Swordtail Fish

The Swordtail comes in many different colors with the males being easily identified by their signature "sword" tail. This is an extremely hardy fish that can adapt to a wide range of water conditions.

They are livebearers which means that the baby fish come out free swimming. Like their livebearer counterpart, the guppy, the swordtail is a prolific breeder and a female will give birth about once every 28 days.Some hobbyists have reported problems with aggression among male swordtails when keeping multiples. It may be a good idea to limit the number of male swordtails in your tank. A good mix may be three females to one male.

They will eat most fish foods including flakes, frozen, freeze dried and live foods such as brine shrimp.

Scientific Name : Xiphophorus helleri

Common Names : Black Swordtail, Gold Tux, Green, Lyretail, Neon, Red Simpson, Spotted, Red Velvet Swordtails, Black Velvet, Belize, Atoyac

Swordtail Care Level : Easy, good fish for freshwater fish beginners

Size : Up to 5 inches (13 cm)

pH : 7 - 8

Temperature : 72°F - 82°F (22°C - 28°C)

Water Hardness : 9° to 15° dH,

Lifespan : 3 - 5 years

Origin / Habitat : Central America

Temperament / Behavior : The swordtail is a tough litte fish. They can take care of themselves when there are bigger fish in the tank. The males may become aggressive towards other males.

Breeding / Mating / Reproduction : They are livebearers, so it is fairly easy for them to breed. Be sure to give a lot of floating cover for the baby swords. Try to put the babies in a separate tank otherwise the adult fish will eat them. 

Tank Size : 10 gallon or larger

Compatible Tank Mates : Don't keep with tropical fish big enough to eat them. They should be able to handle themselves with many fish their same size or larger.

Diet / Fish Food : Omnivore but they need some greens in their diet. They will take flake, freeze dried and live foods.

Tank Region : All over the tank

Gender : Easy to determine - the male has a signature long anal fin.