Raising Swordtails: Docile, Colorful Fish are Prolific Breeders

For freshwater-aquarium enthusiasts, new and old, nothing beats a swordtail! Swordtails are highly regarded as a peaceful fish and great for community tanks. A bit bulkier but similar in shape, they have been compared to platys and guppies. Swordtails are extremely easy to breed, and with the proper tank size and equipment, they will grow quickly. The most striking characteristic of this fish is the sword-like tail spike of the male. They do not take their common name from this feature, but rather, the shape of the anal fin. Swordtails come in a beautiful variety of colors, with the more popular ones being red and pineapple.

Swordtails require a tank with proper filtration and aeration, and enough room to move around. They are prolific breeders and like most aquarium fish you don't want to start out by over crowding them. If you are introducing Swordtails to an established community of fish or starting from the very beginning it is key to get the balance of male to female right. The best ratio is one male to several females. If males outnumber the females this will increase they will become aggressive toward each other. In a 20 gallon tank with no other fish you should start off with five females and one male.