Swordtail Mix - Xiphophorus helleri

The swordtail Xiphophorus helleri is a live-bearing toothcarp from Central America and South America, which prefers fast-flowing rivers with many plants as natural biotopes. As a special feature, the males, which grow to about 12 cm in length, carry a spectacular sword on their caudal fin. In adult males it can reach an impressive length of about 4 cm. Females, on the other hand, do not carry a sword, but are slightly thicker than the males and also grow to about 12 cm. There are also males without a sword in swordtails, the so-called late males. They look like females for a very long time. Even after the formation of their male gonopodium (the elongated sexual organ into which the anal fin is remodeled), they retain the body shape of a stout female, but are capable of procreation.

Here you are buying a colorful mixed gender mix of several attractive and beautiful swordtail color varieties.

The swordtails belong to the family of live-bearing toothcarps and consequently give birth to live fry. The females store the sperm for a longer time after mating and can therefore give birth to further litters even without a male. A litter can contain up to 150 young swordtails. Adult swordtails eat their offspring and keep group size in check.At birth, young swordtails are already 6-9 millimeters long. In well planted aquariums, the chance of survival for the young fish is higher.

Swordtails are quite social fish and show relatively well developed schooling behavior for a freshwater fish. In nature they are found in medium to hard water and sometimes even in slightly salty brackish water of river mouths. A water temperature of 20-28 °C in the aquarium is optimal for Xiphophorus helleri, an addition of salt can increase their well-being.

Swordtails are related to guppies and platies and may even interbreed with platies. Socializing swordtails with medium to larger peaceful fish in a community aquarium works well; they also do well with larger shrimp such as Amano shrimp or fan shrimp. Even with peaceful dwarf crayfish species from the genus Cambarellus a socialization can work out. Smaller shrimps and also shrimp juveniles may be eaten, but well reproducing species like Neocaridina shrimps or Sulawesi inland shrimps can usually be kept in swordtail aquariums with many hiding places.

In the wild, soft aquatic plants and algae are part of the swordtails' diet, along with worms, insect larvae and small crustaceans. Swordtails also like to nibble on algae in the aquarium and pluck off biofilms and algae coverings. Soft vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, scalded spinach leaves, dandelion or nettle leaves, etc.) can help prevent damage to plants. Flake or granulated foods for aquarium fish are also popular, as are special foods for livebearers, frozen foods or live foods such as grindal, water fleas or mosquito larvae.