Can I Get Some Sword Tails In My 4Ft Community?

[Ben M]

hi, i quite like the green swordtails. i think that they might look better in my tank, as they are more subtly coloured.

just thought, could my brother have some in his tank, it is a juwel lido 120, 61cm x 42cm x 58cm, and holds 120l. he hasn't set it up yet, but he intends to have a group of corries, about 20 silvertip tetras, 2 dwarf gouramis, and he was going to get platies, but has gone off them a bit. so if my future swordtails breed, could he have some?

cheers

 

[Peggers]

Would he want them? Swordtails are very similar to platies so if he doesn't want platies why would he want swords.

 

[Tortea]

They do grow up to 12cm so they can attack small tetras.

 

[Ben M]

he does like them, but he just didn't want to be over run with baby platies, whereas i could take any baby swordtails off him and sell them.

 

[Peggers]

He could just get male platies then there's no risk of unwanted fry.

 

[Tortea]

They will eat fry/

 

[Ben M]

i suppose, but i think he would like to breed them, but he can't be bothered to sell the babies. would they eat small fish, i have small tetras, and 20 Trigonostigma hengeli, would they get eaten?

 

[Tortea]

When they are fully grown they could, but they are more likely to just stress them out which can lead to awful things, but after i month or two from buying them, in a tank they will be big enough and they would hurt them, but may sometimes have a go, i would say. go with platys,

 

[Ben M]

hi, if the swordtails will stress out my fish, then i don't think i'll bother. i don't think the platies will look very good in my tank, as they are too bright, i was going to get the green swordtails, or possibly the pineapple swordtails, which aren't too bright, and look quite natural. are you sure that the swordtails will bother the other fish in a 4ft tank with lots of plant cover? i would get a male and 3 females, so wouldn't the male be more interested in the females?

thanks

 

[OldMan47]

I have never seen a swordtail that big, and I specialize in livebearers Tortea. The body on an adult female in prime condition may go as much as 8 or 9 cm. The males are smaller but have a tail sword for decoration. Total length on a male sword is meaningless in terms of being a threat.
I have seen male swordtails that were not friendly with other male swordtails but that is not something that will stress out a tank full of fish. Like most of the common livebearers, swordtails do eat fry but pretty much don't bother other fish that are over a half inch long. I would not worry about my Heterandria formosa adults with an adult swordtail but would expect to lose all of their fry to predation. That is why my Hets are in a species only tank. When full grown, the males are about 2cm or a bit less in total length, the bigger females can actually get to about 2.5 cm.

 

[fishyfeet]

ive bred swords too, and they dont attack other fish, they have an upturned month so tend not to eat young either, swords are nicer than platies, a trio would be fine, di

 

[Ben M]

thanks, i think i'll go for it then. , i'll just have to find a shop that sells green swordtails. i'll have a look at my local maidenhead aquatics. they have loads of fish.
just thought, would my lfs buy the babies from me? and if so, at what size will they be sellable?

thanks again

 

[OldMan47]

If you like the look of green swords, you would really love the look of wild type X. helleri. They are even prettier with hints of an irridescnt sheen and a few random dark spots on what is otherwise the look of a domestic green sword.

 

[fishyfeet]

i wouldnt mind some babies,

 

[Ben M]

hi, at the minute, it's between the lyre tail pineapple swordtail, the green swordtail and the x helleri that you just suggested. do you have any pics of the x helleri? because i can't find any decent pics.

if i do get some, and they breed, you would be welcome to some babies, if you live close, because i wouldn't know how to post fish. .

thanks