Sail carp "mix" - Poecilia velifera

Mix sail carps are striking great tooth carps, whose archetype is a green variant, which occurs mainly in Mexican waters. Poecilia velifera inhabits weedy shore areas and is found near the coast in brackish waters with a lot of current, but also in salt water. Especially the long extended dorsal fin of the males gave them their name. As an aquarium fish it has been on the market for a long time and enjoys increasing popularity among hobbyists.

You will receive our Mixed Sailfish mixed-sexed.

You can get the Mix Sailfish from us in several color variations, so to speak as a "colorful bag". On the slender long body of the males are speckles and spots, which also extend over the fins. In part, these may also be fringed. At just under 12-14 centimeters, they remain somewhat smaller than the females, which reach nearly 18 centimeters and also become much rounder. The so-called gonopodium, a sexual organ transformed into an anal fin, also differs in males from females, which lack it.

Sail carps are ovoviviparous tooth carps and can also be bred in the aquarium, special precautions are not necessary for this. As soon as they like their aquarium, they will start courtship. Especially the males court their beloved intensively and aggressively scare away other males. After mating, the female carries up to 100 eggs in her abdomen and releases live young after about 5 weeks. These are a welcome food for other fish in the aquarium, so a dense planting as a retreat is advantageous for the little ones. Alternatively, they can be raised separately in a rearing aquarium and later reunited with their parents.

Sailfish are quite large fish and should therefore have at least 250 liters available for swimming out. Similar to their habitats, some salt in the water is beneficial, with about 2.5 g per liter of water already being sufficient. With decorations like roots and stones optimal retreat possibilities, in addition, hiding places can be established - no borders are set to your fantasy here. Pay attention to a dense planting in places, so that the animals can seek shelter here, especially troubled females, fry, but also invertebrates will retreat here to catch their breath. The Sailfish prefer a good water hygiene, therefore a good sized filter is essential, also there should be current in the tank. Medium hard to brackish water promotes the well-being of the animals, the total hardness may therefore be between 15-30 °dGH, the pH between 7.5 and 8.5 and temperatures of 24-28 °C.

As a group fish you should keep the Mix Sailfish with at least 5 animals, so that they do not care. Conceivable would be also the socialization with further color forms, which you find in the store. These can cross themselves among themselves, so that further wonderful color variants and patterns develop. Also suitable are other peaceful fish that can cope with the water values of the Sailfish, such as Guppies. Also the popular Amana shrimp can find a home in your aquarium. However, shearwaters such as dwarf crayfish or crayfish could get dangerously close to the Sailfish and injure or even eat it. Therefore, we rather do not recommend this socialization.

The omnivorous Mix Sailfish, which feeds wild on insect larvae and growth, can easily be introduced to any commercially available flake food, granulated food or dry food in the aquarium. They will also readily nibble on soaked vegetables such as spinach, peppers or algae leaves. With live and forest foods, its menu can be spiced up from time to time. Here are suitable for example Tubifex, white, black or red Mosquito larvae, as well as Daphnia, Grindalworms or Artemia.

Our food recommendation: The fragrant NatureHolic Guppyfeed  was tailor-made for the requirements of guppies and other viviparous fish in the aquarium. In addition to high-quality animal ingredients, it also contains vegetable components that benefit guppies & co. The soft granules protect the sensitive mouth of the viviparous from injuries caused by hard food grains and provide the fish with a natural feeding experience.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.