Product Details

Sunset Wagtail Platy – Xiphophorus maculatus

Overview:

The Sunset Wagtail Platy is a bright, hardy livebearer with warm yellow, orange and red sunset colouring set off by a dark black tail. As a selectively bred form of Xiphophorus maculatus, it is active, peaceful and well suited to planted community aquariums with stable, mineral-rich water. This is a classic beginner-friendly fish, but it still needs proper group care, good water quality and suitable hard-water tank mates.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Sunset Wagtail Platy
Other Names: Sunset Platy, Wagtail Platy, Red Sunset Wagtail Platy, Southern Platyfish, Common Platy, Moonfish
Scientific Name: Xiphophorus maculatus
Fish Type: Livebearer / Platy
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Wild Xiphophorus maculatus is native to eastern Mexico and Central America, with FishBase recording the species from warm springs, canals, ditches, creeks and swamps, often in slow-moving or weedy habitats. The Sunset Wagtail form is a domesticated aquarium strain, so it should be treated as a captive-bred ornamental variety rather than a wild-type fish.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Sunset Wagtail Platies usually show a yellow to orange body that deepens into red or orange-red towards the rear, with a contrasting black tail and sometimes darker dorsal or pelvic fins. Pattern and colour intensity vary naturally between individuals. Males are smaller and slimmer with a gonopodium, while females are larger and fuller-bodied.

Adults usually reach around 5–6 cm, with females often larger than males. FishBase lists Xiphophorus maculatus at up to 4 cm TL for males or unsexed fish and 6 cm TL for females.

Aquarium Suitability:

This is an excellent choice for peaceful community aquariums, planted beginner tanks and livebearer setups. Sunset Wagtail Platies appreciate open swimming areas, plant cover, floating plants and gentle to moderate filtration. They are active and visible without usually being aggressive.

They are not suitable for very soft acidic aquariums, aggressive cichlid tanks or aquariums with large predatory fish.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 60 litres for a small group, with 90 litres or more preferred for mixed-sex groups, breeding groups or larger communities. FishBase gives a minimum aquarium size of around 60 cm, which is a sensible baseline for active platies.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 20–26°C
pH: 7.0–8.2
Hardness: Moderately hard to hard preferred
Additional Notes: Platies do best in mineral-rich, neutral to alkaline water rather than very soft acidic conditions. FishBase lists X. maculatus at pH 7.0–8.0, hardness 9–19 dH and 18–25°C, while Seriously Fish recommends 20–26°C, pH 7.0–8.2 and hardness 10–30 dH.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Sunset Wagtail Platies are peaceful, lively community fish. Suitable tank mates include other platies, swordtails, mollies in compatible water, peaceful barbs, danios, small rainbowfish, bristlenose plecs, Cory-type catfish in suitable water and other calm community species that enjoy neutral to alkaline conditions.

Avoid large predators, aggressive cichlids, persistent fin-nippers and soft-water species that require acidic conditions. Keep in groups, ideally with one male to two or more females if mixed sexes are kept, as males can chase females. Fishkeeper also notes that several females per male helps reduce harassment in livebearer groups.

Feeding:

Sunset Wagtail Platies are easy-feeding omnivores. Offer quality flakes, small granules and livebearer pellets as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, brineshrimp, cyclops, mosquito larvae and bloodworm. Include vegetable matter such as spirulina flakes, algae-based foods, blanched spinach or courgette.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This is a sociable, active fish that spends most of its time in the middle and upper levels. It is not a tight shoaler, but it does best with others of its own kind or similar peaceful livebearers. Females give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs, and fry may survive in planted aquariums if there is enough cover.

Care Notes:

Keep in stable, mature water with good mineral content and regular water changes. Avoid overcrowding, as livebearers breed readily and water quality can decline quickly in heavily stocked tanks. Provide plants or décor to give females and young fish cover. A secure lid is recommended, as active livebearers may jump if startled. Do not mix different platy strains if you want to preserve the Sunset Wagtail colour line, as Xiphophorus varieties can interbreed freely in captivity.

Recommended For:

Beginner

Availability:

Common / Captive-bred colour strain

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, colour, black tail coverage, sunset colour intensity, fin markings and body pattern can occur between individual fish.