Swordtail "Black" - Xiphophorus helleri

The Black Swordtail is a breeding form of Xiphophorus helleri, whose wild form is quite widespread in Central America. The swordtail Xiphophorus helleri belongs as a live-bearing toothcarp in the closer relationship of the platy (with which it can produce fertile hybrids ), but it is also related to guppies and mollies. The Black Swordtail captivates besides its bright fins by its black body color, which makes its relatively slender shape and the eponymous sword of the males particularly beautiful. This so-called sword is a pointed extension of the underside of the swordtail's caudal fin.

Gender differentiation is quite easy due to the sword, which only the males carry. In addition, the rather roundish females grow to about the same size as the males, with a body length of 12 cm. In addition to the sword, the males also have their gonopodium (an elongated sexual appendage on the abdomen) by which they can be identified.

In its habitat in Central America, the swordtail lives in the overgrown riparian zones in fast flowing rivers in rather hard water. Likewise, the breeding form of the Black Swordtail in the aquarium also likes a relatively high pH of 7-8.5 and a total hardness of 10 to 30 °dGH. The temperature of the aquarium water should be about 22-28 °C. Since swordtails become relatively large, they need an aquarium from 100 cm edge length. Black swordtails like to jump, the aquarium needs a cover for this reason. A neatly planted tank suits these beautiful ornamental fish well.

Swordtails need the security of a school. They should never be kept alone. You are welcome to mix different color strokes here, and a colorful mix will then result in the offspring. Male swordtails are quite pushy, so the females should have plenty of hiding places and escape routes such as caves and nice dense plant groups in the aquarium.

Breeding the Black Swordtail is quite simple: the females carry the eggs in their abdomen until the fry hatch and therefore give birth to live fry. Females release approximately 20-150 fry per litter. Female swordtails can store sperm from males for several weeks after mating. Therefore, it is also possible for fry to be born in an all-female group. Since black swordtails are cannibalistic, thefollowing principle applies: the better the aquarium is planted and the more hiding places the fry have, the more swordtail babies will grow up.

For the socialization with dwarf shrimps you have to pay attention to the requirements to the water values and you should only choose species that reproduce well, because swordtails also hunt shrimps. With larger Amano shrimps the socialization also works very well, and also with dwarf crayfish. Larger crayfish can pinch the black swordtails sensitively in the long tail fin.

Xiphophorus helleri is an omnivore. In the wild, swordtails eat food of both plant and animal origin: worms, small crustaceans, insects and their larvae, as well as soft plant parts and, of course, algae coverings. Black swordtails also pluck at algae coverings in the aquarium and keep them short. Black swordtails, like all swordtail varieties, are quite hardy and uncomplicated to keep. All foods for omnivorous ornamental fish in the aquarium are suitable for feeding. For the more surface-oriented swordtails, choose flake foods or granular foods made from plant and animal source materials that float as long as possible and do not sink quickly. In addition, frozen foods and live foods such as grindal, water fleas, artemia, shiner worms, enchytraea or black, white and red mosquito larvae make good and popular supplementary foods.

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 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.