And Guppies
A 20-gallon tank would be adequate for a guppy and Platy fish setup. As long as you monitor the water parameters, this should work just fine with no issues that might arise from overcrowding. If you plan to breed these two types of fish in your aquarium, the tank size requirements will need to be increased.
Water Parameters For Platies And Guppies
You need to set the water parameters for both types of fish for them to thrive. For example, the temperature should be between 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit, the pH level should range from a little less than neutral at around seven or eight, and there must be plenty of clean, freshwater.
Food For Platy Fish And Guppies
The platy and guppy fish are both omnivores. So, they will eat most types of food that you offer them in the tank. Therefore, feeding these two different types of fish together may not be a good idea as it could result in overfeeding or lack of feeding for one type of fish.
Filter Suitable For Platy Fish And Guppies
Both the Platy and guppy require a filter. The best filter for both these fish would be an undergravel or canister filter, as this will work well for both types.
Platy fish need an aquarium filter in the tank, but it is not that necessary to them. At the same time, guppies must have a filtration system in the tank. Guppies need a filter for two main reasons: their natural habitat is different, and they have more fragile skin than Platy fish, so the water quality needs to be kept higher to prevent them from getting sick or dying.
Keep Lots Of Live Plants
I recommend you use live plants in your tank. This will help keep the water clean while also providing a nice place for them to hide in the tank. In addition, this will make them feel at home as live aquarium plants will mimic their natural habitat.
Plants like Java Moss, Java Ferns, Moss Balls, and Hornwort are good live plants for this type of tank. These aquarium plants have no requirements other than good water quality and dim lighting.
Live plants will make them feel at home, and they’ll be less likely to attack other fish in the tank.
Tank Maintenance For Platy Fish And Guppies
You will need to do much maintenance on your tanks when keeping these two types of live-bearing fishes together, as both are susceptible to disease. In addition, you must ensure that their environment is clean because this breed can produce a lot of waste.
It would be best if you were sure to change the tank water every week. And clean out any uneaten food and old plants that are starting to rot or die to keep it fresh and healthy for these fish.
To maintain a tank with these two types of fish, you should change the aquarium water regularly. And it would be best if you also had an algae scraper in the tank. You must keep the filter clean at all times for the platies and guppies to get clean water.
Can Platy Fish And Guppies Breed In The Same Aquarium?
Yes, these two types of fish can breed in the same tank separately. However, it would be best to keep enough live plants to handle their fry or babies and separate them immediately. So if you plan on breeding these two types of fish, make sure you do that in a separate tank.
But you cannot cross-breed them in the tank as these are two different species. You can breed each of them with their own types but not with each other.
Do Guppies Attack Platy Fish?
No, guppy fish do not attack Platy fish in the same tank. However, if you do not feed them properly or there is not enough food available for either type of fish, it can happen. There will be no issue with these two different species getting along. Guppies are not aggressive towards other fish, so they will most likely ignore the platys.
These fish will attack the other only when they feel threatened, not because one is a different species. If you overcrowd the tank or feed them less food than they need, then you will start to see the fish attacking each other.
Do Platy Fish Eat Baby Guppies?
No, it is not likely for platys to eat guppy babies unless the female has recently given birth. However, if you have a male Platy fish in your tank with a female guppy, this could cause problems. They will want to mate, resulting in the female giving birth.
Conclusion
Platy fish and guppies can live together, and they are quite compatible. But I do not recommend breeding them in the same tank as this can result in overcrowding. If you plan to breed these two types of fish, you need to regulate the water closely for both types. It would help if you also had a larger tank compared to keeping only one of these.