Henry the fish keeper Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 I would like some tank recommendations from swordtail fish keepers that have a lot of experience raising and keeping swordtails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 do you want to breed them, or just keep a pair? if just a pair, 15-20 gallons is enough. imo 29gal tanks and up are nicer for viewing, and having more fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 I just want one female swordtail that is it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 10 gallons then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 26, 2022 Author Share Posted March 26, 2022 Ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 I'm the wrong person to ask as I have way, way too many swordtails in my tanks, but it works for me. The fish are happy and breeding a lot, and I mean a lot, which is why there are so many swordtails in my tanks. I don't find them to be a sensitive or delicate fish. Just be advised that if you're buying one female swordtail, she's already likely pregnant and you will have a lot of little swordtails in the very near future. You might be safer buying a male. They don't get as big, they don't have fry, and the tail looks neat. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 27, 2022 Author Share Posted March 27, 2022 (edited) Nah. Even though the male swordtail have a sword I still want a female no matter the consequences and besides I want more swordtails! Edited March 27, 2022 by Henry Li 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 What size tank do you have room for? Swordtails get pretty chunky. 40 breeder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 27, 2022 Author Share Posted March 27, 2022 (edited) I have a ten gallon fish tank which is about to be upgraded to something larger. And have a 20 gallon long fish tank which has a ton of big fish that can eat the fry right after they are born. Edited March 27, 2022 by Henry Li Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 27, 2022 Author Share Posted March 27, 2022 I would like more answers from more people 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PineSong Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 I have been considering getting swordtails for my summer tub, which is 110 gallons. But all the recommendations I have read say that for multiple swordtails, 29 gallons and up are recommended. Greg Sage (swordtail expert) says that larger tanks (30 gallons and up) allow them to grow to full size and with smaller tanks, they will stay smaller. So I think they would be great for my summer tub, but when autumn rolls around I will be in trouble if they have multiplied. I only have one 29 gallon tank, so if I get them and they breed I will have to rehome most of the babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) I don't have swordtails but I really want some of the red ones. I need something to add some motion and color to my angelfish tank, and I started looking at swordtails when I saw @gardenman's photos of his tanks with bottom-of-the-tank Matten filters. I am sure @gardenman's swordtail density is higher than any expert would recommend, but they look great and they are healthy. So I think you have a great deal of leeway to decide how many you want and see if you can make it work. I think most people buy a few and end up with many. Edited March 28, 2022 by HH Morant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 (edited) Really? What is @gardenmanyoutube channel? I want to see it for myself. Edited March 28, 2022 by Henry Li Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HH Morant Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 On 3/27/2022 at 10:06 PM, Henry Li said: Really? What is @gardenmanyoutube channel I want to see it for myself. I am not sure they were videos. I edited my post to say "photos" instead. But I think there were some videos. It is a long thread. The thread on this forum is entitled "A bottom of the tank Matten filter?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 May you send me the link please? 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Here's a link to the thread. The photos start a page or two into the thread. I haven't updated the thread in a while as there's nothing to update. Everything's still going perfectly. About not growing full-size in a smaller tank, someone needs to tell that to mine. My biggest males are about 7" long nose to tip of tail. The bigger females are chunkier and about five inches long without a sword. They spawn like mad, grow like mad, and are perfectly healthy, happy, and nice fish. I've got four tanks filled with them with barely a hiccup ever occurring in any of my tanks. They're very well fed (probably overfed) and they do fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 WOW! I saw the swordtails both the males and females were HUGE. Your experience with breeding swordtails is really inspiring me to breed swordtails too one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry the fish keeper Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 Please @Minanoraanswer this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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