🧰Accessories for a Swordtail: tests, upkeep and budget
Swordtail : 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.
In short: 8 to 12 cm as an adult including the sword, 100 L minimum, water between 22 and 26 °C. A sprinting swimmer, sometimes quarrelsome between males, it needs a long swimming lane and a single male or a female majority. An outstanding jumper needing a full lid and a tank at least 80 cm long, in moderately hard, well-oxygenated water.
Water tests: your dashboard
The first smart buy for a Swordtail costs €15 to 30: the drop-test kit, out weekly for NO2-NO3 and at any doubt for GH, KH and pH. Then come the net sized for 12 cm, the substrate siphon and the dedicated bucket — never the cleaning one, whose detergent traces contaminate the water.
The Swordtail specifics
a battery backup air pump: at full stocking, a filtration failure is measured in hours.
The full budget, no surprises
An equipped 100 L setup (tank, filter, heater, lighting, substrate, decor, tests): expect €200 to 450 upfront, then €10 to 25 a month (food, electricity, conditioner). Second-hand often halves the tank price — only the filter and heater deserve to be new. Details on the full Swordtail profile.
Frequently asked questions
Which accessories are essential for a Swordtail tank?
Drop tests, siphon, net, dedicated bucket, an independent thermometer: the whole kit stays under €60.
What budget for keeping a Swordtail?
€200 to 450 to set up an equipped 100 L tank, then €10 to 25 a month in routine costs.
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