Swordtail "Green" - Xiphophorus helleri

The Green Swordtail is a color form of Xiphophorus helleri, which looks relatively similar to the wild form from Central America. In addition to the green base color on the back, this variant is adorned with a red longitudinal line that runs along the body approximately at the lateral line. Reddish accents are also found in the dorsal fin. Swordtails Xiphophorus helleri belong to the live-bearing toothcarps, and they are so closely related to platies that they can even produce fertile hybrids with this fish species. In addition, swordtails are also related to guppies and mollies. The males of the Green Swordtail still have the so-called sword, a pointed, elongated extension on the underside of their caudal fin. In the Green Swordtail, this sword is accented by one long and one short longitudinal black stripe.

In addition to the sword, male swordtails can be identified by their gonopodium, the elongated sexual organ on the abdomen. Like the males, the females reach a body length of about 12 cm.

As robust and uncomplicated aquarium fish, Green Swordtails are very popular in aquaristics. In its natural biotope Xiphophorus helleri, the swordtail, lives in plant-covered shore zones of rivers with a fairly good current and rather hard water. The Green Swordtail also likes its water in the aquarium rather with a neutral to slightly alkaline pH of 7-8.5 and with a GH (total hardness) of 10 to 30 °dGH. The temperature in the aquarium is ideally between 22 and 28 °C. The lively ornamental fish need an aquarium with an edge length from 100 cm upwards. The aquarium should have a cover, since Green Swordtails like to jump, and should also be well planted. Swordtails are schooling fish and should never be kept alone. We recommend a minimum group size of 10 specimens. In the shoal, you can also mix different color varieties of the swordtail, although you must then be prepared for the fact that in the offspring will be a colorful mix. Male swordtails can be quite crowding to the females, so you should pay attention to evasion possibilities and hiding places like caves and a good planting.

The Green Swordtail is very easy to get to breed. Females keep their spawn in their stomachs until the young hatch, and once the fish larvae have hatched, they are released alive. A litter may contain approximately 20-150 fry. Female Green Swordtails store the male's semen for several weeks after mating, so even in female-only groups, baby fish may be born initially. Green swordtails prey on their own offspring, so the better the planting in the aquarium, the more hiding places the fry will find and the more swordtail babies will come up.

With well reproducing dwarf shrimps with the same demands on the water values or also with larger Amano shrimps swordtails can be socialized very well, even if they certainly eat at least young shrimps. Also with rather peacefully minded dwarf crayfish swordtails can be kept in the aquarium under certain circumstances. Larger crayfish, on the other hand, may nip the ornamental fish sensitively in the long caudal fin and injure or even eat them.

As an omnivore, Xiphophorus helleri readily accepts animal and plant foods, even in the aquarium. Besides frozen food or live food consisting of small crustaceans like cyclops or daphnia, white, black and red mosquito larvae and worms like grindal, shiny worms or enchytraea, Green Swordtails also like to eat soft plant parts like spinach or nettle and of course they also pluck at algae coverings in the aquarium, which they keep so short. Furthermore, all ready-made foods for omnivorous ornamental fish in the aquarium are suitable for feeding. Since swordtails are rather surface-oriented, the flake food or granulated food from vegetable and animal sources should float on top for as long as possible.

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.