Breeding swordtails
- Thread starter Malbri
- Start date
I have never bred swordtails (or any fish) but here is a few sites I found with some info on them.
http://maximwebsite.tripod.com/swordtailbreeding.html
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/livebearers/swordtails.php
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/Fishlore_Breeding_Livebearers.html
Not sure if this is what you were looking for or not, but just do a google search or something your sure to find some information.
Good luck,
Gin
http://maximwebsite.tripod.com/swordtailbreeding.html
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/livebearers/swordtails.php
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/breeding/Fishlore_Breeding_Livebearers.html
Not sure if this is what you were looking for or not, but just do a google search or something your sure to find some information.
Good luck,
Gin
They have babies about every 60 days in my experience.
The number of babies largely depends on the size. I have had some small ones that have about 20 in a litter, and I had a big one that had over 250.
They take about 4 to 5 months to reach maturity - it really depends on the fish. I had some from the same litter grow at markedly different rates.
The survival rate depends on a lot of things - any other fish in the tank, are you going to feed them fry food, etc?
I took what I considered really good care of my fry - separated in different tank, fed fry food, etc, and I have about a 4 out of 5 loss rate. I suspect if you have them in a community tank with other fish and don't feed fry feed, you might get one to survive per litter. I have swordtails and mollies in a tank with 2 angels and I have never had any fry survive more than a few hours - never enough time for me to react.
Yeah, I agree with most of what the person above me said.. I've been breeding livebearers for years and years, and here's what I'd say:
* they can have anywhere between 8 and 200 fry.
* the amount of fry usually increases with each drop (i.e. a female's first drop ever may be only 18 fry.. but her 3rd or 4th may be close to 100, if not more)
* they began to breed at around 3 months if you give them the chance, but they're fully mature at about 4 - 6 months.
* as soon as the female drops, the male will try to knock her up again (and even without him she may have more. One knock up from a male can lead to 1 - 3 drops).
* if it's just those 3 swordtails in the tank, and you have it well planted, with some gravel, and you keep the fish well fed.. you may get away with several fry reaching maturity. It's best to seperate the fry if you can though, at least until they are a month or two old.
I would ask if you have a regular trio (1 male 2 females) or reverse trio (2 males 1 female). If you have the later, you should consider doing something about it, as that mix can stress the female literally to death. "Overworked" will take on a new meaning for her, if you know what I mean.
* they can have anywhere between 8 and 200 fry.
* the amount of fry usually increases with each drop (i.e. a female's first drop ever may be only 18 fry.. but her 3rd or 4th may be close to 100, if not more)
* they began to breed at around 3 months if you give them the chance, but they're fully mature at about 4 - 6 months.
* as soon as the female drops, the male will try to knock her up again (and even without him she may have more. One knock up from a male can lead to 1 - 3 drops).
* if it's just those 3 swordtails in the tank, and you have it well planted, with some gravel, and you keep the fish well fed.. you may get away with several fry reaching maturity. It's best to seperate the fry if you can though, at least until they are a month or two old.
I would ask if you have a regular trio (1 male 2 females) or reverse trio (2 males 1 female). If you have the later, you should consider doing something about it, as that mix can stress the female literally to death. "Overworked" will take on a new meaning for her, if you know what I mean.