Bumblebee Platy - Xiphophorus maculatus

The Bumblebee Platy is another great color form of the Xiphophours maculatus, which is also ideal for beginners because of its great color, easy care and trouble-free reproduction. It is also a breeding form of the Platy, which is at home in Central America, and with its cute color dress it creates the impression of a bumblebee in the aquarium. On a yellow-golden base color it has a black head and orange spots in places.

This mirror carp is also a viviparous tooth carp, which lives sociably in groups. For keeping we therefore recommend at least 10 animals. The natural habitats of the Platy are swampy and stagnant waters, some of which lead into rivers. They are aquaristic evergreens, which have enriched the trade for a long time, especially with ever newer color forms. Platies are, by the way, very closely related to swordtails, so these two species can interbreed in the aquarium. There is also a relationship with mollies and guppies. Platies are generally very hardy and robust fish, which can forgive one or two mistakes.

Primarily by the size Platys can be distinguished from each other. Where the females can bring up to 6 cm on the ruler, the males remain with an average of up to 4 cm rather something smaller. In addition, these have a sex appendage, as this clearly differentiates them from the females. Bumblebee platies are viviparous aquarium fish in which the female stores the male sperm for some time after mating and can fertilize herself. In her abdomen, the eggs develop into fish larvae, which she eventually releases alive. This is the reason why in an all-female group, young fish appear from time to time. A litter of young platies can include 10-80 babies, which grow up very quickly and become sexually mature themselves. The parents chase their offspring from time to time, which is why dense planting is recommended, in which the babies can hide. Alternatively, a spawning box can be used.

The aquarium does not play a major role for Hummel Platy aquarium fish. They can be well maintained in soft to medium hard water with a total hardness (GH) of 5 to 25 ° dGH and a KH between 5 to 20 °dKH, as well as a pH of 7-8.5 at a temperature of 18 to 28 °C. The aquarium size should be at least 60 liters. Dense planting in places with sufficient swimming space contributes to the well-being of the animals.

The socialization is easy. They can live together with other colors of their species, they can also interbreed, which creates new colors. In a community aquarium with other fishes like tetras, danios and Loricariid catfishbut also others, they feel well and can also live with larger shrimps like the Amano shrimp or the Fan shrimp can be socialized. Likewise with well reproducing Dwarf shrimp speciesif they have enough hiding places and retreats. Large crayfish may catch the Bumble Bee Platy and possibly injure or eat it.

The Bumblebee Platy is an omnivore, which can be fed in the aquarium with granulated food, dry food or food flakes for omnivorous ornamental fish. They also allow themselves a treat in the form of live or frozen food such as Tubifexwhite, black or red Mosquito larvae, as well as Daphnia, Grindalworms or Artemia do not escape. In addition, they can also be used with soft vegetables such as soaked Zucchini chips or Pumpkin chips, or also with Algae leaves can be fed. Since they mainly take their food on the water surface, care should be taken to keep their food floating on the surface for a while.

Our food recommendation: The fragrant NatureHolic Guppyfeed  was tailor-made for the requirements of guppies and other viviparous fish in the aquarium. In addition to high-quality animal ingredients, it also contains vegetable components that benefit guppies & co. The soft granules protect the sensitive mouth of the viviparous from injuries caused by hard food grains and provide the fish with a natural feeding experience.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.