2 Questions Please...

[linda1503]

Hi Bought a juwell rio125ltr newly cycled. Just wondered if any one knows the best lights to buy, the ones that came with it seem a little too bright and I'd like to tone it down a bit. (silk plants so no need to worry about lighting for them) also the tank was cycled with 4 plattys, 2 males and 2 females, bad advice from the pet store so I took one of the males back. Anyway I would like to get 1 male swordfish and 2 females, would the 2 males be ok? just wondering because the male platty has had the tank to himself for quite a while and I wouldn't want another territory battle on my hands. Thanks

 

[rEvolution27]

I didn't have any trouble with two male swordtails as long as there's enough females (you seem to have the ratio right) and there's enough plants/ hiding places they can claim as thier own, youshouldn't have any problems.

The only thing that threw of my ratio was the fact that female swordtails can turn into males.
Also expect alot of fry.

 

[linda1503]

Female swordtails can turn into males!! Literally, or just that you might not be able to tell the sex when they are small?

 

[rEvolution27]

no i mean literally.

Young Livebearers are fairly large at birth and their development is very advanced. They can swim right away, which is needed to avoid their enemies including their parents who give no natal care whatsoever. The fry grow very rapidly and will eagerly accept fine flake food. An interesting fact on Swordtails is their ability to change sexes. All young swordtails are female and if a potential male starts to develop early, he will continue to become a slender small male. If a potential male goes through a female stage complete with the typical female form and gravid spot, he will develop into a large thickset "late" male.

It's happening to one of my females, causing alot of agression towards my other "slender" male. Now i have to go out and buy some more females.

Right now she has a gonopodium ans is developing a swordtail.

 

[diademhill]

Hi Bought a juwell rio125ltr newly cycled. Just wondered if any one knows the best lights to buy, the ones that came with it seem a little too bright and I'd like to tone it down a bit. (silk plants so no need to worry about lighting for them) also the tank was cycled with 4 plattys, 2 males and 2 females, bad advice from the pet store so I took one of the males back. Anyway I would like to get 1 male swordfish and 2 females, would the 2 males be ok? just wondering because the male platty has had the tank to himself for quite a while and I wouldn't want another territory battle on my hands. Thanks

Before you spend money changing the lights try some salvinia or water lettuce. These floating plants do well in Juwel tanks and will diffuse the light, give the fish shelter & suck out nitrates.

Swordtails will crossbreed with platies so you could get squabbles.

 

[Annastasia]

Swordtails can't actually change sex, to the best of my knowledge. It's usually a case of them developing late, and looking like females for a long, long time. I have never, ever heard, of a female that was pregnant and gave birth to fry, becoming a male that can impregnate females. I hear a lot of Swordies changing sex, but I've never seen any real proof of it.

As for putting them together...it's going to depend on the temperment of both fish. I'd personally up the females to 3 each. IF you are prepared for all the fry you may get. Make sure you plant the tank up, and add in wood, rocks, caves...anything that they can hide in. The males ususally need their own little 'territory' for it to work out. But you have a decently sized tank for this, so it's very possible it will work.

 

[rEvolution27]

Swordtails can't actually change sex, to the best of my knowledge. It's usually a case of them developing late, and looking like females for a long, long time. I have never, ever heard, of a female that was pregnant and gave birth to fry, becoming a male that can impregnate females. I hear a lot of Swordies changing sex, but I've never seen any real proof of it.

As for putting them together...it's going to depend on the temperment of both fish. I'd personally up the females to 3 each. IF you are prepared for all the fry you may get. Make sure you plant the tank up, and add in wood, rocks, caves...anything that they can hide in. The males ususally need their own little 'territory' for it to work out. But you have a decently sized tank for this, so it's very possible it will work.

Yes but hows do you explain the fact that they clearly have traditional female physique and body structure including anal fin and then suddenly deside to grow a swordtail and a gonopodium whereas the others become males very early and have a completely different appearance. I surely don't think those late bloomer males had no gender before.

Either way i'm just saying, whay you though were females could just decide to become masles.

Fry hiding places are a must
and i find my males like to claim the various caves and coconut shells as thier own.

 

[Annastasia]

Yes but hows do you explain the fact that they clearly have traditional female physique and body structure including anal fin and then suddenly deside to grow a swordtail and a gonopodium whereas the others become males very early and have a completely different appearance. I surely don't think those late bloomer males had no gender before.

Because fry generally have fatter stomachs when younger, from eating and developing. My male Variatus Platies had fat stomachs until three months, they they suddenly thinned out and became true males. They all look like females until they develop. And Fish develop at different rates. It makes sense for the ones who are late males to stay baby-like for a longer time. The ones that become males earlier, get thinner and more elongated earlier. Of course they had a gender before, it just wasn't as apparent.

Anyway, I'm not meaing to argue, just pointing out something as I've heard this a lot, and it's never really been proved.