Swordtails

[Pootspete]

Eventhough I spent a good amount of time back and forth with Rollin last night who was nice enough to answer my questions with regards if I should get a Gorumi or not, I think I will go with swordtails. I realize they are brackish water type fish.

I have a ten gallon tank, already cycled for close to a year. One live plant, penguin bio wheel. Right now I have four neons in it. I can remove the neons if necessary.

How many swordtails can I put in and what is the ratio. Could I also add a few platties? What should my Ph level be for these fish?

And how much salt do I add? Is it on a weekly basis or monthly basis that I add salt?

thank you for your thoughts to my many questions.

[Faramir]

Swordtails are not a brackish water fish. They live in a wide variety of freshwater environments.

[tricksterpup]

A 10 gallon is a nice starter tank for small swords but you will have to get a larger tank. I just recently bought 4 the other day and I forgotten how big they really can get. They went into a 55 planted tank and i have the feeling if i would have placed them in anything smaller than a 30, they would have been cramped.
But if you want some really neat info on swords and their history check out this website.
http://xiphophorus.org/
another great livebearer site is:
http://tcoletti.tripod.com/thelivebearer.html

jim

[Pootspete]

Thank you for the links!

[luke_85]

I am no expert but i have read swordtails cant tolerate any salt and when my girl friend added salt to her aquarium both of her sword tails both mysteriously dropped dead

[Faramir]

This is also not the case.

Swordtails often come from high TDS waters, and certainly can tolerate slightly brackish conditions.

Of course, if you just dump a load of salt in an aquarium suddenly changing the chemistry, any fish might give up the ghost.

Salt and swordtails is essentially "not required".