Everyone love to see guppy fish live with another species, most people love to keep beautiful fish in the same aquarium, but they fail to know not all fish species can be kept and crossbreed together.
Can Guppies and Platies Crossbreed? No, guppies and platies can not cross bread because they come from two different fish families.
The good news is, platies fish and guppies can be kept in the same aquarium provided the environment is right. They are livebearers, they feed on the same food and live in the same kind of water.
Are You Looking To Keep Guppies? If yes check out our care guide here
The Idea Tank Size For Guppies and Platies.
It is advisable to have at least twenty gallons of water (e.g., 80 liters) in any tank you are stocking the two species. It is an open fact that platies are bigger than guppies meaning they need more swimming space due to their size. Both species’ natural habitat is a swamp, but it is ideal to keep only one planty and one guppy together, especially if you are a beginner.
In addition, those that want to keep multiple planties and guppies together should ensure they have a large tank filled with at least 20 gallons of water. A tank filled with twenty gallons of water should not also contain more than 10-15 fish of both specifies to prevent overcrowding. Regular change of water and excellent filtration is recommended while rearing both species.
Plants You should have in an aquarium stocked with Guppies and Platies
Live plants aid water filtration in an aquarium; plants absorb unused nutrients from the water column, which can later be harmful to the fish, and the most noticeable feature of live plants in an aquarium is the provision of hiding spaces for both platies and guppies.
Below are some of the recommended plants that can be kept with guppies and platies
i) Frogbit: This plant only thrives when there is availability of lights in the aquarium; it has roots that create a lot of hiding spaces for the fish while it absorbs excessive nitrates.
ii) Java Moss: This is like the most popular aquarium plant because it is a floating plant. This is best for platy and guppy fry because it is not a fast-growing plant but gives hiding spaces while absorbing nitrates and it can survive in an aquarium with low light
iii) Hornwort: Beginners can handle this plant, it can be left on the aquarium water to float. Hornwort attracts excessive substrate that can be harmful to plants, and it gives many hiding spaces for fish because it is a fast-growing plant. Other useful plants are Anubias and Java fern.
Can Platies and Guppies Crossbreed?
Research shows that both species cannot crossbreed, but if both species stay in the same habitat and they attain maturity there, they will reproduce fries, but adult fish can consume the babies if enough plants that give hiding space are not provided.
The best way to save the fries is to isolate pregnant platy/guppy; You should also separate the fries and mother immediately they are birth if you don’t have enough hiding space.
In conclusion, it is fun to breed two fish species, but you must be ready to do the work if you want to keep their babies, the good news is guppies, and platies live in the same water parameter and feed on the same food.
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