🐠Swordtail: gear and buying guides

The swordtail, recognizable by the male's sword-shaped tail, is a lively livebearer reaching 8 to 12 cm including the sword. An excellent swimmer, it needs a tank of at least 100 L and fairly hard water between 22 and 26 °C. Since males can quarrel with each other, keep a single male or a group dominated by females.

Profile : 8 to 12 cm as an adult including the sword, 100 L minimum, water between 22 and 26 °C.

Species profile

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Adult size

12 cm

Minimum tank

100 L

Water temperature

22 to 26 °C

pH

7 to 8

Temperament

A sprinting swimmer, sometimes quarrelsome between males, it needs a long swimming lane and a single male or a female majority.

Health watch

white spot disease after stress · shortened life from constantly overheated water

🩺 The health watchpoints on this page are for information only: only a veterinarian can examine your animal and make a diagnosis.

Swordtail gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  An undemanding omnivore: varied flakes, regular plant matter and live or frozen foods such as daphnia. It feeds mostly at the surface and in midwater.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  Hardy in moderately hard to hard, well-oxygenated water with a 20 to 25 percent weekly change. Constantly overheated water shortens its lifespan.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  Plants around the edges and a large central swimming space, essential for this sprinter. Driftwood and rocks mark out territories and ease rivalry between males.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A tank of at least 100 L and at least 80 cm long, covered since it jumps very well. A recommended group is one male to three or more females.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  Transport in a roomy bag; this nervous fish bumps into walls easily, so prefer an opaque bag. Standard 30-minute acclimation with temperature equalization.

• 🧰 Accessories

  A good-flow filter, a 100 to 150 W heater, a full lid and a wide net. Around 120 to 200 euros to equip a 100 to 150 L tank.

Guides to read

• Community aquarium or species-only tank: which is right for a first setup?Bedding & habitat

  Community aquarium or species-only tank: pros, cohabitation risks and advice for choosing how to set up your first aquarium.

• Best easy aquarium plants without CO2 for beginnersToys & enrichment

  Which aquarium plants can you choose without CO2 injection? A selection of hardy, easy plants for a beginner's planted tank.

• Budget for a first brackish water aquarium: the real cost to get startedBedding & habitat

  How much does a first brackish water aquarium cost? Tank, filtration, salt and salinity monitoring, budgeted item by item.

• Changing filter media too often: the mistake that wrecks your aquarium's cycleCare & grooming

  Why you should never replace all your filter media at once: nitrifying bacteria, replacement frequency and the right habits.

• Restarting a neglected aquarium: a step-by-step guideCare & grooming

  How do you restart an aquarium that's been left neglected without endangering the fish? Steps, water changes and mistakes to avoid.

• GH, KH and pH: understanding and adjusting aquarium water hardnessCare & grooming

  GH, KH, pH: what do these three readings actually measure, and how do you adjust aquarium water hardness without stressing the fish?

• Upgrading to a bigger aquarium: moving your fish without the stressBedding & habitat

  How do you upgrade to a bigger aquarium without breaking the biological cycle or stressing your fish? Steps and mistakes to avoid.

• Aquarium electrical safety: GFCI protection and good habitsTravel & safety

  Heater, filter, lighting near the water: what electrical precautions keep an aquarium safe for fish and people?