Swordtail "Pineapple" - Xiphophorus helleri

The pineapple swordtail Xiphophorus helleri belongs to the live-bearing toothcarps and is closely related to guppies and platies. Swordtails can also interbreed with platies. Xiphophorus helleri originates from Central America and South America, where it lives in fast flowing rivers with many plants.

The special feature of the up to about 12 cm long males is the spectacular sword on the caudal fin. It is about 4 cm long in adult males. The color pineapple in the swordtail is shown by an orange to red color on the back and a bright yellowish coloration on the ventral side. The sword in males is fringed with dark stripes, the caudal fin of females may also be black in color, but orange or yellowish is also possible. Females do not have a sword and also grow quite large at about 12 cm. In addition to sword-bearing males, there are also the so-called late males, which look like females for a very long time and retain the body shape of a very strong female even after the formation of the male gonopodium (the elongated sexual organ), but are capable of procreation.

The swordtail is a live-bearing toothcarp and gives birth to live fry. Females can store semen for a long time and for several litters. A litter can be up to 150 animals strong. Adults chase after their offspring, thereby decimating the offspring population. The fry are 6-9 millimeters long at birth, they come

Swordtails have a relatively well-developed schooling behavior. They also live in biotopes in nature in medium-hard to hard water and even in light brackish water. A water temperature of 20-28 °C is optimal for Xiphophorus helleri, so they can be kept at a normal room temperature without a heater.

The socialization of swordtails works quite well especially with larger shrimps like Amano shrimps or fan shrimps and with smaller peaceful dwarf crayfish species from the genus Cambarellus. Smaller shrimp and even their young may be eaten, while larger crayfish see the fish as a welcome addition to their diet. Swordtails are most likely to be kept with Neocaridina , a shrimp species known for its good reproduction rate.

In the wild, small crustaceans are part of the swordtails' diet, along with worms and insects and aquatic plants. Pineapple swordtails also like to nibble on algae and eat algae coverings, as well as soft vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, scalded spinach leaves, dandelion or nettle leaves, to name a few). Flake food for aquarium fish is also readily taken, as is frozen food or live food such as grindal, water fleas or mosquito larvae.

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.