Tuxedo Platy

Livebearers – Care Guide & Aquarium Companions

Livebearers are colourful, active and beginner-friendly freshwater fish that give birth to fully formed live young instead of laying eggs.

Popular livebearers include Guppies, Mollies, Platies, Swordtails and Endlers. They are popular in community aquariums because of their bright colours, active behaviour and relatively easy care requirements.

Aquarium Care

Tank Size:
A minimum of around 40–60 litres is suitable for smaller livebearers such as Guppies and Endlers. Larger varieties like Mollies and Swordtails benefit from more swimming space.

Water Temperature:
Generally 23°C – 28°C, depending on the species.

pH Range:
Approximately 7.0 – 8.2.

Water Hardness:
Most livebearers prefer moderately hard to hard water with good mineral content.

Aquarium Setup

Livebearers do well in planted community aquariums with plenty of open swimming space.

A suitable setup can include:

• Live plants

• Floating plants

• Driftwood

• Rocks

• Open swimming areas

• Good filtration

• Stable water conditions

• Gentle to moderate water movement

Dense plants are especially useful when breeding, as they provide hiding places for newborn fry.

Feeding

Livebearers are generally omnivorous and accept a wide variety of foods.

Suitable foods include:

• High-quality flakes

• Small pellets

• Brine shrimp

• Daphnia

• Bloodworms

• Spirulina-based foods

• Vegetable-based foods

• Frozen and live foods

A varied diet helps maintain strong colour, healthy growth and good breeding condition.

Behaviour & Grouping

Livebearers are active and social fish that usually do well in groups.

Males may frequently chase females, especially during breeding. Keeping approximately 1 male with 2–3 females can help reduce constant pressure on individual females.

They are generally peaceful, although larger Swordtails and Mollies may occasionally become more dominant.

Suitable Tank Companions

Livebearers can usually be kept with:

Tetras • Rasboras • Corydoras • Peaceful Gouramis • Danios • Small Plecos • Peaceful Barbs • Rainbowfish • Snails and other suitable community fish

Shrimp can also be kept with some livebearers, although newborn shrimp may occasionally be eaten.

Avoid highly aggressive or large predatory fish.

Breeding

Livebearers are known for breeding easily in home aquariums.

Females give birth to free-swimming fry, and depending on the species, a single female may produce several young at one time.

Provide dense plants, moss or separate nursery areas if you want to increase fry survival, as adult fish may sometimes eat newborn fry.

Important Note

Different livebearer species may have slightly different water, space and feeding requirements.

Mollies generally prefer harder, mineral-rich water, while Guppies and Platies are often more adaptable.

Always maintain stable water quality and avoid sudden changes in temperature or water chemistry.

With clean water, proper nutrition and suitable tank companions, livebearers are colourful, active and rewarding fish for both beginner and experienced aquarium keepers.