▷ Swordtail | Xiphophorus Helleri | All information, key data and details

Datasheet Swordtail

German name:
Swordbearer

Scientific name:
Xiphophorus Helleri

Origin:

Central America

Size:
M 10cm / W 12cm

Aquarium

Length:
80 cm

Contents:
From 112 liters

Lighting:

Light to shady

Furnishings:

Plant

water values

Temperature:

PH value:

7-8.3

carbonate hardness:

°dKH

total hardness:

12 – 30 °dGH

Behave

Number:

2

Area:
center

propagation:
viviparous

Lining:
omnivore

Behave:

Peaceful

Difficulty level:
Beginner

Swordtail for beginners

Mirko Rosenau – stock.adobe.com

Swordtails can also be used by beginners good hold. Breeding animals are particularly suitable.

However, wild caught swordtails and closely related species are also suitable, e.g. B. Xiphophorus montezumae, Xiphophorus multilineatus.

behavior of swordtails

A swordtail aquarium should have at least a floor area of 120x50cm and have enough swimming space. Only then does the full courtship behavior of the males become visible.

A temperamental male who wants to impress a female during courtship can swim 80 cm with a flap of his tail and simply push plants aside.

Two or more males are often kept in an aquarium that is too small. This will almost certainly result in death for inferior males.

Even in larger aquariums, e.g. B. with 150 liters of water content, dominant males chase the inferior males. Every now and then a female is so dominant that she chases the males.

Two different stocking recommendations try to take this into account:

In order for the females to have some peace from the males, several males should be kept in an aquarium. Three males can be kept for every two females. There must be a densely planted corner in the aquarium as a hiding place and protection from dominant males.

Other keepers recommend one male and 3 females for smaller aquariums, and two to three males and 10 females for larger aquariums. Here, too, the aquariums should be well planted and offer hiding places.

There are basically two types of swordtails behaviorally. Slender swordtails also like to be in open water. Fat swordtails prefer to hide in a weedy environment. They stay in the thicket of plants and only come out to feed.

The animals in the trade are often malnourished. The eyes are too big compared to the body. You only see later or with the offspring whether you have the slim or the thick shape.

All Swordtails like to stay under floating plants. If there are no floating plants, they often sit under the leaves of other plants.

If the aquarium is large enough, not only a pair of swordtails should be kept. At five to eight, the dominant animals sometimes chase the inferior ones out of the bushes, so that you can see them from time to time.

Lining for swordtails

Lining / Mirko Rosenau – stock.adobe.com

Swordtails will take almost any food. Vegetables can also be fed as a supplement and variety, e.g. E.g. canned carrots, cucumber, lettuce or simply plant-based, green flake food.

Which plant food is eaten must be tried out.

Some swordtails eat cucumber, some don’t.

Fish also have their favorite foods.

Only a small amount or a small piece is given.

Too much food can rot in the water. You may have to try several times to see if the fish get the taste.

Swordtail Breeding and Breeding

How can you tell if Swordtails are pregnant?

Swordtail in pregnancy / © Moritz Hertel

The abdomen is thick in pregnant swordtails.

The belly will slowly get bigger within 1 to 2 weeks.

Otherwise there are other reasons, e.g. B. a full stomach.

In the rear area, the belly is usually a little darker.

The darkening of green Xiphophorus can be seen particularly well.

How long swordtails are pregnant

The gestation period depends on water temperature and food. With a temperature of around 28°C and good live food, the gestation period is somewhat shorter.

If the gestation patch is very dark, the birth is imminent. The gestation patch is a small patch in front of the female’s anal fin.

How many young Swordtails get

Swordtails breed quickly and profusely. Large females give birth to up to 300 young, usually there are 100 to 150 young.

rearing of juvenile fish

Jungfisch / Ltshears, Swordtail Fry 1 day old, CC BY 3.0

Special measures for breeding and rearing are not required. However, the parents eat their own young. Floating plants such as pond liverwort (Riccia), chickweed and Naja offer hiding places for the young.

These plants do not take away as much light as e.g. B. Shell flowers. In an aquarium set up in this way, a few robust offspring will always survive. Even so, depending on stocking, 20 young animals can survive. After about 4 weeks, the young move in the whole aquarium.

The temperature should be 22 – 24°C. Breeding is possible in the community tank if the occupants are not chasing each other too much.

If a particularly large number of offspring are desired, it is advisable to transfer the young to a spawning box or a separate rearing tank as soon as possible after birth. Spawning boxes are too small for the dams. The stress this causes can result in the mother giving birth to immature or dead young.

Here is an overview of different spawning boxes: