Neptun
Swordtail is a bright red-colored mobile aquarium fish with an original tail shape. Inhabitant of the waters of Southern Mexico and Guatemala. Its name is owed to the sword-like outgrowth on the tail fin of the male. Natural coloration is green. Red fish with a sword-like outgrowth on the tail is the result of the work of breeders.
Latin: Xiphophorus
Swordtail aquarium fish Description
Aquarium swordtails are a popular representative of the underwater world in our aquariums. In nature reaches a length of 12-14 centimeters. Color xiphophorus occurring in nature – green. All the rest – the intrigues of breeders.
The swordtail is a very beautiful fish. In addition to the natural green form bred red, red with black fins, black and a number of other forms. There are also varieties with voile fins.
The male is distinguished from the female by a sword-like outgrowth on the caudal fin that the species owes its name. More male and female can be distinguished by the anal fin in the adult female it is rounded. In the male – oblong. Males are slimmer than their girlfriends.
Swordtail fish maintenance in aquarium
The most common in aquariums are red and red with black fins (Cuban). Aquarium fish swordtail are mobile and greatly enliven the underwater landscape. Swordtail are very fearful. The slightest push of the table, on which stands the aquarium and the red fish is able to jump out of the aquarium, which it often does. To prevent this from happening, the aquarium must necessarily have a lid or at least it should be covered with glass.
It is better to equip the tank with fifty liters. Water hardness 8-25 °dH. Temperature for the content of swordtail 24 – 26 ° C. pH = 7. As a soil it is better to use clean gray coarse river sand. The content of oxygen in the water is very important, so in the aquarium with them must be live plants such as vallisneria, elodea, cattail. It is also desirable artificial aeration of water. Swordtail fish peaceful. It can be kept with other non-aggressive species: guppies, danio rerio, mollinesia.
Feeding of swordtails
Aquarium fish swordtail are not fastidious in food, but prefer live food: moths, trubichnik, daphnia. Like other fish, they should not be overfed.
Swordtail breeding
In breeding swordtail simple, as well as other representatives of this superfamily. Signs of pregnancy and readiness for spawning in swordtail are the same as in guppies. That is, before feeding should be carefully examined females, whether there are no females with a rounded abdomen and enlarged preanal spot.
And if the female’s abdomen is shaped like a rectangle. This all indicates that the swordtail is ready to breed. Grab a three-liter jar pour there clean, temperate water, add one-fourth of the water from the aquarium. Throw a bunch of riccia on the surface of the water. Let some small-leaved plant in the water. Transplant a female with a square tummy into this spawning ground and wait for the brood.
Swordtails usually begin mating at dawn. After spawning, the female should be removed from the spawning ground, so that she did not eat her offspring. Of course, a three-liter jar for spawning – it is not the best option, but for the first time will go. In the future, it is still better for these purposes to acquire a small aquarium of liters to ten.
Fry xiphophorus can be fed after 2-3 hours with dry, grinded into dust feed. But more willingly they will eat live food, such as cyclops. The first weeks it is desirable to feed three times a day, not much. Weeks after two weeks will be enough to feed twice a day and can be gradually transferred to the diet of adult fish.
Remember the main rule – do not overfeed! Remains of uneaten food immediately after feeding should be removed. As the fry grow, they should be transferred to a larger aquarium. It is also desirable to sort the fry by size and sex. But for the aquarist – amateur it is quite problematic.
