Brick Swordtail

Remarks: A perfect starter fish! Swordtails (Xiphophorus hellerii) are peaceful community fish that reproduce with ease. They are livebearers, meaning the females release live fry rather than laying eggs. It is recommended to keep more females than males, as males can easily harass females with relentless attempts to reproduce, leading to stress in the females. Dominant males will begin developing swords and a modified anal fin, called a gonopodium, around 1-1.5" in length. However, it is not uncommon for less dominant males to maintain the physical appearance of a female until much later in life (even as large as 4"!) Scientific Name: Xiphophorus hellerii Common Name: Brick Swordtail Max Size: 5.5" pH: 7.0-8.0 Hardness: Moderate Temperature: 60-80° Aggressiveness: Peaceful Region of Origin: Central America Captive Bred or Wild: Captive Bred Diet: Small flake or pellet, small frozen or live foods Compatibility: Schooling fish, livebearers, rainbowfish, dwarf cichlids, peaceful cichlids under 5", invertebrates, Loricariids. Tank Mate Options: Red Wag Swordtail Roseline Shark Super Red Bushynose Pleco