Swordtail "Lyra" - Xiphophorus helleri

The Lyra Swordtail is a breeding form of the swordtail Xiphophorus helleri from Central America. Our Lyra Swordtails are red orange in color, with yellowish orange fins. Their peculiarity is not only the beautiful intense color, but also the beautiful shape of the long extended lyre-shaped fins, which comes from the greater length growth of the outer fin rays. In particular, the caudal fin captivates not only by the sword below, but also by an elongated fin ray above. Also in the females here the lower fin ray of the caudal fin is extended sword-like. They grow to about 12-15 cm long, including the fins, just like the males.

With the Lyraform of the swordtail Xiphophorus helleri there is a peculiarity: although the Lyra swordtails also belong to the viviparous toothcarps, but since the males are only in exceptional cases fertile due to their clearly elongated gonopodium, a pure group of Lyra swordtails is not affected by the usual problem with viviparous: reproduction is practically impossible here, unless you are lucky enough to get a fertile male. If you would like to have offspring from your Lyra Swordtails, you should mate a color-matched "normal" male Swordtail and a Lyra female. In the offspring the fish will then have the coveted Lyra shape. The males can be recognized by the typical gonopodium or sexual appendage, which is greatly elongated in most Lyra swordtail males. Only in exceptional cases does the gonopodium have the typical elongated pointed shape.

Swordtails are very closely related to the popular Platies, and they can produce fertile hybrids with this related species. As livebearing toothcarps, swordtails also belong to the family of guppies and mollies, which are very popular in aquaristics.

Lyra swordtails are considered in aquaristics as robust and uncomplicated aquarium fish, which are ideal for beginners. In nature, the swordtail Xiphophorus helleri lives in the shore zone of relatively fast flowing rivers in dense vegetation. Be sure to provide hiding places such as dense plant clusters, a well-structured aquarium, and possibly caves to allow outnumbered animals to escape. The Lyra Swordtail prefers water in the neutral to slightly alkaline range, with a pH of 7 to 8.5 and a total hardness (GH) of 10 to 30 °dGH. The water temperature in the aquarium should be between 22 and 28 °C. The beautiful ornamental fish should get a tank with an edge length of 100 cm upwards, which is well covered, because Lyra Swordtails like to jump. Lyra Swordtails are group fish and should not be kept individually.

We recommend a minimum group size of 10 swordtails, whereby you can mix the color forms and fin forms here calmly. In the offspring you have then a colorful mix. For a pure color breeding you should pay attention to pure groups, whereby with the Lyra Swordtail the peculiarity exists that male Lyra Swordtails are usually not procreative.

In the Lyra Swordtail, females retain the spawn in their stomachs until the fry hatch. Then the live fry are released. Up to 150 fry are born in one litter. Female Lyra swordtails can store the male's semen for several weeks, so baby fish may initially be born in female-only groups. Lyra swordtails prey on their offspring, so in a well-planted aquarium with plenty of hiding places, the offspring rate is much higher.

The association of swordtails with well reproducing or with larger dwarf shrimps like Neocaridina or Amanogarnelen works very well in well planted aquariums, even if the ornamental fish will eat some of the young shrimps. With from the character rather peaceful Dwarf crayfish you can keep your Lyra Swordtails in the aquarium, but larger crayfish would nip the ornamental fish in the long fins or catch and eat them whole. In a community aquarium, they should not be kept with fish that intensely tug at fins.

As omnivores, the Lyra Swordtail Xiphophorus helleri takes food with animal as well as vegetable components. In addition to high quality frozen or live foods such as cyclops or daphnia or insect larvae such as white, black and red mosquito larvae and also nutritious worms such as grindal, shiner worms or enchytrae, Lyra swordtails like spinach or nettle and algae coverings. All ready-made foods for omnivorous ornamental fish in the aquarium, i.e. flake food or granulated food from vegetable and animal sources, are suitable. Swordtails like to eat from the water surface, so a buoyant food should be preferred.

Our food recommendation: The fragrant NatureHolic Guppyfeed was tailor-made for the needs 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.