Jump to content

Creating Swordtails


Recommended Posts

I been looking for some fancy livebearers that would work with my setup for a few years now.

• Cooler temperatures

• Softwater

• 6.5-6.8 ph

• Heavy waterchange

• Smaller aquarium size

Started with guppies and mollies but they just fell apart in my water over a few weeks. The few time I picked up platies didn't work out or never bred.

 

I was able to start with this line swortails and this line seems to adjust well with my setup.

They are on their 3rd generation, going from 55-70f and 80-90% cooler water changes.

Screenshot_20230909_222406_Gallery.jpg.b50f7805146c67f35f22527a5e594c6a.jpg

 

Now since they are surviving the fun began lol

It's time to start setting up breeding goals.

• Color - haven't really decide what would be more fun and more of an challenge 

• Size - most breeder would breed for the largest fish, but I'm breeding for a smaller fish. It doesn't make sense since I mainly have 10-20gallon aquarium. I can keep them in bigger group.

• Less aggression - I want to be able to put a decent group in smaller aquarium 

• Conformation - looking for a longer stream fish over a thick body fish. A very long sword.

 

This project will be a male line project.Screenshot_20230908_235202_Gallery.jpg.de4aea3f2f8fc00b5bdf9ef054bccc46.jpg

Male line project is a project where all decisions is made to improve the males of species regardless how the female looks.

Female line project is the opposite where all decisions is made for the female conformation regardless how those males turn out. 

For example it's very hard to get a slim long casting male from female line you bred to be big and thick

Hopefully all goes well

 

  • Like 4
  • Love 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

As a general resource I highly recommend checking out the livebearer articles over on goliad farms' blog.  He does some wonderful things over there, despite losing most/all of his work over the time.  The archive is there as a resource of hidden gems.

It's good to see the PH and stuff you're keeping yours at.  The conditions you have are near identical for my own tanks and I've been running into issues.  There's a potential reason for it, but I just feel like my first set of livebearers compared to my second have been such a different experience. 

Looking forward to learning, seeing the work, your process, and your decisions along the way.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/10/2023 at 11:19 AM, JChristophersAdventures said:

@WhitecloudDynasty A very worthwhile project! My understanding is that some current swordtail color variations came from platys... if that is true, let me offer a suggestion. The colors of a the Coral Calico Wag Platy would look great on a swordtail.

image.jpeg.ce6a859aa940a2c628e005aa2ade37a9.jpeg

That is very true but that would hurt the sword length and hurt the slim body length 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
On 1/6/2024 at 11:26 PM, Fish Folk said:

Excellent, straight swords. Are they orange or red? lighting is a bit tricky. I have some decent brick reds going. 

They are between orange and brick, this line also throw green.

I'm trying to get their body and sword length right first before I start working on color 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/6/2024 at 11:37 PM, WhitecloudDynasty said:

They are between orange and brick, this line also throw green.

I'm trying to get their body and sword length right first before I start working on color 

How long does it take for your males to grow their swords? I appear to have a number of males (gonopodium clear) spawned over the summer that are _not_ growing their swords yet after ca. 5 months.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/7/2024 at 12:02 AM, Fish Folk said:

How long does it take for your males to grow their swords? I appear to have a number of males (gonopodium clear) spawned over the summer that are _not_ growing their swords yet after ca. 5 months.

Screenshot_20240107_095216_Gallery.jpg.e1967eda342326f4797028c924c54ba9.jpg

This young male is 3 month old and started growing his sword already. I'm not sure how his body will turn out but only time will tell

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 7 months later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...