Swordtail

Temp. Range:    68-80°C. pH:    7-8.3 dH:    9.0 - 19.0 Adult Size:     3"

Xiphophorus helleri

Buy Swordtails

Hi Fin Lyretail Swordtail $5.99

Assorted Swordtail $3.99

Origin:  Central America.
Temperament:  Peaceful. Excellent for community tanks or for people new to the hobby.
Feeding:  Feed with flakes or algae. Some salt in the water will do the fish good. Very easy to keep.
Sexing:  Sex can be easily determined by the male's modified anal fin (gonopodium) and by the male's long extension on the bottom half of the tail fin. Females grow larger and have a more rounded body.
Comments:  Many varieties of Swordtails are available including: Simpson, with a larger dorsal fin; Wagtail and Tuxedo, with black on its tail and body; and Lyretail, one of the most popular varieties because of its excellent finnage. "Wag Swordtails" are hybrid crosses with Platy.

    There are many natural and native color forms due to the very extensive natural habitats. For green swordtail, the ground color is olive gray; scale rows along the middle of the body are green to blue; belly is white and there is a light red, dark red or brown longitudinal line on the flanks in all populations (regional forms). In a few variants, there can be one or two additional lines above and one or two below this line. In almost all populations, the dorsal fin has spots or flecks of red. This coloration can also appear in the caudal fin. The sword of males is bright yellow and edged more broadly in black below than above. Old fish (3 to 4 years old) can have a totally black sword from the caudal fin all the way to the tip of the sword.

Color Variations:  Click on Images for Larger View

Brick Sail Fin	Gold Swordtail	Green Lyretail	Tuxedo Sword
Montezuma Sword	Brick Sword	Green Swordtail	Velvet Sword

Breeding Swordtails and Raising Fry   (Opens a new browser window for members of Aquarium-Club.com)

Books About Platys and General Aquarium Reference Books: