Sword Tail Babies

[daveeyj]

hi guys, my swordtail has just had babies, but only two. last time she gave me 15! is this change in number common oris it unusual?? i have had her in a large breeding net with an artificial plant that completely covere the base so as the babies were born they could hide to be stopped from being eaten. thanks

 

[OldMan47]

A swordtail will typically drop at least 30 fry. The number you discover will depend largely on how well the fry hide and how hungry your female was when she dropped them.
As a side note, swordtail fry tend to go for the water surface, so things low in the tank or along the bottom of the container provide almost no cover for them. Some typical cover for swordtail fry includes duckweed, frogbit and water lettuce. These plants float and have extensive root structures that provide cover at or near the water surface.