Any body have any experience with swordtails (xiphophorus hellerii) ? I am recently becoming a fan of them and I would like to hear from the people who have raised/bred swordtails and tell me some stuff about them. If that isn't too much trouble.. I'm just really liking them xD
I've kept most other livebearers before guppies, platys, mollies. Got some swordtails about 4 months ago when i saw some nice orange ones for sale, have 1 male 2 females. My observations so far they're pretty hardy don't let my angel scare them off, my male is either impotent or they dont breed as easily as other livebearers neither of my females have been knocked up yet.
My swords were very prolific. None ate their babies, though that might be an exception. The reason I didnt stay with them is that they get large. My female was nearly 4" and my male nearly 5" with the sword. Even a group of 10 felt overcrowded in my 38 gallon and each of the females had approx 50-75 babies every 34ish days. Too prolific and too big. Maybe if I had a 100+ gallon I'd work with them again. Good personalities though: hardy, amiable, ate well.
They are very hardy and beautiful. If you have good water and good food they will have babies about every 4 weeks. The "sword" is not a sign of a male. There are a few females that will have a short sword (hormones??). They do grow big as "VWILL" said. My males was about 4+ inches. They do jump (because all my tanks are topless, I do not have swordtails). If you have floating plants a higher percentage of the babies will survive. If you buy them try and get males and females of the same color, having different color swords you will get "Ugly color" babies. Also try and get a ratio of 2 males to 4-5 females. The males grow larger and are pushy.
Yeah, I read they a super prolific. And most breeders say they due eat their babies, so I think that is a subjective thing based on how peaceful the personality of the swordtail is. And since they are so big, I'm thinking only one male and two females for the 55 gallon I'm going to be setting up. Which brings me to another question... What of tankmates? I read they are really peaceful, but even peaceful mates get hungry...
Swordtails are an amazing species to have especially in a swordtail species specific tank. They do well with most fish. They will eat their own young. In my experience young swordtail fry like to hang out at the bottom of the tank as opposed to the top. You can have more then one male and two females for a 55 gallon tank. They do great in a long tank such as a 55 gallon. Small tetras and Cory's are great tank mates. And they love plants.
Thanks, Whiskey!! Well, I plan on making it a huge, heavily planted community tank. And I'm still not sure if I want the swords to be the main attraction or not.. If they end up being so, then there definitely will be more of them xD Do they get along with shrimp well? What should I not put in the tank at risk of it being attacked or injured (or food...)?
