Platies with shrimp

By the Shrimp Tank Hub editorsUpdated Oct 28, 2026Research-based

Platies are small, hardy livebearers from Central America. The two species sold as platies are the southern platy, Xiphophorus maculatus, from the Atlantic coastal plain of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua, and the variable platy, X. variatus, from the Atlantic slope of Mexico (Seriously Fish). Both have been bred into countless colors, and Seriously Fish notes that many commercially bred platies are not very hardy because of inbreeding. They are a classic beginner fish and are often suggested for planted community tanks, which is why so many keepers ask about adding cherry shrimp.

Platies at a glance

Will platies eat shrimp?

• Shrimplets: yes, expect losses. Aquarium Co-Op says adult platies happily eat their own fry if they get the chance, and Seriously Fish says wild variable platies feed on small bottom-living invertebrates. A newborn cherry shrimp is smaller than a platy fry, so in our reading the ones that come into the open get eaten.
• Adult shrimp: usually safe. A peaceful 2-inch fish with a small mouth isn't built to take a full-grown cherry shrimp, and owner reports mostly describe platies ignoring adults (our reading). Individual fish vary, so watch the first weeks.
• Molting shrimp: soft and slow, so they're the most likely adults to be picked at (our reading).

Practical Fishkeeping puts guppies in its "maybe" group: fish that will almost certainly eat the young, though giving the shrimp colony time to build up, plenty of plants and hiding places, and well-fed fish reduce losses. It also lists larger livebearers among fish that don't belong with shrimp. Platies sit between those two groups, and we treat them like guppies. Compare guppies with shrimp and Endler's livebearers with shrimp, or see the full cherry shrimp tank mates list.

Matching the water: the hardness gap

Seriously Fish says X. maculatus must be kept in moderately hard or harder water and won't thrive in soft, acidic water, and lists 68–79 °F, pH 7.0–8.2 and 10–30 dGH (14–30 dGH for X. variatus). The Shrimp Farm lists 65–80 °F, pH 6.8–8.0, GH 4–8 and KH 2–5 for cherry-type shrimp. By our comparison, temperature (68–79 °F) and pH (7.0–8.0) overlap well, but the published hardness ranges don't quite meet: the shrimp's top is GH 8 and the platy's bottom is GH 10. Aquarium Co-Op is looser, giving pH 6.8–8.5 and simply harder water. In practice, our reading is to aim for the top of the shrimp range, around GH 8 and pH 7.5, and to keep it steady rather than chase either fish's ideal. Neocaridina are hardier than Caridina here; don't try platies with crystal or other soft-water shrimp. See shrimp GH and KH explained.

Tank size and setup

• Size: at least a 24-inch tank, about 14 to 20 gallons (Seriously Fish, Aquarium Co-Op). Bigger is better here, because the fish multiply (below).
• Plants: Seriously Fish says platies are seen at their best in a planted tank. Dense, low cover such as moss and fine-leaved plants is what saves shrimplets; see java moss for shrimp.
• Filter intake: Aquarium Co-Op covers intakes with a sponge so fry aren't sucked in, and that protects shrimplets too; see shrimp-safe filters.

The fry problem

Seriously Fish says breeding platies is a question of when, not how: batches of fry are continual and broods of up to 80 are not uncommon. Aquarium Co-Op says a female can give birth to 20 to 50 babies a month. Unless you keep only males, which Seriously Fish suggests if you don't want fry, a shrimp tank can fill with platies within a few months. Extra fish mean more waste and more mouths hunting the same moss for food (our reading). Sources disagree on whether adults eat their young: Seriously Fish says the adults will not, while Aquarium Co-Op says they will. Either way, plan for the numbers.

If you want both

• Breeding shrimp? Use a separate shrimp tank and move surplus adults to the platy tank. This is our recommendation.
• Just want adult shrimp in a platy tank? Feasible, with plenty of cover and steady, moderately hard water.
• Males only keeps the fish count stable (Seriously Fish).
• Feed the fish well, since Practical Fishkeeping says well-fed fish reduce shrimp losses; Aquarium Co-Op feeds adult platies once a day.

If you try it anyway

• Shrimp first. Practical Fishkeeping says to give the colony time to build up before adding fish.
• Dense cover at the bottom. See baby shrimp care.
• Acclimate slowly, since the water may differ from the shrimp's old tank. See how to drip acclimate.
• Quarantine the fish separately. Practical Fishkeeping says many fish medications are not safe for invertebrates. If fish get sick, ask a fish veterinarian or an experienced store about treatment that won't harm the shrimp. See how to quarantine and is copper toxic to shrimp.

Common mistakes

• Keeping platies in soft water to suit the shrimp; Seriously Fish says they won't thrive in it.
• Buying a mixed group with no plan for the fry.
• Expecting a shrimp colony to grow alongside a hungry fish population.
• Pairing platies with soft-water Caridina shrimp.

Track it

Log temperature, pH, GH and TDS on the free Water Parameter Log printable so you can keep the tank in the range both species share.

Frequently asked questions

Will platies eat cherry shrimp?

Not usually the adults. Platies are peaceful omnivores (Seriously Fish) and will eat shrimplets they find, the same way Aquarium Co-Op says adults eat platy fry. We rate them a moderate risk.

Can cherry shrimp breed in a tank with platies?

Some babies will survive in dense moss, but expect slower growth. For a growing colony, keep the shrimp in their own tank.

What water do platies and cherry shrimp share?

About 68 to 79 °F and pH 7.0 to 8.0. Hardness is the gap: Seriously Fish lists GH 10 to 30 for platies and The Shrimp Farm GH 4 to 8 for cherry shrimp, so aim for the top of the shrimp range, around GH 8.

Are platies better with shrimp than guppies?

About the same. Both are peaceful livebearers that eat shrimplets; platies want harder water. See our guppy guide.

How do I stop platies overrunning a shrimp tank?

Keep only males, which Seriously Fish suggests if you don't want fry, or move fry out regularly.

Can platies live with Amano shrimp?

Adult Amanos are larger than cherry shrimp, so in our reading they are safer with platies, though they don't breed in fresh water.

Sources: Seriously Fish, Xiphophorus maculatus (southern platy) (Atlantic coastal plain of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Nicaragua; 50 mm SL; base 60 × 30 cm, about 14 US gal; 20–26 °C, pH 7.0–8.2, 10–30 dGH; must have moderately hard or harder water; very peaceful; unfussy feeder; continual fry, broods up to 80; buy only males to avoid breeding; Seriously Fish says adults won't eat their young); Seriously Fish, Xiphophorus variatus (variable platy) (Atlantic slope of Mexico; 50 mm SL; 20–26 °C, pH 7.0–8.2, 14–30 dGH; wild diet of zoobenthos and detritus; peaceful and hardy; many commercial fish not hardy from inbreeding); Aquarium Co-Op, Platy fish care guide (2–3 in; 10–20 gal; 70–82 °F, pH 6.8–8.5, harder water; omnivores that eat virtually anything; 20–50 fry a month; adults eat fry; cover filter intakes); Practical Fishkeeping, What can I keep with shrimp? (guppies in the "maybe" group that almost certainly eat the young; larger livebearers don't belong with shrimp; let the colony build up; plants, hiding places and well-fed fish reduce losses; medications not invertebrate-safe); The Shrimp Farm, Red rili shrimp tank set-up and care (cherry-type range 65–80 °F, pH 6.8–8.0, GH 4–8, KH 2–5).