Sword Question...

[juliethegr8t]

I'm not familiar with swords, since I just have platies, so I have a question. The other day I was checking out the livebearer tanks at a lfs, and noticed that in a particular section of swordtails, the males had EXTREMELY long swords... However, that wasn't the weirdest part. The weird part was that they also had EXTREMELY long gonopodiums too! I mean WAY long, like 3 to 4 times the length of the fish. I know this isn't always this case as I've never seen it before, but all the male swords in that tank had it. Is it a certain strain/type of swordtail?

 

[cometcattle]

Holding back a joke, Are u sure those werent fins?

 

[juliethegr8t]

I know I know, it sounds really funny. And it WAS really funny to see! In fact, once I figure out what it was, I was busting up too! Cuz I thought it was fins too, but then upon closer examination, I'm sure it wasn't.

Then I wondered how in the world they can manuever those suckers...

 

[Ben]

thy mustve taken the pill while they were gettin fed

 

[HeatherSweetness]

I have one of those,julie. His gonopodium was nearly 3 inches long. Unfortunately for him,one of the females got angry and bit it off down to less than an inch. LOL He has an extremely long sword,a lyretail and the long gonopodium,(well he DID.) The only way to breed these types of swords I have read is to get a female from the spawn and breed her with a male with near coloring and traits you're wanting. The males are completely useless breeding wise,but they sure are purty.

 

[K-Holed]

Holding back a joke, Are u sure those werent fins?

A gonopodium -is- a fin. It's a modified anal fin.