Aquarium enthusiasts often choose swordtail fish because of their vivid colors and characteristic sword-like tail. Native to Central America, these vibrant freshwater fish are found in rivers and streams there. For aquariums belonging to beginners or experienced aquarium keepers alike, swordtails are a great addition due to their striking appearance and laid-back personality.
The range of colors found in swordtail fish is one of their most notable characteristics. Shades of red, orange, yellow, green, and even black are available for them. They are therefore a flexible option for anyone wishing to give their tank a pop of color. Because of the elongated lower part of their tail fin, which gives them the name "sword," the males are particularly striking.
Not only are swordtails stunning, but they require little maintenance. They are generally hardy fish that adapt well to a variety of water conditions. They are the ideal addition to a mixed-species tank because of their calm disposition, which enables them to get along with other community fish. To stop any aggressive behavior, it’s crucial to maintain a balanced male to female ratio.
Swordtails are a great option if you’re looking for a colorful, low-maintenance fish to add some color to your aquarium. Their striking appearance and laid-back personality make them a favorite among global fishkeepers. These vibrant fish can liven up your tank for years to come with the right maintenance.
Description
Greetings, readers! Initially, I would like to draw your attention to the Wikipedia content where, in my opinion, minor but crucial changes need to be made.
Within the Poeciliidae family, the green swordtail, also known as Heller’s swordtail (Lat. Xiphophorus hellerii), is a viviparous species of ray-finned fish.
In artificial settings, the common pecilia (Xiphophorus maculatus), a species of the same genus, can readily cross with the green swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri), which is found in the wild. Swordtails are another name for the ensuing hybrid forms, which include black, red, lemon, and red-speckled.
Swordtails switch sexes when there is too much female competition in an aquarium. Females develop a genital organ and a conical "sword" of the caudal fin. Approximately 80–90% of the progeny born to a pair of females and one former female are female.
Note: I’ve noticed multiple times that swordtails’ sex has changed. I can’t say that a lack of males causes females to change their sex because, based on my observations, this always happens when there are enough males. In addition, males derived from females are larger than typical males; they are also clumsy, passive, and incapable of fertilizing females or producing offspring.
In their wild forms, males can grow up to 8 cm in length and females up to 12 cm. Males have a unique sword-shaped outgrowth from the lower part of the caudal fin; this gives the fin its name. Its color is a red stripe running parallel to a grayish-olive background, with several more reddish stripes running parallel. Women have a paler complexion. The male has an anal fin called gonopodia.
Forms that are hybrids: they can be red, black, lemon, or other hues. In terms of color, males and females are similar to one another. A gonopodium and a sword in the lower portion of the tail identify a male.
Members of the Xiphophorus family live in Central American reservoirs, which are primarily found close to the Atlantic coast in the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. They can be found in lakes, swamps, lagons, and raging mountain rivers, as well as in their lower reaches.
The water is between 22 and 26 °C. Tolerates temperature drops to 15 °C with ease.
Hardness of water: 8–25 °D
Acidity of water: pH 7-8
Note: The water temperature of 22 °C is deemed unacceptable for swordsmen content and will lead to the fish contracting ichthyophtyriosis; a drop to 15 ° will kill the fish entirely.
Food: flakes, canned, and live (tubifex, bloodworm, corethra, daphnia, cyclops). It can feed on a variety of algae that grows on the leaves of higher plants as well as the aquarium walls, so it can withstand extended periods between feedings, especially if there are live plants in the aquarium.
Note: Fish belonging to the Poeciliidae family can also obtain food from algae fouling. Fish can make up for a lack of food or plant food by feeding on the fouling of brown and green algae. Swordtails, guppies, and mollies can do this if needed.
Swordtail fish are calm and indifferent to the water’s hydrochemical makeup. Breeding swordtails is relatively simple because their offspring are fully formed and ready for independent growth. Swordtails are frequently the first fish kept by novice aquarists, and this is no coincidence—swordtails are highly recommended by seasoned hobbyists.
Aquarium capacity and shape
Swordtails can be housed in a small aquarium (up to 30 liters), with the number of fish determined by the recommended norms, which state that one liter of water should be added for every one centimeter of fish length. Soil, plants, aeration, and water filtration are all necessary for the creation and upkeep of a fully functional habitat in the aquarium.
You should be aware that male swordsmen are antagonistic to one another when selecting the aquarium’s size and shape. In light of this, it is best to select an aquarium that is roomy and long.
Water temperature
Since swordsmen are extremely sensitive to temperature changes, fish suffering from ichthyoftiriosis can result from a sudden change in direction. The disease’s first symptoms include fish with compressed fins and scratches on their bodies. Maintaining a lower temperature limit of 26 °C is desirable for the comfortable well-being of fish. Aquarium heaters with built-in thermostats are necessary to prevent temperature fluctuations, particularly during the fall and spring when the ladies turn off the central heating.
Compatibility
All peaceful fish species get along well with swordtail fish. The swordtails themselves might be an exception, that is, the fact that only one male assumes the lead among the males. The other males must hide in the plant thickets to avoid being beaten, which frequently means going without food. It is unacceptable to keep swordtails in such a manner. As a result, swordtails must be kept in a large aquarium—ideally one that is elongated—with an emphasis on controlling the number of males.
Food and feeding
In addition to being good for their health, properly fed swordtails are essential for successful breeding. The robustness of adult swordtails raised on live food sets them apart. These fish never get sick; instead, they are constantly happy and energetic. Fish that were raised on live food can consume a variety of artificial foods, such as gammarus and daphnia food, for an extended period of time.
I use leftover knife scraps or minced beef heart to feed my fish. However, if the fish are kept without live food for an extended period of time, they may become tired. As a result, they must occasionally be fed a live lump in order to maintain their health. Swordtail fish do well on small bloodworms, corethra, tubifex, and daphnia as live food.
Since it’s not always possible to obtain this kind of food, a lot of knowledgeable aquarists raise live food on their own. I use daphnia moina to feed my fish. At home, I breed daphnia. The fish eat the daphnia with great pleasure because they love it so much.
Plant additives
You can feed semolina and white bread crumb to swordtails as a plant supplement. Making such an easy addition is not at all difficult: just give the bread crumbs a thorough rinse in a net under the faucet before feeding them to the fish. Steam the semolina beforehand.
This is prepared as follows: place half a teaspoon of semolina in a glass, mug, etc.; cover with boiling water, stir, and let sit for fifteen to twenty minutes. Next, remove the murky water and replace it with fresh. Continue doing this until the water is crystal clear.
Diseases
The majority of fish illnesses in aquariums are brought on by poor maintenance. Starved swordtails that have never seen live food typically grow more slowly. They rarely swim to the feeder, behave sluggishly, eat poorly, and grow more and more solitary. Ichthyophthirius is the most frequent illness affecting swordtails.
The disease is caused by an equiciliate parasitic ciliate on fish bodies, but it typically only affects fish with compromised immune systems. The disease’s initial symptoms include fish scratching the ground and squeezing their fins, along with the development of a white coating that resembles white dots on their bodies and fins (semolina). Ill fish quickly grow tired and eventually die, refusing to eat at all.
Treatment
Medical preparations and salt baths are used in the treatment process. Treatment can be done in a separate aquarium or in the common area. You can only use the first option if every fish in the aquarium has the infection. One of its drawbacks is that certain medications, like bicillin and rivanol, can harm sensitive plant species.
It is better to choose the second option, in which the treatment is done in a different aquarium. Separate aquariums used for fish treatment and quarantine typically have a modest capacity and can have their water changed quickly and easily if needed. My observations indicate that treating fish with salt baths is ineffective.
However, with treatment with the medication Bicillin 5, I was able to save a significant number of fish.
The prescribed course of treatment involves dissolving Bicillin 5 in warm water and adding the following dosage: 500,000 IU per 100 liters, six times a day, every other day, in a general aquarium. Six times every other day, for thirty minutes, 1,500,000 IU per 10 liters in a different vessel. Raising the water’s temperature to 27–28°C is recommended during treatment.
Additionally, it is important to watch the fish while they are receiving treatment. If they start to show signs of discomfort, which most likely indicate an overdose, you must quickly replace some of the water with fresh water to prevent the fish from dying. See the section "Diseases of Aquarium Fish" for more information on fish illnesses and treatments.
Breeding
When the conditions are right, swordtail fish will start to breed. You have to make sure you don’t miss the birth, or else the fry gets eaten. The female’s belly will soon start to take on an angular shape, indicating that the birth is almost imminent. The female will also attempt to retreat into the plant thickets.
How to deliver
Since swordtails gestate for about a month, you can also tell when the birth is due by the date it approaches, which needs to be recorded after the subsequent birth. However, it also occurs that the female might not come close to or surpass the term.
The female must be removed beforehand if there are worries that she might give birth sooner. However, you shouldn’t remove the female from the breeding tank if the worries were unfounded and she doesn’t meet or surpass the term.
Nursery tank
When giving birth in a dark breeding tank, you must open it once a day for a while to feed the female and replace the water as needed. You will eventually see a bunch of fry in the breeding tank when you open it one day. Move quickly to place the fry in the nursery aquarium and return the female to the main aquarium.
Previously, my breeding tank was just a regular three-liter jar. I caught the pregnant female, put her in the jar, and covered her with a jacket or a black plastic bag to create darkness so that the female would not see and eat the fry. This is how I went about doing it. I used water from the same aquarium where the pregnant female is kept.
One drawback of this type of breeding tank is that it can be challenging to remove the fry and female from the jar after they are born. To prevent harm to the fry, you must carefully transfer the contents of the jar into a basin before you can begin catching them. Using a plastic tank with a lid is far more practical and easier.
Following delivery, the female can be captured using a net, and the fry can then be cautiously scooped up using a spoon or carefully placed into a nursery aquarium.
Popular freshwater aquarium fish, swordtails are distinguished by their vivid colors, laid-back disposition, and unusual sword-like tail fin. Because they are resilient and simple to maintain, and because they can thrive in a range of water conditions, they are perfect for both novice and seasoned aquarists. Swordtails are a lively addition to community tanks because they enjoy lots of room and are active swimmers. Fish enthusiasts love these fish because, given the right care, they can infuse any aquarium with beauty and vitality.
Number of fry
There are differences in the quantity of fry in swordtails. I once had swordtails, for instance, and they produced over a hundred fry. In my aquarium, there are currently only two females that give birth, and each one produces slightly over thirty fry.
Green, lemon, and red fry are born from red parents, but the color variation of the fry is different.
Nurse aquarium
A nursery aquarium that is separate is necessary for the newborns. I utilize a twenty-liter hygienic aquarium in my example.
After the fry reach adulthood, I move them to a fifty-liter aquarium before moving the mature young to the main aquarium.
Fry food
Similar to milk for babies, starter food for fry should be the most nourishing and beneficial. Infusoria, rotifers, cyclops, and daphnia are the living organisms that make up the perfect starter food. Furthermore, "live dust" refers to the overall concept of all the listed compositions.
You don’t have to search through every food item on the list to find the right fry. Nematode worms or, better yet, daphnia moina make excellent starter foods for swordtail fries. Both kinds of food are simple to raise at home, and the fry of poeciliid fish grow quickly on them.
Food for fry
Fry should be introduced to artificial food gradually as they grow. In my case, I raise the fry using daphnia that I breed at home. In the second month, I begin introducing artificial additives to the diet, such as ground beef heart or different dry feeds like gammarus or daphnia.
And here’s how I do it: I add a small amount of ground beef to the waiting fish first, then after 15 to 20 minutes, I give them their regular live food. When the fish are fully satisfied, which is easily ascertained by eating, and when their bellies are full, it’s time to move on to another food.
| Feature | Description |
| Scientific Name | Xiphophorus helleri |
| Size | 4-5 inches |
| Temperament | Peaceful, can be active |
| Diet | Omnivorous, enjoys flakes and live food |
| Water Temperature | 72-82°F (22-28°C) |
| pH Level | 7.0-8.4 |
| Tank Mates | Good with other peaceful fish |
| Breeding | Livebearers, easy to breed |
| Lifespan | 3-5 years |
| Special Features | Male has a long, sword-like tail |
Swordtail fish are an excellent option for novice and expert aquarium keepers alike. They are a common addition to many home aquariums because of their brilliant colors, entertaining nature, and ease of maintenance. Swordtails can flourish and add vibrancy to your aquatic setup with the right tank conditions and diet.
Though generally calm, these fish—especially the males—can exhibit some territorial behavior. Enough room and places to hide can help lessen any hostility. To keep them healthy and active, it’s also critical to maintain high-quality water and to perform routine tank maintenance.
Swordtails are a great choice for hobbyists who want to raise their own fish because they are relatively easy to breed. Maintaining a healthy environment and a balanced male-to-female ratio will allow you to watch as new generations of swordtails grow.
Swordtail fish are an enjoyable and fruitful species to raise overall. Any aquarium can be made more attractive and enjoyable by their exuberant presence and laid-back disposition. These fish will add some color to your tank and bring you hours of enjoyment if you give them some TLC.
