How to Breed Swordtails

The swordtail, which originates from Central America, is one of the easiest fish to breed. This is because they give birth live rather than laying eggs, which is more cumbersome. You will often buy the fish when it is already pregnant and you can tell this by the size of its belly. In addition to breeding with their own kind, swordtails will breed with platys, moons and variatus.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium heater
  • Busy plants
  • Liquid fry food
  • Brine shrimp
  • Spirulina algae
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Instructions

    • 1

      Turn the water temperature to between 77 and 81 degrees Fahrenheit. This is slightly warmer than regular aquarium temperatures. Swordtails becomes sexually active when they are 3 months old.

    • 2

      Put a male fish in with a female fish. This might not be necessary if the female was pregnant when you bought it. The fish's gestation period is between 30 and 40 days.The female can give birth to up to six batches of fry by storing sperm.

    • 3

      Notice the dark spots around the fish's anus. These are the eyes of the fry. Put bushy plants in the aquarium for the fry can hide. She will give birth to about 15 fry in her first batch. The amount of offspring in each successive birth gets larger.

    • 4

      Remove any other fish from the aquarium for a higher survival rate of the baby swordtails. Adult fish like to eat fry.

    • 5

      Feed the fry liquid fry food or brine shrimp. Also put spirulina algae in the tank for food.