Are swordtails omnivores?

What is the difference between a swordtail fish?

Swordtails have particular traits to simply differentiate female and male fish. Males have the attribute “sword” on the ventral facet of their tails. Females have a rounded tail edge and have a tendency to have thicker bodies.

What happens to a swordtail fish after it gives birth?

On the days leading up to birth the Swordtail will become lethargic, may not eat, may hide toward the rear of the aquarium and very territorial. After birth it is important to remove the mother from the breeding tank to ensure the best chance of survival for the young fry.

Do swordtails fight when breeding?

Male Swordtails will also fight if kept in larger numbers in the breeding tank. It is important to have only a few males and lots of swimming space. Never overstock the breeding tank as this will only further increase stress in the fish. The pregnant female shows a swollen belly and dark gravid spot when pregnant.

What happens when a swordtail gives birth?

When a swordtail gives birth, you will find many swordtail fry (between 5-80) swimming around the aquarium tank. However, the mothers do not care for the fry – it is their duty to find the best hiding spots. Naturally, fry have to protect themselves, because the adult swordtails will eat them. When swordtail fry are born, they are very small.

Is the female caudal fin of a swordtail fish?

The female caudal fin has no such protrusion. The swordtail belongs to the group of livebearer fishes – scientifically classified as Poecillidae – to which the mosquito fish, the guppies, the mollies and the platies belong. This group gives birth to live fry.

Do swordtail fish eat their fry?

Swordtails can keep sperm cells inside their pouch and fertilize on their own over and over again. It is natural for this fish to eat their fry. The solution to that is to make sure that they are well-fed as they get closer to giving birth.

How long does it take for swordtail fish to give birth?

A swordtail fish will get pregnant immediately the give birth and they use the tendency. You might feel like your swordtail is always pregnant and as a result, you forget how non-pregnant swordtails look like. Each new fry will mature within a short time to contribute to the population of your aquarium too – that will take around three months.

Why are they called swordtails?

If you’ve seen these little guys swim in your local fish store you will immediately know why they are called swordtails. They have this beautiful long recognisable “sword” on the bottom of their body. Swordtails are more sensitive compared to regular platies and therefore need better water parameters, but still strong suitable beginner fish.

Do swordtails have mood swings when pregnant?

Pregnant swordtails do not exhibit mood swings but for good health, you will have to maintain good tank conditions. When the fish is ready to give birth, you will have to move it to a separate tank for it to deliver smoothly.

What is gonopodium in swordtail fish?

Gonopodium is basically the name for male’s extended anal fin. The male swordtail has long and elongated anal fin which is developed over time. However, females have a round, fan-shaped anal fin. Male’s gonopodium is basically responsible for releasing sperm.

Are swordtail fish safe for babies?

Swordtails are peaceful fish species, but you will have to take several measures to ensure that your baby fish are safe until they get to the juvenile stage or big enough, that they will not fit in their parents mouth. The movement of the small fry imitate live food.

Can You separate swordtail Fry from the rest of the fish?

Because swordtails are really social fish, you should not separate the pregnant female for too long from the rest. After she gives birth, but her back in the main tank and let the fry gain power and start swimming. I’ve wrote a complete guide on sowrdtail fish fry care, which you should read, if you are into breeding and raising swordtails.

What’s so special about this red and black swordtail?

These swordtails are not new, they were shown in the early ’80s. They were only brought into the US recently, and are currently very popular commanding high prices on Aquabid. At first glance, there’s nothing special about this fish. It’s just a red and black swordtail. However at a closer look, one notices it’s only red and black.

How do you know when a swordtail fish is pregnant?

If your fish stops eating, stops swimming or slows downs, it is time to transfer it to another tank. The fish might also sink to the bottom or remain in one spot for a very long time if it is pregnant. After it pops the fry, you can move it to the community aquarium tank to keep the swordtail fry safe.

How old do swordtails have to be to breed?

Any swordtail that is 3 months old is ready to breed. Therefore, if you do not want them to produce more swordtails, you will have to separate the males and females because they will mate if you leave them together.

Why are swordtail fish called swordtails?

People did not name them swordtails because they are excellent fighters. The name relates to one of their physical qualities. The male swordtail fish have an elongated tail fin (anal fin), known as the gonopodium or sword. In this article I will explain the growth stages of swordtail fish. These stages include:

How many babies do swordtail fish have?

A swordtail fish is a livebearer, which means they have live babies. At one time they can have between 10-60 babies but the average is 30-35 babies. After giving birth, she can get pregnant immediately and will give birth again in a month. If she is properly taken care of, she can give birth every month.

Why do swordtails eat their babies?

Swordtails and fish in general, are genetically coded to catch these small creature. Little they know, that these small moving creatures are their fry. Another reason why the mother swordtails eat their young ones is hunger. If you provide them with the right food, they may not touch the babies.

What do swordtail fish fry eat?

The fry grow in the female where they consume the yolk stores. The female’s pregnancy can be identified by the dark body in front of the anal fin. Young swordtails are bigger than other fry of non live-bearer fishes. They immediately swim and can hide from predators. They also grow quickly and can eat flakes soon after birth.

How to keep swordtail fish alive in a tank?

Also, when adding plants, make sure that you get a covered tank lid because swordtail fishes are jumpers and will come to the surface and try to take a leap of faith out of the tank.

How do you take care of a swordtail fish?

Maintenance and care. Swordtails are relatively hardy and can survive in a range of aquarium conditions. However, they thrive when housed in fairly large aquariums with clean water conditions. It is also advisable to add a little bit of salt into the swordtail aquarium.

Is my swordtail pregnant?

If changing of the water conditions and reducing the stress does not offer any results, then the swordtail is not pregnant at all. I have heard many people claim that the gravid spots that develop on pregnant swordtails are fry’s eyeball. That is a misconception.

What does a female swordtail fish look like?

Typically, the male swordtails have a sword-shaped tail, which is the male organ or gonopodium. The females have a round shaped anal fin. The gravid spots of the females become visible in this stage.

How often do swordtail fish breed?

A swordtail will start breeding after it is three months old, which means that it is good you separate them according to their sex before they attain that age. If the water conditions are right – the water hardness, PH, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates – your swordtails will breed regularly.

Are livebearer swordtails free swimming fish?

Livebearer young are free swimming and fairly large when born, they have a much higher chance of growing to adulthood than fish raised from eggs. NOTE: If you intend to breed swordtails, there should be more females in the tank than males.

Why is my swordtail fish lying on the bottom of tank?

Stress is another reason why your swordtail fish may be lying on the bottom of the tank. In fact, it tops the list of causal factors. During the upkeep, stress can be caused by: Fish can only assume a healthy life in a good sized tank and favorable temperatures.