Sunset Platy

Looks how to spot one

Fish body

The Sunset Platy has a plump, slightly arched body with a fan-shaped tail fin. The body colour is typically yellowish to orange, often with bluish or black spots, and the dorsal fin is golden while the tail fin is reddish. Females are usually less colourful than males.5

Personality what they are like

Sunset Platys are peaceful and sociable fish that do well in community tanks. They are active swimmers and enjoy being in groups. Males can be persistent in courting females, so it is best to keep more females than males to reduce stress.35

Daily activity how busy a day looks

They need a spacious tank with open swimming areas and plenty of hiding places among plants. They are active during the day and appreciate a well-planted aquarium.35

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Care is straightforward for beginners. They prefer moderately hard to hard, alkaline water and do not thrive in soft, acidic conditions. Regular water changes and a good filter are important. They are hardy but commercially bred fish may be less robust due to inbreeding.36

Home where they are happiest

A tank of at least 60 cm (24 inches) is recommended. Water temperature should be kept between 20 and 26°C, with a pH of 7.0 to 8.2 and hardness of 14 to 30 dH. Dense planting is appreciated. They are adaptable but do best in hard, alkaline water.34

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Omnivorous and unfussy. They accept flake, pellet, frozen and live foods such as bloodworm and brine shrimp. Feed once or twice a day.35

Company who they like around

Peaceful and sociable, best kept in groups of three or more. Keep one male to two or three females to prevent males from harassing females. They may also bully other livebearers, so choose tankmates carefully.35

The story where it all began

The Sunset Platy is a selectively bred colour variety of the variable platyfish, Xiphophorus variatus. Unlike the plain wild type, which has a moss-green body with variable spots, the Sunset variety has been bred for its warm orange and yellow hues with a reddish tail. This variety was developed through selective breeding in the aquarium trade, and it may also involve hybridisation with other Xiphophorus species such as the southern platyfish or swordtails. The species has been popular in aquariums for many years, and the Sunset Platy is one of many cultivated colour forms available today.532