Raising Swordtails: Docile, Colorful Fish are Prolific Breeders

For freshwater-aquarium enthusiasts, new and old, nothing beats a swordtail! Swordtails are highly regarded as a peaceful fish and great for community tanks. A bit bulkier but similar in shape, they have been compared to platys and guppies. Swordtails are extremely easy to breed, and with the proper tank size and equipment, they will grow quickly. The most striking characteristic of this fish is the sword-like tail spike of the male. They do not take their common name from this feature, but rather, the shape of the anal fin. Swordtails come in a beautiful variety of colors, with the more popular ones being red and pineapple.

Swordtails require a tank with proper filtration and aeration, and enough room to move around. They are prolific breeders and like most aquarium fish you don't want to start out by over crowding them. If you are introducing Swordtails to an established community of fish or starting from the very beginning it is key to get the balance of male to female right. The best ratio is one male to several females. If males outnumber the females this will increase they will become aggressive toward each other. In a 20 gallon tank with no other fish you should start off with five females and one male.

Once your fish become acclimated to their new environment let the breeding begin. You will notice a dark spot form just over the female's anal fin to when they are pregnant. Females will produce 20-100 babies, or fry, per reproduction. With enough plants, especially at the surface of the tank, many Swordtail tanks do not require separation of parents and fry. However if an adult fish finds a fry they will eat them, so if you are interested in saving any baby Swordtails it is best to keep moms and dads away from their offspring. Aquarium stores have breeder tanks, a clear plastic tank that goes in your regular tank but keeps the big fish away. The best method is to put a female close to giving birth into the smaller tank and remove her as soon as she has her fry. Fry are born practically see-through. A good indicator on when it's ok to release them into the bigger tank is when they have achieved their color. Another method is placing a tank divider into the tank and keep the babies on one side and the adults on the other until the babies are big enough to be with the adults.

Swordtails are omnivorous and will eat a variety of live, fresh and flake food. They should be provided with a high quality flake food as part of their daily diet, but should also be given live or frozen brine shrimp as a treat. There are products on the market for baby fish that provide a proper diet in small increments so that little mouths can eat it.

Swordtails are a mostly docile fish, however different temperaments may come into play. Older males can become cantankerous and start bullying other fish. Any sick or weak fish is a certain target, as well as any other fish that just gets in his way. If his target is mainly a weak fish it may be easier to remove the weaker fish to another tank. Sometimes, however, it's best to remove the male bully to retire in his own tank for the rest of his days. Swordtails do not limit eating their young to their own offspring either. Any fish that is but a mouthful is as good as dinner to a Swordtail.

Swordtails come in red, green and lots of mixed colors in between and are known as one of the more beautiful freshwater aquarium fish. They're hardiness ensure that they are easy to maintain and raise, making them a perfect fish for those just starting out and a favorite to long time enthusiasts. Whether raised among their own kind or in a community tank, Swordtails make a great addition to any tank.