Today I put a very heavily pregnant swordtail into the breeding hatchery and half an hour later she was back in the main tank swimming with the other females!!! I have never known this with female guppies and swordtails are relatively new to me. Are they known for jumping as that is the only way she could have gotten out?
Jumping swordtail
- Thread starter psilo
- Start date
:thud: Yes very wierd. I can only think maybe something startled her though there was no lighting on. Have now covered the top of the hatchery with some stretched tights to stop it happening again. 
yeah ive been breeding swordtails and yep ive had the jump out of the hatchery chamber too. my hatchery came with a lid which i now use. its the stress, they freak about being confined. the only time the dont seem to is when they are giving birth. i had one this morning where i could see the fry through her belly and quickely put her in the hatchery. the stress often brings on labour and within 5 min she was popping out babies. Very cool to watch. i saw a guppy give birth last week and it was strange as 90% came out like balls and didnt move. I thought they were dead but after a few minutes they rolled themselves out and started swimming. the swordtail fry popped out and swam like mad. the guppy did give birth to about 4 then stopped for 2 days. Then had the rest. mustnt have been natural as she passed on a few days later. i think i had about two fry that didnt make it.
the swordtail seemed to go into a stupour. like zoned out while she had them. she stopped in the middle and swam trying to eat the fry she had. they were already through the grate. then she zoned out again and had the rest. Now i have prob 50 + guppy and swordtail fry. if i raise them all i'll have to offload them. their only in a 20gal tank. and my 60gal tank is maxed out on bioload. no go there.
the swordtail seemed to go into a stupour. like zoned out while she had them. she stopped in the middle and swam trying to eat the fry she had. they were already through the grate. then she zoned out again and had the rest. Now i have prob 50 + guppy and swordtail fry. if i raise them all i'll have to offload them. their only in a 20gal tank. and my 60gal tank is maxed out on bioload. no go there.
Well the exersions must have made her hungry because she is thin this morning and there is not a fry in sight :sad:
i agree with dunluce, i also breed swordtails in a pond and boy they can jump when startled or stressed out, sometimes i can see one lying on the floor i have to put them back in 
