Swordtails with Danios?

[ckoscak]

I have a 20 gallon tank with four swordtails (at least one male) and I have a 5.5 gallon tank with seven danios (three zebra and four pearl danios).

I would like to move the danios to the 20 gallon tank but I'm not sure if they are compatible.

Does anybody know?

[Dangerdoll]

They are compatible, shouldn't bother each other too much. I would suggest combining the two types.

[Pootspete]

If I am not misstaken, and please correct me if I am, but I believe swordtails would do better in brackish water.

[wethead]

I have this combo together in my 38gal living since early Sept. with no compatibility problems at all. I picked up a bunch of swords that a fellow hobbyist bred in an outside pond all summer. You should see the color on these pond fish, an electric orange, & so much larger than store bought. A real plus was the way these guys loved algae, they made me move my oto's before they starved to death. The two species stay to themselves, the danios schooling near the top levels of the tank & the swords just all over.....Rich

[Dangerdoll]

Wow, that thought didn't even occur to me.......

Pootspete: you are partially correct. Swordtails do prefer a little salt added to their water but not to the extent of a fully brackish tank. Although, if brackish then maybe on the very low end of brackish. But they also do ok in freshwater.

ckoscak: If the 20 gallon has salt in the tank, DO NOT add in the danios as they are pretty intolerant of the salt if it is existent.

[ckoscak]

There's no salt in the 20 gallon tank. I'm experimenting for the first time with real plants so I figured I should stay away from the salt.

Thank you all for your replies.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.

[Darkangel]

Sorry Dangerdoll and Pootspete but swordtails are a freshwater fish and require no salt in their water. This is a popular misconception that many people have. A lot of swords, actually a lot of xiphophorus species come from mountain fed waters, or large inland lakes. A lot of these locations are high in total dissolved solids but not salt per say. I really do not know why this myth persists but it does. Unless you have water that is very very low in TDS I would not worry about it. Swords will do perfectly fine without any salt added to their water.

[Dangerdoll]

Hi Darkangel,

That is a very big misconception/myth and I can't believe how wide-spread it is....wow

I understand that the swordtails are freshwater, but they aren't as intolerant as per say the danios are to a little salt, right? I thought a little salt would be ok....just not entirely brackish.....is that correct? :confused:

ouch, I can't believe I was amid a myth.......... :(

[Darkangel]

Yes Dangerdoll they are very tolerant of salt which may be part and parcel as to why this myth persists. I love the group of fish known as xiphophorus. I collect a lot of the oddball wild types. Not as colourful as the domesticated varieties but I really like them. This is also the group that platies come from for those of you who may not know this. Most of the platy and swordtails sold in pet stores are hybreds of platies and swordtails.

[redwing]

IMHO swords don't need salt at all. I have kept swordtails for over 20 years with no problems. Not saying I'm an expert just love swords!:)

Forgot to add I've mixed danios and swords. Didn't have any problems as long as danios were in school of 5+.