My Swordtails

[Mikaila31]

These are the 2 remaining swordtails I have left. The red one is named Lady and I don't know exactly what you would call her. The other one doesn't have a name yet, but she is a albino koi swordtail. I had 3 other albino koi swordtails and I was gutted when I lost them to a outbreak of ich . I do have 5 young kois that where fry from one of the females that I lost. I am crossing my fingers that one will turn out to be male.

My question is how aggresive are swordtails suppose to be? When I had all 4 of my koi in a 20gal high(1male, 3 females) it was a constant battle ground. With one female claiming the whole tank as hers and pushing all the others into the corner. I'm thinking this aggression was what brought on the ich. I have kept my remaining two separated, but I took out the divider and they started duking it out. The red one back down and all was peaceful for a few minuets, but then the koi started pushing her around a bunch. So I put the divider back in. Is this behavior normal or do I just have some mean fish. I can't stand to see these beautiful girls attack each other .

Also any idea if the red sword is pure swordtail, cuz her body shape is so different from other swords I see? She kinda looks like a shark to me .

Many thanks,
Mikaila31

 

[kribensis12]

I LOVE your sword's!!!!!!!!!! The red female look's like a Velvet Red Lyretail Swordtail. She is dead pretty. They can be aggressive though! Would love some more pic's of her! I see you are from the US. What store did you get her from? Ohhh, i love your Koi Sowrd. Are the small ones her babies?

 

[Duck and Dive]

Love the bright red male swordtail, How red can you get?!!

 

[helterskelter]

The red female is classed as a "Red eye red lyretail" and is a stunning fish, and yes she's a swordtail, almost all are platy crosses but they are bread back with swords to keep the body shape.

As for the males, i would suggest keeping 1 male per square foot of surface area as they are very active fish and to many males do get grotty with each other. However most males are no problems it's just the odd one.

Love the bright red male swordtail, How red can you get?!!

Got quite a few "Red eye red's" in the UK. or keep looking in shop's or specilest auctions.

 

[Mikaila31]

I got the red one from a store in the twin cities called A World Of Fish. When ever the shipment comes in the fish are in very bad condition. You have to get down there right away and pick the healthiest fish and treat them with maracyn 1 and 2 for them to have any chance. I'm guessing it is the wholesalers fault cuz the store is really good at caring for the fish. I have never bought a male red one from them, cuz I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be able to breed.

The albino koi I got of aquabid and one female I got at petsmart(of all places). The one I have left right now is one of the females I got from aquabid. The fry are from the other aquabid female that I lost, she was really sweet. I'm hoping one will be male since it won't be related to the other fish.

I originally thought the red one was a "Red eye red lyretail", the one I have right now is only my second one I have kept. The first one I kept looked the same at first, but then the dorsal fin slowly started growing. The 1st ray would extend and then the rest of the fin would slowly follow. Over a period of about 3 months it grew huge. I really love these fish and I'm concerned that this ones fins might do the same thing. I had constant problems with the 1st on tearing her fins up and with them weighing her down. I'm almost certain this is what led to her untimely death . Helterskelter is there any way I can deal with this if this female's fins grow the same way. I have always though of trimming her dorsal and tail since I have heard of people trimming bettas fins. But I was afraid that might make things worse.

(these fish appear orange or red depending on what lights you use)
These are all pics of the same fish as she grew

It was at this point I began to worry.

I short vid of her in the hospital tank, you can see she has big tears in her fin.
Video

Also it is my females that attack each other they do a little dance then start biting each other, I might post a video later. Which is why I am worried about the red one. I only had one male and he was calm and nonagressive.

 

[kribensis12]

Most are breed to have that kinda finage. Some people who keep them dont have gravel. as it will destroy the fins and leave them prone to Fin+ tail rot. I love both female's! Ohhhh, i heard that the males cannot breed as they cant stick thier "thing" in the female.