Livebearers · Xiphophorus
Swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii · Rivers of Mexico and Central America
Photo: Wojciech J. Płuciennik, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
22–28 °C 72–82 °F
pH
7–8.3 hard, alkaline water
Adult size
12 cm 4.7 in
Swims
Mid-water and top mostly in open water
Keep together
3 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Gentle a steady gentle flow
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
≈ Every value here is an estimate from typical hobby ranges. We're checking them against sources.
Where it comes from
Home water
Rivers of Mexico and Central America
Lives in river habitat.
The dot marks where it's collected. Home from iNaturalist native sightings (200). Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with moderate flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Cichlids · 7.5 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom
Keep apart
-
Aggressive and will eat the swordtail
-
Will eat the swordtail
-
Need a different pH
-
Aggressive
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Swordtail get?
About 12 cm (4.7 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Swordtail need?
22–28 °C (72–82 °F).
What pH does a Swordtail need?
pH 7–8.3.
Does a Swordtail need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 3.
Is the Swordtail aggressive?
It can be. It is semi-aggressive, so choose tank mates carefully.
What does a Swordtail eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Swordtail come from?
Rivers of Mexico and Central America.
What fish can live with a Swordtail?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Agassiz's dwarf cichlid, Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 22 | Estimate |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 28 | Estimate |
| pH min | 7 | Estimate |
| pH max | 8.3 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 12 | Estimate |
| Flow | Moderate | Estimate |
| Habitat | river | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 3 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Estimate |
| Diet | Omnivore | Estimate |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 3 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 7 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.