You got a platy fish, and then start to wonder, can platies live alone? Or should you get it some friends?
In general, platies can live alone. That doesn’t necessarily mean they want to be all by themselves in their solitary tank. On the contrary, platies enjoy the interaction, despite not falling within a shoaling or schooling fish species. However, they’ll do fine when they’re alone.
Stick around if you’re interested in knowing more about platies’ living arrangements and how you can improve their social life.
Can Platies Live Alone?
Platies don’t mind living alone since it’s not in their nature to group together in a tank. But, having said that, they’d also prefer some company, especially since they enjoy breeding.
While platies love socializing because they’re community fish, they’d instead communicate with their kind.
That’s why, if you’re out shopping for more fish, try to go for the same species.
Apart from species preference, you should also look out for gender compatibility. Males tend to get aggressive if there aren’t many females to go around.
You know the saying, there are always other fish in the sea? Well, to some platies, there aren’t, and they need to get moving to breed.
If you plan to add some platies tank mates, try to keep the proportion more in favor of the females. You wouldn’t want your males fighting over a single female, no matter how romantic it may seem.
Can Platies Live with Other Species?
Even if platies prefer their own species’ company, they can get friendly with others. This is especially good if you want to spice up your tank and add more fish variations.
These livebearing fish would go best with other calm freshwater faces like themselves. You also want to find tank mates that are similarly sized, around two to three inches.
You should remember that platies are a highly active species that enjoy zooming around to get their exercise in. Sluggish friends won’t do in this instance. The platies might be too irritating as they move too fast around them.
Cardinal Tetra
A good tank companion could be a Cardinal Tetra. These fish are equally aggressive and temperamental, so they shouldn’t cause many problems. That being so, you should also be aware of their requirements.
Cardinal Tetras need to have a group of their own around, unlike platies.
Zebra Danio
Another species you can look into getting is a Zebra Danio. These fish are exceptionally active, making for a great playmate for your platies.
You can think of these fish as peacemakers since they can easily balance things out between other fish and avoid any tension. Then again, you have to make sure there’s more of the species, so it remains psychologically healthy.
Guppies
Guppies and platies can be the best of friends. One difference you should note is that guppies are so social; they need their own species clique.
After all, they’re schooling fish, so if it doesn’t work out with the platies, they need their backup gang.
Molly Fish
These fish will not only harmonize your tank but also bring in a lovely pop of color to it. Mollies have mesmerizing colorful variegation.
They’ll get along wonderfully with your platies since they’re similarly sized. In addition, Molly fish behave benignly, so you won’t have issues with aggression.
Swordtails
Platies and swordtails will get along more than just fine—so much so that they can actually breed together.
Since they share the same family, it’s possible to crossbreed. If you’re not looking to add more fish to your tank, then it’s best to keep swordtails out.
Freshwater Snails
If you’re looking to add a decorative element to your tank and want something other than a fish, then freshwater snails are a suitable option.
Platies won’t mind their presence. These snails are also great at cleaning up any organic deposits in your tank, so it’s a win-win situation.
How Many Platies Can You Keep?
If you want to keep your platies company, you can add around five more to the tank. That can also depend on whether it’s your first time owning fish.
You can easily start with three to four in the tank, and, if you only have platies, you can even move up to ten. Platies will flourish together, especially in large groups.
Otherwise, you can still own one single platy. Don’t worry; it won’t get depressed or stressed out.
We highly recommend getting one platy if you’re not trying to build any big numbers.
Should You Have Females or Males?
Gender is a crucial factor when it comes to maintaining a peaceful tank. Males are usually the ones to get hostile if they’re all grouped with no female in sight.
That being said, if you do want an all-male group, then you should prepare your tank. Getting lots of props will help in providing several hiding spots to avoid any fights.
A small tank filled with males is just a fight club waiting to happen for most fish species.
An all-female platies tank is usually the better option. You should try to get them while they’re young, too, so they get used to living together.
You wouldn’t want to accidentally purchase a pregnant platy fish and end up having to provide child support.
Can You Keep Two Platies in a Tank?
You can keep a couple of platies in your tank. They could be the opposite gender, both males, or both females.
Remember, if they’re males, make sure you have enough hiding spots. If you’re housing a male and female, then expect a load of fry to arrive at your tank.
To Conclude
Can platies live alone? In short, yes, they can. If you don’t want to carry extra platies in your tank, then it’s best to get one male.
You should also know that platies can prosper in groups, whether it’s of their own kind or other like-minded and like-sized species.
We hope this article helps in your next platies purchase.