Swordtails

[Mothi]

Hi, I bought 2 female pineapple swordtails and a plain looking female swordtail yesterday. I was told that the plain looking one is a green swordtail. She looks really cool and natural looking as if she was picked from the wild. I haven't really kept swordtails before except once some time ago, for a few days when they jumped out on me.
 
I was wondering what kind or colour variations of swordtails are found in the wild?

 

[fish48]

there is a number of colour variations of wild swordtails the most common seen it the lfs is the green.
 below pet shop strain.
 
 
 
 

 

[fish48]

Another pet shop strain. there is also naturally occurring spotted swordtails in the wild. identical to this one.

 

[fish48]

     spotted female had 20 fry 2 days ago a pic of some

 

[fish48]

a better pic of green sword (male

 

[fish48]

the smallest and most peaceful of the wild swords.
Xiphophorus pygmaeus
 
 
 
 

 

[fish48]

 wild type Green swordtails have two red lines, as with the cultivated ones only have one red line
 below  wild female about 2 years old

 

[gh74]

These are very nice swordtails,the guy i get my fish from just seems to have the orange ones,can i ask you's about my male swordtail,he seems to be hiding alot and when it decides to come out he is staying on the bottom,any ideads why he be acting like this?just he is usually up top with the rest of the fish etc.

 

[fish48]

The orange/ Reds.  Pineapple. and koy swords seems to be very popular. you only see good green swordtails occasionally in the local pet shops. Although at the moment it seems a good number of pet shops  have them in stock it seems that your swordtail maybe getting picked on from other fish sometimes swordtails will fight it does depend on the size of the tank need plenty of swimming space and at times. Male swords can get aggressive towards each other , how many do you have in your tank . Do your swordtail look as healthy as all of your other fish?

 

[gh74]

Well i had loads of fish die on me there due to stress caused by redtail sharks etc.yeah he looks healthy when i see him out and hes only with a female that just the 2 swordtails i have in my tank,i get my fish from my mate who has his own shop,i dont buy from P@H or MH had bad problems with there fish as they dont quaretine there fish and my mate does as hes got a big quaritine place etc all his fish come from worldwide there not like farmed etc if you call it that lol

 

[Mothi]

Thanks for all that info and pics fish48. The green swordtail I bought from the shop looks just like the female on your first post. She had babies a few days after I got her. The fry are growing well in a 3 feet tank  to themselves and are all different colours, some have lots of black, some look like they will be green like the mother and some have orange on fins and tail.

 

[fish48]

Through selective breeding, you may be able to get the green back.
 

 

[Mothi]

That xiphophorus pymaeus looks stunning. Could they live with bigger swordtails without breeding with them? I've never seen this fish before you linked picture of it.

 

[fish48]

it’s best to keep them in a species tank only. When kept in the home aquarium with other swordtails, there is always a possibility of them crossbreeding . I personally do not take the chance I like to keep all the wild forms pure.