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Encyclopedia / Livebearers / Swordtail
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Variations

11 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Swordtail

Xiphophorus hellerii · Green swordtail, Sword, Red swordtail

Mostly peaceful; males may chase each other.

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14 cmAdult size ✓
22–28 °CTemperature ✓
7–8pH ✓
108 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Swordtail is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Oscar is aggressive and will bully peaceful swordtail.
Not recommended
  • Convict cichlid is aggressive and will bully peaceful swordtail.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

353 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓10–25 dGH
Group size ?3 or more
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Mostly peaceful; males may chase each other.

Food

Flakes, pellets, vegetables.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Male Swordtail
Male
Female Swordtail
Female

Males have a 'sword' (extended lower tail-fin lobe) and a gonopodium; females lack both and grow larger. Some ornamental strains have extended fins in females too.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Livebearer · Easy

Livebearer; females can store sperm for months. Matures at 8-12 months; females sometimes change sex to male.

Pairing

Buy 1 male and 2-3 females.

Setup

60 L tank with plants and a sponge filter. Give them space.

What starts it

No trigger needed; females give birth about every month.

Eggs

20-200 young per brood after 24-30 days gestation.

Raising the fry

Fry are born ready to eat. Feed crushed flake, baby brine shrimp and microworms several times a day. Separate fry from adults or use plants as cover. Sort by size and sex early.

Common mistakes
  • Overcrowding
  • Aggressive males
  • Leaving fry with adults
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionAtlantic slope of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize & Honduras
Rivers and lakesRivers from Veracruz to Honduras
HabitatFast streams and rivers with plants
Native rangeAbout 600 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the swordtail

Described by Heckel in 1848 and named after Karl Bartholomaeus Heller, who brought the type specimens (from Orizaba, Mexico) to Vienna. Males grow a long 'sword' from the lower tail fin. Many ornamental forms are hybrids with platies (X. maculatus, X. variatus).

Johann Jakob Heckel described the swordtail in 1848 from Mexico. The long, sword-like extension on the male's tail made it famous among early fishkeepers. Crosses with platies produced the red, black and other colour strains seen in shops today.

First described by Johann J. Heckel in 1848.

  • Only males grow the sword-like tail extension.
  • It is an active jumper, so a covered tank is advised.
  • Many modern swordtails are hybrids with platies.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources