Swordtail care
Xiphophorus hellerii · Mexico and Honduras
Swordtails are larger, faster livebearers: a 29 gallon or larger tank with a lid, 72 to 82 °F and hard water.
- Tank size
- 29 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 82 °F (22 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 3 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 5.5 in (including the male's sword)
- pH
- 7 to 8.4
- Hardness (GH)
- 12 to 30 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 29 gallon
30¼ × 12½ × 18¾ in outsideHow to keep swordtails
Swordtails are larger, faster livebearers: a 29 gallon or larger tank with a lid, 72 to 82 °F and hard water. Keep one male with several females, or several males in a large tank; males spar for rank.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, vegetables, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Swordtail tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Rubbernose pleco
5.7 in · 30+ gal · 68–77 °F
Convict julie
5.1 in · 30+ gal · 75–80 °F
Bristlenose pleco
6 in · 29+ gal · 73–81 °F
Siamese algae eater
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–80 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Firemouth cichlid
6 in · 40+ gal · 75–84 °F
Yoyo loach
6 in · 40+ gal · 75–82 °F
Vampire shrimp
6 in · 29+ gal · 74–84 °F
Keep apart
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Convict cichlid: Convict cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as swordtails.
Jewel cichlid: Jewel cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as swordtails.
Demasoni cichlid: Demasoni cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as swordtails.
Red zebra cichlid: Red zebra cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as swordtails.
Auratus cichlid: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as swordtails.
What a swordtail tank needs
A tank of 29 US gallons or more (such as the 29 gallon) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 20
Rated by the maker for up to 30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon swordtail tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 29 gallon swordtail tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Cobalt Aquatics Neo-Therm Pro 100W
Swordtails need 72 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding swordtails.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 29 gallon tank · Heaters for a 29 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common swordtail problems
- Males bully each other in small tanks; keep one male, or three or more in a big tank.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Xiphophorus hellerii. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Swordtail Usien, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rubbernose pleco Frank Alvarez, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict julie Regani, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bristlenose pleco André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Siamese algae eater aleander2137, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Firemouth cichlid H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yoyo loach Orishas92, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Vampire shrimp Ray eye, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict cichlid S. Olkowicz, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Jewel cichlid NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Demasoni cichlid lee Nachtigal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red zebra cichlid Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Auratus cichlid Vlad Butsky from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Guppy Marrabbio2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Endler's livebearer Dgrummon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Molly LPA74, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Platy Monika Korzeniec, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
