Xiphophorus; behaviour, repro
8/3/08
hello again, sorry to bother you Neale,
<Hello,>
I swear that sending emails to you will not become a common practice of
mine- I can assure you this. And I hope you don't think I'm a nuisance
already (for, this would be my third question to you).
<Fire away!>
My platys are not sick, their tank's ph, ammonia, chlorine, etc- they're all
fine. Nothing is physically wrong with my fish. My problem is simply this: I
bought some new fish (I've upgraded to a 20 gallon- so don't worry I have
the room). One of my new fish is a white Mickey mouse platy and he seems
fine and mild tempered; he displays no aggression towards any of my fish,
except one. She is a female I've had for a long time and I've grown quite
fond of her.
<The males will pester whatever female they deem to be "fittest" in terms of
being the most attractive recipient of their genetic material. How they make
those choices is complex. But in any event, what you're seeing simply means
he likes this girl the most.>
I'd hate to have anything happen to her. It pains me to see the new fish
chase only that one female fish around. Other female fish are fine and so is
my one other male. My question to you is: why is the new white male singling
out only one of my fish?
<Entire PhD theses are written on mate selection! Broadly speaking, male
livebearers are shorter lived than the females. They are smaller, brighter
colours, and often encumbered with things that make them worse swimmers
(e.g., longer fins). So males have to breed quickly. Females are bigger,
camouflaged, and stronger swimmers, so they can take their time and choose
mates carefully. Producing sperm is cheap and easy, so males can afford to
mate frequently. Females are stuck with the eggs their born with, and each
pregnancy places a heavy energy demand on the female, so she wants to mate
only when it is in her best interests to do so. This creates a tension
between the males (who want to mate urgently) and females (who want to mate
carefully). Bottom line: males will pester whichever females they want to
mate with. This is why with livebearers I like to tell people to be generous
about the size of the tank; to keep them in fairly big numbers to dilute
aggression/harassment; to keep more females than males; and to provide lots
of floating plants so that females have hiding places.>
I've never seen this before. Usually when I pick a mean fish, it will attack
all the fish in the tank, or at least two or three. This one is dead set on
following and sometimes nipping at just one fish in particular.
<Does happen.>
Will this behavior go away with time?
<No guarantees.>
Should I give this situation time?
<Up to a point, but if she's having trouble resting and feeding, then that's
going to cause problems ere too long.>
Will the stress of constantly being chased back and forth kill one of my
favorite fish?
<Conceivably.>
I am very worried. I would like to keep the new fish, as he is very pretty
and I want to keep a good female to male ratio so that my one dominant
female doesn't become too possessive of my one male. But I understand that
if the new fish's behavior is not something that will go away, I will have
to return him to the store.
<If you have space, I'd add some more females. I can't remember how big your
tank is, so be sensible about this. But adding females usually benefits the
livebearer aquarium. Adding decent sized floating plants (e.g. Indian Fern)
would be another cheap-and-cheerful solution that might work.>
Thank you for taking the time to read my questions and I hope I'm not a
nuisance. The questions on your site don't really seem to be geared toward
platy behavior so much as platy illnesses. I figured a direct question to
you would be a better avenue.
<Indeed.>
Thank you so much!
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Xiphophorus; behaviour, repro
8/4/08
Neale,
Thank you for responding to my questions. I had a feeling it was something
to do with fish affection but I wasn't sure. Better to be safe than sorry,
right?
<You mean fish aggression rather than affection, I suspect! And yes, better
safe than sorry.>
I do have room for three more fish and this time I'll be more careful as to
what sex of fish I choose. My tank probably does need more hideaways and
I'll work on that as well. Again, thank you for all your help!
<Sounds like a good plan. Good luck! Neale.>
Weird Swordtail Pregnancy? 4/8/08
Hi,
I have a Swordtail that has been pregnant for about 2 months now, and I have a
few questions. Well, first of all, isn't 2 months a little bit long for a
Swordtail to be pregnant?
<Does vary, but more than likely has produced fry and since been eaten. Unless
you have lots of floating plants, the chances of fry surviving more than a few
minutes is next to nil.>
And I was able to see the little red heads of the fry in her, but now they
turned BLACK? What's that supposed to mean? There is still a light gravid spot.
Im just worried that something is wrong...
<Sometimes livebearers do fail to deliver the fry, or something goes wrong and
the embryos become infected. The results are unpleasant, and I've seen a poor
female Halfbeak die this way. There's no fix. In the meantime, let's hope that
isn't the case. Do treat for constipation, in case that's a background issue or
even the cause of the swelling. Live daphnia and brine shrimp will work as a
laxative, and stop using any dried foods for a couple weeks. The "gravid spot"
isn't really visible on Xiphophorus spp. Let's understand what this spot is. In
small livebearers (particularly guppies and mosquitofish) as the embryos develop
the uterus pushes against he muscle walls around the anal fin. The result is a
certain degree of transparency, and this allows you to see the dark uterus
inside the fish. In fancy livebearers there is extra pigment that reduces the
transparency, and in Xiphophorus spp. the muscle wall is so much thicker that
even less light can get through. The net result is that the gravid spot isn't
something to worry about with most medium to large livebearers. Instead,
concentrate on the overall chunkiness of the female.>
Thanks,
Bekah
<Cheers, Neale.>
How Pregnant Is My Swordtail?
– 03/10/08
Hi,
I purchased a Swordtail yesterday, and I found that she is pretty pregnant!
(Woohoo!) But my question is, how far? I can see the eggs (they are red) and I
can also see a few little black dots near the anal fin, and, I can see, little
teeny fry in there I think. (The mother is an Assorted Swordtail, so she if VERY
translucent.) So, to narrow it down, about how long do you think until she has
her fry?
Thanks s-o much,
Bekah
<Short answer is absolutely no idea. Gestation period in Swordtails is typically
between 4-8 weeks, depending on the environment. If you can see the fry already,
she's presumably not far from delivery. Make sure the tank is FILLED with
floating plants, otherwise they will get eaten. And NEVER, EVER put a female
livebearer this size in a breeding trap or net. If she doesn't jump out, she
will get stressed and miscarry. Every morning, check the floating plants for
fry, and then remove them to another aquarium for rearing. Cheers, Neale.>
Breeding Swordtails?
03/04/2008
Hi,
I'm a first timer at breeding fish, and Swordtails are the ones that really
caught my attention.
<Breeding fish is one of the best ways to expand your hobby, and is perhaps the
ideal test of your fishkeeping skills. Do read this article for information on
breeding fish generally. Most livebearers are much of a muchness in terms of
breeding.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwbrdgmonks.htm
>
In my 30 gallon tank, I have two Silver Angelfish, four Peppered Corydoras Cats,
one Dwarf Gourami, and one Oto. I have been scouring the internet for
information about breeding Swordtails, and there are some questions I just can't
find. The first question I have is, what should I put the fry in?
<The pregnant mothers should be kept in their own tank. Trying to breed fish in
community tanks is really a hiding to nothing. The best you can do is try and
save any fry you find, but in all honesty you'll be finding one or two rather
than a whole brood. Angelfish especially are notoriously good at finding and
eating baby fish: Angelfish evolved to search the surface of the water for
insect larvae, and so are pre-programmed to "seek and destroy" baby
livebearers!>
Some people say nets, but someone else will say that nets stress their fish out,
and the mom will jump out a lot.
<Never, ever put anything as large as a Swordtail in breeding trap or net.
Breeding traps should be used exclusively to protect the fry; none of the
commercially available nets or traps are big enough for adult livebearers. Yes,
they get stressed and miscarry, and yes, they jump out. Save your pennies.>
Some people say that those plastic breeder boxes work well, but some say that
the boxes don't work out for them. Got any ideas on what I should use?
<Simple as this: get a 10 gallon tank. Put the pregnant female in there,
together with lots and lots of floating plants (real or plastic, as you prefer).
Keep the tank covered! Wait 4-6 weeks. Look for the babies, and when they
appear, remove the female.>
My next question is, would it be OK to keep the fry in the breeder tank/net
until they are big enough to go into the community tank? Or is it imperative
that I get a 5 gallon?
<A 5-gallon tank is too small really for anything much, and I wouldn't waste
your money. The price difference between that a 10-gallon tank is minimal. The
smaller the tank, the less value for money. Your 10-gallon tank need be only
very basic. Glass box, a glass or plastic cover to stop the fish jumping out
(get a glass or hardware store to cut you a pane of glass to size if you want --
very cheap), air-powered sponge or box filter, heater, floating plants. That's
it. And trust me, you'll see the value, because you'll have dozens of baby fish
on the go, and every time you sell them to the pet shop you'll make some money!
Baby fish need to be maintained for about 3 months before they are big enough to
mix with community fish or sold to pet shops.>
What should my water quality be?
<Perfect; baby fish grow slowly or simply die if the water is poor.>
My water right now is:
Nitrite/Ammonia: Good
PH: 7
Water: Hard
<Try and raise the pH and hardness a bit, e.g., by adding some crushed coral to
the filter. DO NOT mess about with "pH up" products!>
I went to a pet store to have my water tested, and this is all the info they
gave me. I know that my PH is supposed to be 7 (thank goodness!) I heard, that
if I want to raise baby fish, my water should be soft, is this true?
<No; swordtails want water that is hard and basic; ideally pH 7.5, 15+ degrees
dH.>
Thanks so much!
-Bekah
<Cheers, Neale.>
Swordtails, repro. mostly
2/25/08
Hello WWM crew:
I really do appreciate your site; it has been invaluable on several occasions.
This time, however, I am truly puzzled. A couple of months ago, I bought four
small neon swords (1 male, 3 females) and put them in my FW 20 gal tank. They
all appear to be doing well and have grown appreciably. Since then, I have been
watching for offspring but haven't seen any.
<Some livebearers are intentionally and not sterilized...>
This may be problematic. Although the tank contains several fair sized plants, a
few rocks, and some large driftwood for hiding places, it is also inhabited by 5
green tiger barbs and a 4 inch (or so)
<Mmm, these could be eating the young... as could the Swords themselves>
Pleco. The swords seem to like the barbs; they all swim together in quite a
congenial fashion. But you can see that fry may not survive all this activity
for long.
Anyway, one of the female swords has had a gravid spot all along and still does.
The other two, however, are now both growing gonopodia (or gonopodiums?) of
their own - definitely no spot.
So what do I have? Do I have a sterile male? or 3 males, 1 female?
<Looks like at least the latter... Often Swords et al. fishes (e.g. barbs...)
are "forced" to change sex phenotypically... usually the other way around (to
look like males)... In your case, perhaps these latter day males are simply
finally turning into such... Livebearers raised in large system circumstances
can grow fast, be larger body-size wise, before developing sexually...>
Do I return this batch to the store - it doesn't seem to be their fault? I
realize that they all came from the same batch and so mating them is not
advisable but I can't see how this could be a factor in this situation.
<Mmm, could return... Might separate out the one female, raise some young
elsewhere...>
Anyway, I hesitate to buy another male - would he be ostracized by the others?
<To some degree, likely so>
I don't particularly want a lot of rivalry in the tank with a lone male - either
the current one or the new hanging in a corner somewhere being picked on. Would
I be better to add more females and hope that someone can do the necessary as it
were?
<Mmm, actually, a 20L is not very large for Xiphophorus...>
Or should I just wait and let these sort themselves out?
<Yes, this is what I'd do here... along with possibly separating the "pregnant"
female>
Also would it be better to get a female other than neon - say a marigold? That
is, would the offspring (if any ever materialize) be healthier in any way?
<Mmm, possibly... though all "sports" of popular swords are the same species,
some heterosis/hybrid vigour, may be had by a bit of out-breeding>
Rosemarie Mart
<Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/swordreprofaqs.htm
for a bit more background. Bob Fenner>
Pregnant swordtail -11/18/07
Last night I noticed my swordtail had had babies. I only found two babies
roaming my tank, but its obvious that she is still pregnant. I'm just wondering
if they were premature births, and if there are more to come, or any other
reason. Thanks
Jeff
<Jeff, this is a case of a little from column A and a little from column B.
Livebearers will sometimes release fry a few at a time over several hours or
even days. But they can miscarry under some circumstances, and premature fry
will have a chance of survival depending on how premature they were. In
addition, some of the newborn fish may have been eaten, in which case you won't
have seen them. It is quite common for young livebearers to have small broods,
the broods increasing in size as the female fish matures. So there's a bunch of
things going on. In the meantime, doing all the usual things such as installing
lots of floating plants will maximise your chances of rescuing fry. Cheers,
Neale.>
Baby swordtails
10/26/07
hi I have two ten gallon tanks and I have had many babies. the fish that had
the most babies are my sword tails. I got my two sword tails and the male has
been ferry ferry (friendly) to the female. is it possible two have black
swordtails that have babies that are a different color?
<Yes. If nothing else, there's no guarantee the black female was fertilised by
the black male; she could quite easily have been fertilised by another Swordtail
of another colour. On top of that, not all swordtails will "breed true",
especially if you bought them from a "pick and mix" batch of Swordtails rather
than pure-bred fancy Swordtails guaranteed to breed true.>
she had two batches of babies and is pregnant again. the first time she had I
don't know how many babies but I caught six and three are still alive and
healthy. those are two months old. they are all alive. now the swordtail had
more and there are four. two are black like the others and two are plain and
kind of yellowish with no marks.
<OK.>
can you tell me if my swordtail had a different color baby and if her next batch
will be different too. Jon
<No idea what your baby Swordtails will turn out to be next time. In theory,
livebearers can only store sperm for up to six batches of fry, so after about
six to nine months after being purchased your female Swordtail will have used up
any sperm acquired by any male other than the ones you have now. So from that
point onwards you can expect her to only produce broods by the male in the tank
that you have. But genetics being what it is, it is perfectly possible for fish
of one colour to carry the genes for two different colours, so there's always a
chance you'll get a mish-mash of colours in the offspring. This is why breeding
livebearers to a high quality is difficult, and a lot depends on the quality of
the fish you start off with. For the best quality stock, you really need to get
in with your local aquarium club or national livebearing fish association.
Auctions of "virgin" fish are routinely held, and from these fish you can start
a proper breeding programme. Cheers, Neale>
Platies and Swordtails
changing sex 10/26/07
I love your website. I'm very sorry if this topic is already on your
website, I've already looked as much as I possible could. I'm doing a mid-term
project in science class. I am going to see if Platies can change gender. I have
to look up info to support it. I know that only hermaphrodites can change
gender. I also know that it can only happen to females, and that it takes longer
for guppies to change sex than platies or swordtails. I'm actually going to do
the experiment, how long does it take, approximately, for them to change? Also
that there must be all females present, no males. I already own a lot of
livebearers, adults and babies, I've had fish my whole life. Can you help me
please? Thanks a lot.
<Greetings. Without wanting to do your homework for you, let me save you some
effort on one aspect of your project: There is no evidence at all any
Xiphophorus species change sex. As your literature review should reveal, while
it has been mentioned in the aquarium literature many times, it has never been
observed under laboratory conditions. It is widely believed to be a myth, with
aquarists having misidentified a slow-developing male as a female. Sex changes
in fish tend to confined to marine Perciform groups. The classic examples are
among the Wrasses, which typically start off as females, but the largest ones
become males. This is called Protogyny ("female first"). Protoandry, where all
individuals start off as females, is not so common, but one well-known example
is the Anemonefish, where the largest member of a colony becomes the female.
Cheers, Neale>
Pregnant or not... Xiphophorus... -
09/24/07
I have spent approximately 6 hours searching your website for an answer to
my question/problem so as not to be redundant to what has already been
stated/asked.
<Wow! Six hours...>
I feel confidant enough to now e-mail you with my question without being a
bother. I have a new tank that I completed the nitrogen cycle and aged for 6
weeks per all gathered information before adding the "sacrifice" (my term) fish
to help get all conditions ideal. They all have survived (3 mollies) and are
still very happy.
<Hmm... how did you cycle the tank for the first 6 weeks? Did you add an
inorganic source of ammonia? Simply waiting 6 weeks without adding either fish
or ammonia won't cycle a tank.>
I waited another 2 weeks to add plants. Another 2 weeks to add my 4 red velvet
swordtail (1M 3F). They have been settled in their new home now 5 to 6 weeks. I
test 2 or more times a weeks currently but during the nitrogen cycling I tested
daily. Rather than including all my numbers from the beginning I will just state
all readings have been within the norm for my swords and tank conditions per all
published data.
<Ah, the numbers *do* matter. You see, a lot of aquarists misunderstand what
"the norm" means. The goal with swordtails and mollies are as follows: 0
ammonia, 0 nitrite, <50 mg/l nitrate, pH 7.5-8.0, hardness at least 10 degrees
GH and ideally 15-20 degrees GH.>
My test kit is the largest one, testing the 8 mentioned (in all I have read
about) conditions. My water stays at 72 degrees F with out a heater though I do
have one.
<A bit too cold. The normal temperature for these fish is around 25C/77F. Lower
temperatures increase the likelihood of health problems.>
One sword looked as though she would pop any day when I got her. Now 1 more
female looks the same. The third one still slender. The male just this week
started being amorous so I guess is now of age.
<All sounds normal. Gestation is temperature dependent, so if your fish are
being kept at too-cold a temperature, they may take a long time to produce
viable broods of fry.>
My swords are red velvet and very deep red in color. I really hunted until I
found the "old timey" ones and not the faded out ones (orange) you mainly see
today. I was told they were wild caught and not from breeder tanks where the
genes they pick up from inbreeding reduce their pure color-how true this is I
don't know, but I do know these 4 look like the red velvets I had years ago.
<Unlikely "wild caught" -- wild Swordtails are green with orange/yellow/blue
longitudinal bands, nor bright red.>
Neither of the "pregnant" females have the "gravid" spot.
<Not visible on Swordtails, especially not brightly coloured ones. The gravid
spot really only applies to small livebearers -- guppies, Gambusia, etc.>
Since the first one looked ready to deliver upon arrival and the second one now
looks like the first one when she first came home, are my girls just extremely
fat or could some conditions just be extending the pregnancy (don't know if that
is possible, but knowing they can change sex and choose when to be pregnant with
one sperm donation I question gestation length).
<Sex change in Swordtails has not been proven scientifically (if I recall
correctly). If it happens at all, it is incredibly rare.>
Could their deep color be 'hiding' the normally obvious gravid spot (more
familiar with what guppies look like).
<Yes, plus thicker muscles around the abdomen.>
When they are in the light just right you can slightly see through them enough
to distinguish what I assume in the solid internal organ area, but just barely.
Is there always an obvious gravid spot in swords, or could their deep color mask
the obvious? I am a bit OCD which probably is obvious and I am ready for
babies-why are the two "pregnant" ones not delivering, or at least showing the
gravid spot.
<When they're ready, the babies will come. In the meantime, make sure you've
thickly planted with floating plants such as hornwort. Otherwise the babies will
be eaten minutes after they're delivered. Under no circumstances place a female
in a "breeding trap".>
(PS my tank is a 35gal standard hex moderately to heavy planted-subjective-they
diet on bloodworms, algae tabs, Tetra color flakes, High vitamin flakes, Tubifex
worms, fresh orange, and peas.
<All sounds fine. Do consider switching out some of the "designer flake food"
for algae-based flake. That's what livebearers really want. Keeps them very
healthy.>
I rotate the flakes every other day on one feeding and then rotate the other
foods on the second feeding. All food is gone with-in 90 seconds except the
algae tab which takes up to 30 min. and the same goes for the Tubifex cube.)
Long letter to just ask a few questions, but did not wish to forget giving any
information that could help coming to the proper answers. Thank you so very much
for your time. Victoria
<Hope this helps. Good luck, Neale>
Swordtail repro. 9/23/07
Hello Crew,
I've looked through the website, and I don't think you have anything that
pertains directly to my question, so here goes.
I have six 6-week old swordtail fry. All of them seem to be doing well in that
they are eating and swimming around and enthusiastically responsive to the lid
coming open for feeding time. They are kept in a 10 gallon tank, temp around 78
(the thermometer is sadly not adjustable). I feed them three times a day with
fry food and keep an eye on them to be sure everyone is getting their share.
I interchange Wardley Essentials Small Fry Liquid Food and Hikari Tropics First
Bites, to try to be sure nutritional bases are covered. The Wardley food is min.
6% crude protein, min. fat 3.5%, fiber max 0.4%. The First Bites is min protein
48%, min. fat 3.0%, max fiber 2.0%. I only just noticed the difference in
protein levels. Is one or the other preferable?
Among the six, only one fry seems to be having trouble. It and another fry were
the two smallest, approximately the same size, but whereas the other fry has
doubled in size recently, the smallest fry has not. I removed all six from the
tank today to scrub out some algae that was getting a little out of control, and
to exchange their small shelter plant for a bigger one to better accommodate
them. (I realize removing them from the tank might cause undue stress, but I've
learned I'm guaranteed a freak out if I try to stick my big hand into their
quiet little paradise and it didn't seem fair with all that I was planning to
do.) This is the first chance I've gotten to look at all of them in a small,
confined space. The smallest fish has a strange crook. At first I though it was
a lump, but the axis of the fish seems to literally bulge to one side before
continuing in the usual linear pattern. Other than this deformity and the small
size, this fry seems to be doing well: swimming motions aren't affected and it
continues to dart in for food among it's siblings (now 2-3x as big).
Is there anything I can do? Potentially a nutritional deficiency? Or a
congenital problem?
Any help would be greatly appreciated! :)
Lauren
<Hello Lauren. Rearing livebearer fry is generally problem-free, provided you
"go by the numbers". The main things are these: Firstly, they need 4-6 meals per
day for optimal growth. Flake food is fine, but I recommend algae-based ones as
far as possible. Hikari First Bites is an excellent food to begin with, but
after a week or so you should move onto crushed Spirulina flake or similar.
After about a month or so you can scale this back to 3-4 meals per day, and then
down to just two once they reach 15 mm or so in length. "Meals" can include live
algae, so dumping a green algae-covered stone from a clean pond might well last
them all day. In other words, "scrubbing out the algae" is insane -- your
livebearers need this stuff for good health, so leave it in the tank! Blue-green
algae they won't eat of course, but the other kinds are valuable sources of
nutrients. Secondly, water changes need to be frequent, because the build-up of
dissolved metabolites reduces growth rate and promotes poor health. At least for
the first four critical weeks, 10-25% water changes daily are a good idea. I
find placing an old ice cream carton by the rearing tank works well. Every time
I'm in the kitchen (where the tank is kept) I slurp out one litre of old water
and pour in one litre of new water. Zero effort, and it helps to keep things
sweet in the tank. Thirdly, livebearer fry need shade. Floating plants are idea,
but even a bit of polystyrene cup will work fine. The shade gives them somewhere
to hide and rest from the heat produced by the lights. In open tanks, the
instinct of livebearer fry to swim to the top of the tank causes them to bake
under strong lights. So shade helps. Finally, water chemistry is important.
Livebearers almost all do best in hard, alkaline water. You're looking for 10+
degrees KH, 15+ degrees GH, and pH 7.5-8.0 for best results. Malformed fry can
happen (do happen) in fish broods quite commonly, but background problems, like
water chemistry make them more common. Under normal circumstances, they
shouldn't account for more than 1 in 20 or 1 in 30 fry. Hope this helps, Neale>
Swordtail Fry with Ich.
HELP!!! 9/3/07
Hi,
recently I purchased a trio of Swordtails from Petco (bad idea I know... but
they were on sale for a buck each, I couldn't resist!) anyway I put them into a
10 gallon QT, after the second day the females started showing signs of Ich, I
dosed the QT with an herbal anti-ich medication
<These don't work...>
I have had success with in the past, and performed 50% water changes every other
day for 4 days. after the 5th day of treatment I noticed a few little orange
specs hiding around the heater, it seems one of the females had given me about a
half dozen babies. I immediately added some java moss from the display tank to
the QT for the babies to hide in, and after two more days the parents were
showing no more signs of ich, so I moved them to the display tank, I didn't want
the babies to become snacks after all... anyway the fry seemed to get all the
food they needed out of the java moss for the first few days, after which they
started taking Hikari micro pellets, they have been eating well and growing fast
for about 10 days now, but two days ago I noticed some signs of Ich of three of
them, two had just one spot each, but one (the smallest, and the one with the
least color) has at least 6 spots, I stopped adding the ich medication in with
the water changes after I removed the parents. I have been slowly bumping the
temperature up for the last 3 days, it is at 84 now,
<Good technique>
and the fry all seem to be hanging out within a few inches of the heater,
although the increased heat doesn't seem to have done anything except stop the
ich from spreading further. are the fry too young to put in water dosed with ich
medication?
<Mmm, depends on the make-up of such... I would use only half doses of anything
with metal or Malachite Green content... and raise the temp. up to 86 F>
what can I do to make sure I don't lose my babies???
Thanks.
~Bryan
<And you have read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwich.htm
and the linked files above? And the FAQs on Swordtail Disease?
Bob Fenner>
Re: swordtail fish... Fry 7/27/07
Hi Neale: Good morning. sorry to bother you, I would like to now if I can
put the fries that are about 2 weeks old in the 10g tank with 1 Gourami, 1
Plecostomus (don't' know his name in English) 2 angels 3 guppies. The fries are
in a small 1.5g bowl with some live plants in and there's about 15 of them. also
my husband turn off the air pump at night and I don't know if the Plecos can
live with the air from the plants. have a nice day. Mely
<Hello again Melida. No, your plan will not work. Angelfish in particular eat
livebearer fry. Angelfish can eat any fish the size of a Neon Tetra or smaller
-- so only add the baby swordtails once they are that size. This will likely be
a couple of months, at least. Plecostomus catfish are usually fine with
livebearer fry though, and guppies should ignore fry more than a few weeks old.
You can switch an air pump off safely PROVIDED it is not powering the filter.
Aquarium filters must run 24 hours a day. If all the air pump does is make
bubbles in the water, then this is not so critical. What matters is that the
water is [a] filtered and [b] circulating properly so oxygen is distributed
around the tank. Hope this helps, Neale.>
|
Hello! I have a few questions about
swordtails! Beh., comp., repro. – 07/01/07
Dear Crew at WetWebMedia
Hello, my name is Oksana. I have two swordtails, a male and female, and a 1 1/2
gallon tank. (Yes, I know, terrible, but my parents won't let me get a bigger
one.) Bob, the male, has been living a few months in my possession, seems very
healthy. Betty, (The female, I just got her today, June 30) seems healthy too.
Before Betty, we've had male swordtails, and Bob, being the dominant one, has
always shown a little aggression toward the smaller and weaker ones, and
unfortunately, they perished. So anyway, Bob was left alone. The problem is, is
that Betty is pregnant. We got her pregnant already from the fish store, and Bob
keeps nipping at her. Not full class "bites" just nips. She chases him away of
course, but I keep wondering if that's normal swordtail behavior. I have read
most of your pages in breeding swordtails, but do you have any extra advice? The
local pet shop has already to take in the young fry when they're a few months
old, but I have a question on that too. How fast do fry mature? I have seaweed
in my tank, a filter, and a hiding place, (Yes, I wonder how they all fit and
the fish still have swimming room...) so I don't think I need to take the female
out when she gives birth. Any other tips on what to do will be fully
appreciated. Thanks very much, Oksana
<Greetings. Yes, 1.5 gallons is far too small for swordtails. A 20 gallon tank
would be my recommendation for fishes as large and active as these. Males are
aggressive, and in small tanks it is safest to keep just one male plus 2-3
females. Females do get harassed by males. There's nothing you can do to prevent
this in a tank as small as yours. In a bigger tank, you can rely on plants and
rocks to give the female security. But in a small tank, she has nowhere to hide.
Long term, the male will likely kill any fry that appear as well. Do not, under
any circumstances, place the female in a breeding trap or breeding net.
Swordtails are too big for these, and get stressed. Worse case, they die, but
more usually spend all their time thrashing about trying to escape. As you know,
swordtails are very fast and extremely good at jumping. The ideal when breeding
livebearers is to place the female into another tank where she can deliver her
fry safely. Good luck! Neale> |
|
 |
Sexing swordtails 6/6/07
I have about 30 or so swordtails that are about 5 months old. None of
them have showed signs of male/female.
<You don't sex swordtails by their tails. Look at the anal fins: the females
will have triangular anal fins (like those of other fish) but the males will
have crooked anal fins. As a general rule, male fish tend to grow more
quickly than female fish, so often the bigger ones will be the males, but
this is a rough thing and not very accurate. At 5 months old they will be
approaching sexual maturity, so unless you want inbreeding (and you don't)
you should separate the sexes soon/now.>
How long will it be until I can tell the difference/see the sword?
<Right away. Do what I told you.>
THX.
<Sigh... another person using "Text-speak". Is real English too much to hope
for any more? Cheers, Neale> <<Heeeee... yet another lesson in
"tolerance". RMF>>
Swordtail/Xiphophorus repro. – 04/22/07
hi there, thanks for taking the time to read this I have got a swordtail
female. She is a lot larger than the other two I have, what is the best way to
tell if she is pregnant? if you could help me that would be great
<Short answer: has she ever been with a male swordtail? If the answer is yes,
chances are she is already pregnant. Something called the "gravid spot" is often
mentioned by livebearer breeders. This is the darkly pigmented peritoneum around
the developing fry being pushed against the body wall. It is visible around the
back half of the abdomen. In swordtails though, this isn't easy to see compared
with, say, guppies, because swordtails are larger, more muscled, and have
stronger colours.>
cheers. john
<Cheers, Neale>
Swordtail pregnancy, no useful data 4/17/04
In late February I bought 2 pineapple swordtails, one make and one female. I
have them in a 10 gallon tank along with 5 other smaller fish. When I first
bought the fish the female was the same size as the male, but in the beginning
of march she started getting really fat and I assume she is pregnant.
<Likely so>
Last night I opened the top of the tank to feed the fish and my female kept
swimming to the corners of the tank and trying to jump out. I put her in the
breeding net for a couple hours but she seemed to be stressed so I let her out.
I cant see any eyes or anything, but that may be because she moves too much for
me to get a good look. How can I tell if she is going to give birth soon? Her
eating habits are still normal from what I can see.
<Mmm... what is your water quality like? Tests for? Particularly nitrogenous
compounds? What re foods, feeding, maintenance? Have you read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/swordreprofaqs.htm
and the linked files above? Bob Fenner>
Dark Colored Swordtails~ pregnant? Likely so...
2/20/07
Hi,
<Hello - Jorie here>
I just recently purchased black swordtails, male and female. They're just
beautiful, they seem to be adjusting quite well. the male is very kind, he
hasn't harassed the female at all and backs off if she tries to get away.
<Seems like you got a mild-mannered male livebearer - you're lucky. Do keep a
close eye on the pair, however, as generally, it's best to keep livebearers in
4:1 female: male ratio (provided that you have space for the additional fish).>
As the female is dark, I am unable to see a gravid spot.
<I understand.>
Also, since I just bought her 2 or 3 days ago, I don't know what the normal size
of her stomach is, so I cannot tell if it is swollen. She is fairly active, and
eats well, she doesn't lay on the bottom, but kind of just hangs out there when
there's nothing going on, and the male likes to stick around.
<All normal and healthy swordtail behavior.>
I have heard they are like guppies in that they breed like crazy and are
probably pregnant when you purchase them, but I can't tell with her. None of the
males that were in with her and the other females in the tank were...
<weren't?>
...harassing anyone.
<Female livebearers, including swordtails, are generally pregnant any time they
are kept with males. Additionally, I've read that livebearers can store sperm
for up to 6 mos., and basically later self-impregnate at-will. In any event, even
if the female swordtails at the shop were never kept with males, now that you
have combined the two, she'll very likely soon be pregnant, if she isn't
already. The gestation for most livebearers is approx. 4-6 weeks. Best thing to
do is just watch her closely, to ensure the male's not harassing her, and that
she continues to behave as normally as she is now. When it comes time for her
to give birth, DON'T use a breeding net or breeding box, as these are very
stressful for fish. Allow her to give birth in the main tank, so long as there
is lots of cover (decor, plants, etc.), or, alternatively, you can put her in
her own 5 gal. tank until she drops her fry, then if you want to raise the fry,
you can do so in that smaller tank.>
Thanks for your time. :>)
<You're welcome! Best regards, Jorie>
Swordtail repro., systems 1/11/07
I have a question about my 55 gallon FW with Live plants tank. The tank has
been cycled over 3 months using BIO-Spira, and currently have 2 Swordtail
females, 2 Female Platies/1 male, 5 Corys and a Pleco. Water is Ammonia-0,
Nitrite-0, Nitrate 25-30ppm,
<Mmm... do look into keeping NO3 under 20ppm... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwnitrates.htm
and the linked files above>
PH 8.0.
<A bit high... could be dangerous in the event of a nitrogenous anomaly>
Anyway to make a long story short, I bought the 2 swordtail females with one
being very pregnant, and the other not so. The very pregnant one still looks
the same after a little over 3 months,
<Mmm, not pregnancy... "just" fat>
however, the other is about the same size pregnant now and I found one baby
about a week ago, but shouldn't there be more?
<Mmm, yes... Xiphophorus give birth over day's time usually, but it may be that
either the other young were consumed... or are hiding effectively from you>
I'm just wondering if she has some kind of problem with the babies in her, or
maybe they aren't developing correctly?
<Yes, this is a possibility as well>
Anyway I haven't had any losses just wondering if I should try something, as I
have a 10g Nursery. Also two of the Corys are looking pale, and wondering if
they like a different PH than 8.0+. Thanks
<Not good to move livebearers when they're close to parturition... and the pH...
might be adjusted... via water used/stored for changes... Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwph,alk.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Re: Female Swordtail ready to give birth 12/15/06
Hello again,
<Hi Mary!>
I have two pregnant female swordtails, one is very close to giving birth. I
have set up a 10 gallon tank, which I tried to cycle a few weeks ago but put bio
Spira in it without adding any fish and my ammonia levels spiked and I could not
get it down without doing a complete water and filter change. All the levels in
the tank are now great but I am afraid of putting the mommy in a brand new
uncycled tank.
<I would suggest taking 5 gallons out of the community tank that the pregnant
mom is now in and putting it into the 10 gal...that should sufficiently "seed"
your tank.>
There are currently no fish in the 10 gallon. The pH level is exactly the same
as her current tank (a 36 gal. with 4 swords -the 2 pregnant females, 1 very
happy male, the 1 remaining baby sword and 4 Corys) and the temp is very very
close - within a few tenths of a degree.
<Parameters are very closely matched - that's great. Again, I suggest filling
half of the 10 gal. with water from the 36. Then, you should be able to put the
pregnant female in there to give birth.>
In the 10 gall. I have grass on the bottom of the tank and plants throughout
(all plants and grass are silk and plastic) and a net over the filter so as not
to suck up any babies.
<Sounds like a great birthing setup.>
The last time I had a mom give birth she was attacked (lost a chunk of her tail
and got bit on the side) and she died about two weeks after giving birth. She
was very pregnant when I bought her - she gave birth two weeks after arriving
here. I don't want this mommy to die too.
<Understandable. I think the last episode was a fluke, and don't expect the same
thing to happen. You have prepared a great birthing tank, and I would expect
things to turn out just fine!>
Am I better off #1-leaving this mom in the main tank, #2-putting her in the
net breeder (The baby saver) in the main tank, or #3- moving her into the 10
gallon tank?
<I abhor breeding nets - I think they are very stressful on the pregnant
fish. If it were me, I'd throw the thing out and never think of it again! I
think option #3 is the best choice, if you want to ensure the fry survive. If
you don't plan on raising the fry, then leave the mom in the community tank, but
I imagine you went through all this trouble to make a safe-haven for the babies,
correct? In any case, once you've replaced 50% of the 10 gal.'s water with
"old" water from the 36, I think you're all set to go, and ready to transfer the
mom into that tank.>
If you say that #3 is best would you please let me know about acclimating her
and if I should use bio Spira and anything else I should be doing to make her
time as easy as possible.
<Not necessary with the water replacement method I mentioned above. Of course,
keep an eye on water parameters, and do future water changes as necessary. Fry
are more demanding than their parents with regard to water parameters, so be
sure to keep the water clean!>
Oh, I did buy and prepare a tank divider for the 10 gallon
tank to separate the mom from the babies once they are born so she does not have
to be moved back into the 36 gallon tank immediately.
<I've not used this type of divider before, but have heard of problems with the
tiny little fry managing to get stuck against the sides of the tank...just be
aware of this. I've never had a parent livebearer eat his or her own fry, so I
generally allow the mom to remain with the babies after giving birth. Your
method (with the divider) may work just fine, I just wanted to warn you of what
I've been told!>
Thank you so much for your time and expertise!
Mary
<You're welcome, Mary! Sounds like you are taking great care to prepare a lovely
home for the mom and babies...not much else for you to do at this point! Sit
back, relax, and enjoy your fish. Best regards, Jorie>
Re: Female Swordtail ready to give birth PART 2 12/16/06
Thank you so much Jorie. I'm about to do the water transfer. As the last
time, I so appreciate your help!! I hope you have a
wonderfully joyous holiday!!
<Same to you, Mary! Let us know if you need further assistance, Jorie>
Sincerely,
Mary
Swordtail Mating Conditions 12/13/06
Dear Crew,
<Koda>
I was wondering the ideal conditions for swordtail breeding, I had a male and 2
females, but the male died of starvation/stress (he never ate, always chasing
the females). Ever since, my larger female grew a sword and today, she has
started to try to mate with my smaller female,
<Mmm... Xiphophorus can indeed change sex... phenotypically as well as
functionally>
who refuses to mate, constantly swimming rapidly in circles around the two fake
plants, and I need to know how to get the two to breed, or how else to have fry
in my tank. In case this helps, it is a 10 gallon with 1 blue Gourami, 2 dwarf
gourami's and 1 sucker fish( I think it's called a Poeciliid).
<Mmm, not this last... is a family of Live-bearing toothed carps... Part of your
trouble here is the size of the system... Swordtails can get quite large, need
room... It may well be that there is also some negative interaction going on
with the Blue Gourami... If you wish to breed Swordtails, I'd get/use a twenty
or more gallon system, use multiple males, with a greater number of females,
assure that your water is moderately hard, alkaline and not too warm, do
regular, weekly water changes, provide sufficient fresh meaty food content in
their diet... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/swordreprofaqs.htm
and the files linked at top.>
Thank you for your time.
D. Throne
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Pregnant swordtail - where to give birth, raise fry, etc.
11/30/06
Okay thx. I have a 5 1/2 gallon I'm keeping my babies in right now...if I put
the red platy in there to have the babies is that good? And if it is, where
should I put the rest of my other babies that are in there now? Because she
would just eat them when she's just pregnant and not having them yet. Just get a
smaller tank for the rest of the fry that I already have? Would a
divider work? Or do they not make any for 5 1/2 gallons? And I'm only 13 years
old, so sorry if I'm asking too many questions.
<Hello Sean, you've got Jorie this time. I've read this thread from the
beginning, so I think I'm up to speed. In any case, I've been keeping
livebearers for several years now, and have never seen the mom eat her own fry
(or any livebearers eat their own kind, for that matter). I do know that it can
happen, but in my personal experience, it isn't that common. I use a 5 gal.
tank to allow the mom to give birth, then grow out my fry for a couple of
months; then, they usually get moved to a 10 for several more months. All of
this is assuming I plan to keep the fry in question - you'll soon find out that
livebearers are almost *always* having babies (gestation period between 4-6
weeks), and you'll quickly run out of room for the newbies! Otherwise, I simply
allow the births to happen in the community tanks I've got - sometimes, provided
with adequate cover (plants, decor, etc.) a couple will make it past the
boesemanni rainbows in my FW tank, and the knight goby in my 29 gal. BW.
I'm not a fan of breeding/birthing boxes, as Bob mentioned below, these can tend
to stress the fish, and that's the last thing you want to do to a pregnant
mom. Best to leave well enough alone and allow nature to take its course. Have
plenty of cover (decorations, plants, etc.) for the fry to hide in, and you'll
see "survival of the fittest" in action. Believe it or not, I have one 2-3
molly juvie who was born in a 10 gal. QT with a knight goby (huge mouth!) along
with his brothers and sisters; the goby ate all except this one.
In any case, unless you want to set up an elaborate breeding setup (birthing
tank, grow out tank, main tank(s) for when the time comes), I'd suggest allowing
the pregnant platy to have her fry in the 5.5 gal. Of course, I make no
promises, but as I said, I've never seen a female livebearer eat fry of her own
kind.
Best of luck, Jorie
P.S. When you send us e-mails, could you please use proper capitalization and
punctuation - I know it's the "trend" to use e-speak, but since we post our
replies for all to see, someone on this end has to re-type, correct the original
e-mails when they arrive in that form. Thanks!>
Re: Pregnant swordtail - where to give birth, raise fry, etc.
12/1/06
Wow! Thank you for all this information. But, just one thing...I have 11
swordtail fry in the 5.5 gal. So, if I put the pregnant Platy in there, then she
will eat all of my other swordtail fry. So, I'm asking where I should put the
other swordtail fry (in the 5.5 if I put the platy in there to have her fry), or
should I just let the Platy have the babies in the comm. tank (because of the
swordtail fry in the 5.5 gal.) Thanks for all your help and sorry for using all
the e-speak didn't mean to cause any trouble =/
<Thank you for your English consideration. The parents/young all need to be
separated to assure the fry's absolute safety. Reads like you need another
tank/container. Bob Fenner>
Re: Pregnant swordtail - where to give birth, raise fry, etc. 12/2/06
When you say "container", what do you mean? Also, what is the bare minimum I
can put the young/mom in? Because I don't want to go out and buy another tank
and filter. I now only have 8 fry left about 2 weeks old.
<Mmm, something that holds water... a tank, breeding trap of size... At least a
gallon... RMF>
Re: Pregnant swordtail... not reading 12/3/06
Would I need a filter?
<Preferably yes. All the information you need is contained here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwset-up.htm
Regards, Jorie>
Re: Pregnant swordtail - 12/05/06
Okay thank you! But now all of my fry are squeezing themselves between the glass
and the rock I have and killing themselves! How can I prevent this?
<Eliminate the space between the glass and the rock. Jorie>
Re: Pregnant swordtail - where to give birth, raise fry, etc. -
12/08/06
Ugh! I'm so sorry to bother you so much. My red Platy is always "sitting"
(almost literally) at the bottom of the tank. I can tell she's not even close to
due date. I had (HAD) flashing Christmas lights in my room. Could it be she's
scared or stressed of those and is still in a little bit of shock? I don't have
the flashing lights anymore because I thought they could be causing the platy to
do that.
Thanks,
Sean
<Sean, the lights may well have been confusing the fish - good decision to turn
them off. Otherwise, as long as all your water chemistry is good (no ammonia,
nitrites or nitrates, constant/reasonable pH, temp...) and your fish is eating,
I think perhaps she may be closer to giving birth than you think (and as you
know, this is common behavior for birthing females). At this point, I highly
recommend a comprehensive or two on livebearers (readily available at your
library, or www.amazon.com) to answer all of your detailed questions, and
provide you with more information that you could dream of! Best regards, Jorie>
Swordtail info. Repro., sel., sys. 11/27/06
Hello every one,
<Hey FJ! JustinN with you today>
I was cruising the net looking for info on the gestation period of Swordtails
when I found your site. Wow lots of info. Great site. My hats off.
<Thank you, is appreciated>
It's been a while since I've had a serious tropical tank.
( I got into freshwater for a long while )
I've recently set up 3 tanks for tropical fish.
1 show tank 55gal.
and 2 20gal.
1 for isolation and 1 as a nursery. plus 2 more are on the way.
<Sounds well thought out>
Although it's been awhile I think some of your readers might like hear a couple
of the basic thoughts I have on this subject and maybe they'll have less
problems.
<Ok, will post for all to see>
1 - Maintain your ph.. @7.0 no more no less
I have found this makes for a better well rounded tank with less stress and less
stress means happy fish, and happy fish ( from my observations ) means less
parasites.
2 - Double the recommended amount of salt in your system.. the fish don't mind
but the parasites do.
3 - Never let the water temp drop below 78f I find 78-->80 degrees is perfect
(for happy fish)
4 - Quarantine your plant for awhile just as you would your fish...before
putting them into your main show and/or stable tanks.
5 - If possible feed your fish more than once a day. I like to do this when I
have breakfast & dinner. Never feed just before you turn off the light.
6 - Frequent water changes pulling 50% of the water out of the system every 3
months and changing you filter carbon and floss every month (and cleaning the
filter itself)
7 - Minimal decorative gravel on the bottom of the tank (less the better)
8 - Know before hand how certain fish will interact with others.
9 - Have a diversity of life in the tank, fish ,snails, crayfish, frogs, plants,
well you get the idea.
<Not too keen on the idea of crayfish with fish here, but I digress>
10 - Last but not least a nursery tank should be jammed with plants and snails.
I know this is all stuff you already know but maybe you could put it in your own
words and let the people know. My wife thinks I'm crazy ...and she's probably
right, but happy fish can make you happy.
Thank you for your time.
FJ.
<Thank you for your suggestions. We will post for all to see/read. -JustinN>
Pregnant swordtail 11/20/06
Hey I have a pregnant swordtail. I cant tell when she's due but I need to
know something:
The person at the pet store said that usually they will have there babies right
when they change environments? is this true?
<Sometimes, yes... due to the added stress. Not altogether a positive thing
however. Often many of the young are still-born>
And he said if they haven't had them within a day or so of getting them they
will probably die with all the babies in the stomach. is this true also?
Sean
<Can happen... though most often not... Depends on many factors such as "how
close" to parturition the mother is. Bob Fenner>
Re: Pregnant swordtail 11/28/06
Okay so my swordtail had babies...but about half of them (about 15) came out
still in the little "egg" that they are supposed to grow out of in the mom's
stomach. What happened here?
<Pre-mature... the mother perhaps stressed...>
I now also have a pregnant red platy. But I cant tell when those little eyes
appear because she's a red platy and I cant see through her too well. I do see
the gravid spot though. Will I eventually see the eyes or is the red too dark to
be able to see them?
<Perhaps either>
If she is too dark, how will I know when about she's do? Thx for the help last
question hope you can help me again!
<Only time, experience/observation can tell here. Bob Fenner>
Re: Pregnant swordtail 11/29/06
Thx! and is a 3 inch by 3 inch base, and 4 inch height (with V inserted) too
small of a breeder to have swordtails or platies in?
<Yes... too small... should be at least twice these dimensions>
and because I had the swordtail in there could that have mad her have premature
babies?
<You are correct here. Bob Fenner>
Swordtail fry 11/6/06
My swordtail fish just had 12 babies and I was wondering how long does it take
for her to get pregnant again after this batch?
<Can happen almost immediately afterwards...>
How long do I have to keep the babies out of the main tank ?
<Is your concern having other fish eat the fry? This depends on what other
fish/livestock you have - so long as the fry are large enough to evade the
mouths of other fish, they can safely be moved into the main tank. And, if you
have adequate cover (decor, plants, etc.) in the main tank, you can even let the
fry grow in the main tank. What type of set-up do you have for your main tank,
and your fry? Do keep in mind that fry are very sensitive to poor water
conditions and need regular water changes, along with specialized food
(something like Hikari's First Bites)...raising fry is a lot of work, but can be
very rewarding. As cute as they are, do make sure you have room for the
adults...otherwise best to let nature takes its course and feed the larger fish,
IMO.
Jorie>
Marigold Swordtail Fry 11/4/06
Hello,
<Hi!>
I have a 36 gallon tank 4 panda Corys (no idea of sexes) and 4
Marigold Swords, 3 females and 1 male, that were just added to the tank about a
week and a half ago.
<Hopefully you quarantined the new fish for a few weeks prior to this...be aware
that many fish are carrying/harboring nasty diseases when they are first
purchased, and can very easily wipe out an entire established aquarium...>
I knew the one female was pregnant...
<Not surprising with livebearers! They seem to be almost *always* pregnant...>
...but did not know how long it would be until she gave birth.
<Gestation period is about 4-6 weeks...>
I do not have a maternity tank or the time to get one cycled
to the exact balance of the main tank, so I purchased a breeding box and put it
in the main tank. However, afraid to stress out the
mother to be (those boxes are so darn small and she was so huge) I missed the
birth (Nov 1st) and the babies are in the main tank.
<I think you made a good choice - I personally am not a fan of those breeding
boxes, as they do tend to stress the mom out. That's about the worst thing you
can do to a pregnant fish...good call on your part.>
They are pretty clever about hiding in the grass, coral, plants, trees, (all
fake) between the breeding box and glass, and in the gravel.
<Survival of the fittest at work indeed! If you only have the swordtails and
Corys in the tank, I think the majority of fry will be fine. I know there's
some evidence of livebearers eating their own young, but I have never personally
witnessed it...>
Mom seems to be doing okay, she's swimming around much more today -
although she has a little chunk of her tail missing.
<Perhaps a bit of aggression from one of the males? Keep an eye on her, and do
keep the water conditions very good - you don't want a secondary infection to
begin at the wound site...>
I did a chemical reading on 10/31 and all levels were great. Ph
7.0, Nitrates 20ppm, Nitrites 0, ammonia 0, temp averages 75F.
<Nitrates at 20ppm is the very high end of OK...I'd suggest a partial water
change. Nitrites and ammonia are obviously good! Also, with regard to
temperature, what do you mean by "average", exactly...keep in mind that
stability is very important - you don't want large temperature swings, as this
will compromise the fishes' immune systems...>
I have been feeding Wardley Flakes, small portions more often...
<Very good.>
...trying to occupy the grownups while trying to feed the fry the baby food -
Spectrum small fish formula (I have the grass on one side of the tank only). I
put my hand down into the tank and try to sprinkle the fry food over the grass.
<Do the fry actually eat that food? It may still be too big. I've got the same
stuff (Spectrum New Life small fish formula), which I feed to my guppies, but I
use Hikari's "First Bites" for my molly fry for a couple of months...their
little mouths are quite tiny!>
Okay, now that I've given you all the info I think you might need... here are
my questions...
1. How often should I be feeding the fry?
<A few times per day.>
The adults and Corys?
<Once or twice per day. I feed all my fish just once a day, in the evenings, but
twice is OK, so long as its done in small amounts...>
2. Should I keep the fry in the main tank? (I'm sure you are laughing at this one thinking, "Yeah, like you're ever going to be able to catch
them to get them out of there.")
<Hee hee - with regard to catching them, I use a turkey baster to suck them
up...and usually end up destroying the tank in the process! But I think they
should be just fine in the main tank. Do keep the water quality up, though, as
fry are even more sensitive to toxins than are their parents...>
3. Should I be doing water changes? If so, how often and how much?
<Absolutely. Presuming the tank is cycled and you don't overfeed, I'd say 5 gal.
every week is a reasonable schedule. You can always check the levels with your
test kit and do more changes if necessary...I don't think it should be.>
I can't try to vacuum the gravel now because I may get the fry, right?
<The fry, as you've noticed, are pretty resourceful and quick. I use a siphon
to do water changes on my fry tank, and in the event I accidentally suck one up
into the 5 gal. water change bucket, I just put him/per right back in the main
tank...no harm done!>
4. Will the Corys eat the fry as well?
<I don't think so...never been a problem in my community tank.>
5. Will my filter suck up the fry?
<It's possible. Every now and again I lose a fry like this.>
Should I put something over the intake?
<You can use a bit of pantyhose and a rubber band to cover the filter, I'm
told...>
It's an Aqua Clear Power Filter for up to 70 gallons.
<Excellent filtration - I like to use more than recommended on my tanks as
well.>
I don't know how many were born. I really can't give you a definite count of
how many there are today maybe 6, maybe more, it's hard to see them.
<I understand!>
I appreciate any and all help!! My husband and I are
going away this coming week and I have to instruct someone else on what to do,
so I want to be sure I'm giving all my of my fish the best care possible.
<When my boyfriend and I travel, we make little plastic baggies containing each
portion of food for the "fish-sitter"...it's a pain, but makes life easier for
everyone, and reduces the risk of overfeeding. How long are you going away for?
If less than a week, perhaps do a larger water change right before going (10
gal. perhaps) and don't bother to have the person watching the fish do
anything...if longer than a week, well then I would suggest requesting a water
change.>
Appreciatively,
Mary
<Good luck, enjoy your fish babies, as well as your vacation! Jorie>
Re: Marigold Swordtail Fry 11/5/06
Thank you so very much Jorie!!!
<You're welcome!>
I did a water change tonight and very carefully siphoned the gravel - and yes
every body steered clear - even the fry!!. I changed out about 4 to 5
gallons. (I made a mistake when I told you that the "Nitrates" were at about
20ppm - that was the "Nitrite" reading - the "Nitrates" are at 0.) This
evening the Nitrites had risen to 50ppm so I figured that I had better fix that
immediately.
<Yes...nitrites and ammonia NEED to be at zero; as mentioned previously, 20 ppm
for nitrates is at the high-end of acceptable. I'd suggest doing another test
after this water change...make sure parameters are now good.>
When I said the temp "averages at 75F - it was because we have a heater in the
tank and it is set at 75F. The temperature only varies a few tenths of a
degree.
<That's just fine.>
I am now worried about the mom, she seems to be hiding again. She did come out
and eat this evening, but she is hanging out at the
bottom of the tank hiding in the back and under plants and looks
pretty lethargic. She also has a tiny white dot on her side. It's very hard to
get a good look at it with her staying hidden, but it seems to move (like a
scale that has come loose but is clear). I had read on another site that mom's
very often die after giving birth - I do not want to lose this fish. Poor thing
has had a rough time of it and shouldn't have to suffer. I am trying to keep a
very close watch on her.
<Good idea - also, make sure to keep up on the water changes. The readings you
listed before were too toxic to the fish, and this could likely be causing her
behavior. Do keep an eye on the "spot" - keeping the water pristine will likely
address the problem, but obviously if things get worse, you'll have to
re-assess. This is yet another reason to keep the water very clean, as you
don't want a secondary infection to set in...>
I have not actually seen the fry eat anything. I tried to crush some of the
flakes tonight and sprinkle that over the grass, but a lot of it floated to the
middle and top of the tank. I will purchase the other food (Hikari's First
Bites) tomorrow.
<The crushed flake should be fine for them. I wouldn't worry too much about not
physically seeing the fry eat...they have to be crafty and hide in order to
survive, so they likely eat when no one (you and other fish!) are watching. See
if you can tell if they are excreting feces...that always indicates that they
are eating something...>
Jorie, thank you again for all of your time and wisdom. God Bless you!! I
hope you have an extremely enjoyable weekend!!
<And you also, Mary! Keep up on those water changes and I think everything
should be A-OK!>
Sincerely,
Mary
<Regards,
Jorie>
Xiphophorus on the menu - 11/02/06
Hi everyone, I have a couple of quick question to ask you guys about sword
fish. I plan on keeping the swords for two reasons there looks and for the fry
that they produce to be eatin by my two angels and rainbows. My first question
is can different species of sword fish be kept together.
<Yes>
Second what should the male to female ratio be.
<One male to two or three or so females>
Third how many sword can I keep in a 45 gallon tank with two angels, two
rainbows, and 6 Corys. Thanks
--Sbatiste
<Mmm... a trio or two. Bob Fenner>
Swordtails Breeding with Mollies?
- 10/24/06
Hi from Australia
<<Hi from the USA. Tom here.>>
I have a large 3 foot aquarium that has a silver shark, lace Gourami, 3
female mollies, 2 female swordtails, 2 mail swordtails and 2 large
silver dollars. I also have a small tank that has about a dozen
swordtail fry born only yesterday.
<<Congratulations.>>
I have two questions that I hope you will be able to answer.
<<I’ll give it my best…>>
Firstly, I just guessed when I thought that the swordtail was pregnant
(these are my first fry) and put her in the breeder tank because
everything I read says that you will know that they are about to have
the fry when you can see their eyes at the back of the belly.
<<A very good indication, certainly.>>
My 3 females all have black stomachs and I can't see anything, is there
any other way to tell as I think the other two may be pregnant as well?
<<Early in the pregnancy, this may be a little difficult particularly
when the gravid spot isn’t clearly visible to you. Obviously, as things
progress the abdomen will become fuller/rounder and, when time for the
“blessed event” is near, the female will tend to isolate herself from
her tank mates. One common behavior is for her to linger near the
aquarium heater if one is provided. Her vent may also become a little
more pronounced.>>
And, I think that 2 of my mollies are pregnant. Is it possible for
swordtails and mollies to breed as the mollies were given to me as fry
and I have had them for months so I know they weren't pregnant when I
got them?
<<Yes, this is possible. It’s a bit of a misconception that livebearing
fish like Mollies, Swordtails, Platys and the like will “readily”
crossbreed but it can/does occur. In general, each will seek out its own
kind first but, in the absence of this, males of one kind may seek out a
female of another variety.>>
Please help.
Thanks Amanda
<<You’re welcome, Amanda. I hope all goes well. Tom>>
Swordtail Reproduction - Gestation Period 10/10/06
Dear Crew,
I have two black female swordtails. There used to be a male but he died of an
unknown cause.
<More times than not, the cause may be unknown but not undeterminable...have you
recently tested your water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, etc.? Do
try to figure out what happened so you don't lose any more...>
I want to know how I can tell if the two females are
pregnant. I have tried to look for a gravid spot, but they are black so if it's
there I can't see it.
<Understandable.>
I have also tried to see if they have gotten any fatter, with no luck.
<Over what period of time? Gestation period is 4-6 weeks...if these females were
kept with the male for any period of time, or were recently acquired from a LFS
where they were kept in a community tank, they are likely pregnant - give them
some time to develop and you'll likely see fry!>
Thank you, for your time.
<You're welcome. Jorie>
Sincerely,
D.Throne
Swordtail breeding 7/15/06
Hi, I was wondering about some things. First, I have 6 swordtails (2 male, 4
female), three rasboras of some sort (small), three black tetras, two bronze
Corys, a Pleco, and a Betta (in a 29 gallon tank). I started with two
(male/female) blue mystic swordtails and an orange and black female. The
male seemed to take no interest in the orange one. The blue mystic female also
looked pregnant. It has been over a month and she hasn't given birth
yet. So then I got a pair of neon swordtails and a really big red and black one
(biggest in the tank). The red and black one doesn't have a gravid spot
and the neon female does but isn't fat. She is the smallest swordtail in the
tank. Both the Neons are getting chased by the first male. I took the first
male out (put him in a breeder net thingy) for a few hours to see what would
happen. The neon male wanted to mate only with the blue mystic swordtail. My
overall goal was to have a somewhat community tank and have lots of baby
swordtails. My dad had swordtails when he was young and his reproduced very
often,
<Today... things are different>
but only one of mine seems to look the slightest bit pregnant (the blue mystic),
and she is somewhat fat. Do swordtails cross-breed, or do they
fall in love with just one other swordtail?
<Do crossbreed... all Xiphophorus helleri... even with platies...>
Or am I doing anything wrong?
<Likely nothing... Many livebearers are "modified" with the use of
steroids/hormones... to change their apparent (phenotypic) sex... And many are
otherwise sterile from techniques utilized during their raising. There are still
good breeders/suppliers from Florida (e.g. Ekkwill), and a few "local" breeders
about if the stores near them are lucky... Only time/patience, good care,
nutrition will tell whether yours can/will reproduce. Bob Fenner>
Swordtail Sex Query 7/12/06
This is a really quick question. I am pretty sure I know the
answer though. I bought 2 pineapple swordtails from my local pet
store. They both looked like females since none of them had the
sword. Now one of them is either turning into a male, or he is just
maturing because he is growing a sword. <Maturing.> Can they change
sex? <Not that I'm aware of.><<Actually Xiphophorus can do this...
though phenotype is not always a clear indication of functional
sexual capacity. RMF>> Now I think I need to buy some more females
to make the amount of females higher compared to the number of
males... right? <Would be best, although somewhat depends on the
temperament of the individual fish.> One more thing, can the other
females be a different type, or do they have to be pineapples to
keep him from chasing only one female? <Usually any other female
swords will do, although some males are choosey.>
Thanks!
<Sure>
Can platys and swordtails breed?
<Yes>
<Chris>
Swordtail/Xiphophorus Reproductive/Genetic mysteries
revealed, discussed... 7/2/06
<<Hi, Jessi. Tom>>
Ok, so I have been breeding my swordtails for a while now. The thing that is
getting me is that the majority of the females will either have a brood and then
become
male or just plain out become male.
<<Jessi, the ones that are "plain out" becoming male are simply "late bloomers",
so to speak. Not uncommon, actually. As for the females becoming male, you've
made a highly
interesting and, highly unusual, observation. According to Philip Hastings of
the Scripps Oceanographic Institute in California, the sex of Swordtails is
determined genetically through their chromosome makeup whereas there is no
special DNA difference in fish that are known to change sex "naturally". There
have been extremely rare instances of hermaphroditic occurrences with Swordtails
but for these to be "frequent", like in your case, would be almost out of the
realm of possibility. One thing that does strike me as more plausible is that
older females may develop what appears to be a gonopodium (the "sword"). This is
more of a physiological transformation than a reproductive one since these fish
are nearly invariably infertile though it's not unknown that they may actually
try to mate with other females. Of course, Swordtails would try to mate with a
French Poodle, given the chance. :)>>
<Note: the "sword" is usually the term given to the extended rays on the
tail, not the gonopodium/modified anal fin. -SCF>
This is leaving me with almost all of my swordtails being male. I am afraid of
this situation because, though they have not become aggressive
towards each other yet, over the few remaining females, I fear they may. Is
there any way, such as water conditions, that I can stop this from happening so
often
or will they just do it as their instincts see fit?
<<I think you're going to have to "go with the flow" here, Jessi. As I said,
yours is an interesting situation based on my knowledge of these fish. As you're
aware, though, these
animals will breed in practically any habitable water conditions so the chances
of changing these to reduce/eliminate what seems to be going on is remote.>>
Thanks for the help.
Jessi
<<Don't know that I've "helped" but yours was an interesting post. Tom>>
Swordtail pregnancy 06/14/2006
Hi Bob
<Not Bob tonight...Jorie here. Hello!>
Last night I put my pregnant swordtail in a hatchery that floats in the
aquarium, she kept jumping out. This morning got up she had babies in the
hatchery, but she had jumped out in the big tank and she also had babies in
there. She still looks pregnant do you think she was done delivering. Now my
male swordtail is constantly chasing her. What should I do?
<How big is the main tank? Are you planning on raising the fry - do you have
room for them? If not, best to let nature take its course and let the births
happen in the main tank. With regards to the mom - she really doesn't want to
be in that breeder it looks like...as long as you have ample space and hiding
places in the main tank for her, she should be OK. If you keep putting her back
into the breeder and she keeps jumping out, she's going to injure herself, so I
wouldn't suggest that. A little more info. on your tank setup would be helpful,
here, but presuming you have an appropriate setup, there shouldn't be any harm
in allowing her back into the main area.>
Thank You
<Hope I've helped...Jorie.>
Swordtail pregnancy PART 2 06/14/2006
Hi Jorie
<Well hello again!>
I have a 30 gallon tank, It's a community tank with 2 Colombian sharks, 6
Danios, 2 swordtails, 1 red tail shark, 1rainbowshark, 1algea eater.
<Well, the Columbian sharks can reach an adult length of up to two feet, so I
hope you've got a large aquarium to move them to! Also, it is my understanding
these fish are freshwater when juvies, but are truly brackish when mature. With
regards to the other "sharks", it is my understanding that the common names
"redtail" and "rainbow" both refer to the same fish, Epalzeorhynchos
frenatum. I would recommend that you don't keep two in the same tank, as they
can show aggression towards conspecifics. Depending upon what type of danios
you have, I'd say find a more suitable home for the Columbian sharks, ditch one
of the redtail/rainbows, and add some more swordtails, to increase the amount of
females to male. If you've just got the one boy and one girl, she's apt to be
picked on a fair amount. Usually with livebearers, space permitting, you want
to keep a 1:4 male:female ratio or so.>
I vacuumed my tank every 2 weeks and add water and aquarium salt - my water is
always crystal clear.
<What about water changes? You should be doing a weekly 50% change or so, as you
are pretty fully stocked...>
My female sword tail is in a 2 gallon tank recuperating from the pregnancy.
<Got it. She should be just fine swimming around the 2 gal. for a while. Give
her a week or so to rest up and recuperate.>
After I put the female back in the main tank can the fry go in the 2 gallon tank
or how long can they be kept in the breeder.
<You can release the fry into the 2 gal. as soon as you like - in fact, I have
never personally witnessed a livebearer eat her own fry, though I've read it can
happen. Seems as though you are planning on keeping the little ones...how many
do you have? Once you are able to sex them, you can use the bigger ones to add
more females to your main tank, as mentioned above! With livebearers, you won't
believe how often they reproduce - at some point, you'll be swimming in
swordtails (pun intended!) Once that becomes the case, you can always just
allow the females to give birth in the main tank, and I'm sure your larger fish
would be very grateful for the live food source...>
If you would like to see a picture of my tank just ask and I'll send you one.
<I always like seeing others' tanks - send away!>
P.S Do you have a personal e-mail <address> so when I send something it
reaches you?
<I do have a personal e-mail, but you'll forgive me if I don't want it to become
inundated with fish queries. You can always reach me here, and if you want to
make it extra-easy for folks I share this in-box with to identify, you can just
put "Attn: Jorie" in the subject line, or something similar. Take care, Jorie>
Swordtail Delivery Duration - 06/07/06
Hi All!
What a great site with helpful and insightful information!
<Thanks>
I have searched your site (and a whole lot of others!) and can not find an
answer to the following question.
How long is the duration of fry delivery for swordtails? Or asked another way;
what is the expected time between the births of the first fry until I should
expect the last?
<A few hours to a day or so>
I have a female swordtail in a separate 5 gallon tank (bought specifically for
this purpose) that has given birth, however, I can only find 2 fry in the plants
and her gravid spot is still clearly dark.
<Mmm, might be a "small batch"... or could be hiding still... or eaten>
I noticed the first fry last night and decided to wait until this morning to
move her back to my main tank. However, when I checked this morning, nothing had
changed. There were still only 2 (findable) fry, and her gravid spot still
appears dark.
<Sometimes the vent area does continue to look thus for a while>
As a side note, I have a guppy that gave birth to 13 fry about three weeks ago
in a breeder box in my main tank (29 gallon). All 13 are healthy and growing
rapidly. I am hoping to move the female swordtail from the 5 gallon back to my
main tank, and then move the 13 guppy fry into the 5 gallon with the new
swordtail fry. They are all small enough that they can't eat each other, and
this would be a safe place for them until they get big enough for some to be
introduced back to the main tank and the remainder sold to my LFS
( I checked this with my LFS first!).
<All good>
Figuring between 21 and 28 days gestation, the guppy is due again between June
8th and 15th and I need the breeder box! :)
Tank Stats for both tanks are: Nitrite = 0, Ammonia = 0, Nitrate = 5-10 ppm, PH
= 7.2, and Temp = 78 deg. f
Thanks for any help you can provide, and thank you for such an informative site.
Dan
St. Charles, Illinois
<Feed frequently, small amounts, be diligent re regular water changes (even
daily) and your young livebearers should grow quickly. Bob Fenner>
Swordless Swordtail - 5/7/2006
Hello, well I got 2 swordtails 2 days ago and 1 is fat and 1 is thin. I
think I have 1 male and 1 female, but the male doesn't have a sword yet. Is it a
male? If so when will he get his sword? Many Thanks Stu
< In a dealers tank only one male swordtail will have a really long sword. They
may be very short or entirely missing on the rest. When the dominant male
swordtail is taken out another one becomes dominant and his tail begins to grow
large. Look at the anal fin to be sure. The male's anal fin has been modified
into a tube to penetrate the female.-Chuck>
Swordtail labor - 04/19/06
I have a female swordtail, whitish in color, I believe it is a
neon swordtail. This morning I noticed a baby in the tank, we put her and
the baby in the
"V" shaped breeding trap. I was wondering how long will she be in labor,
<Likely less than a day total>
I don't know if she has already had all the babies and this is the only one
that survived, or if she is still going to have more. She does still appear to
be breathing rapidly. How quickly do they eat the fry, how many at a time will
they eat, etc.?
<Can eat all in a short while, or none at all... or in-between>
We are new to fish parents having only had our tank about a month. Thanks for
the help!
Dana
<Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/swordreprofaqs.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Pregnant swordtail not eating 2/22/06
Hello,
<Hi there>
Could you tell me if it is normal for a pregnant marigold swordtail to not be
eating?
<Often do stop feeding...>
She was eating voraciously and then 2 days ago she started hiding from the other
fish. Today she is hovering near the top 1/4 of the 55 gallon and has not eaten
today or yesterday. It appears her pregnancy is in the final stages, so I expect
them to drop within the day. Is this behavior or normal in her current state?
Thank you!
<Is not atypical. Not to worry. Bob Fenner>
Judy Stout
Swordtails Without the Sword 2/18/06
I have 3 female high fin Swordtails, recently purchased. One of them seems
to be a bit more aggressive, and it looks like she has some extra
equipment on the under side (similar to my male Molly but not that developed),
but she doesn't have the long sword tail that I associate
with this breed. I've read arguments either way saying the Swordtails will
change gender in the absence of a male, but I wasn't sure if this
was what was happening. Please don't post my email address on the website. Also,
if possible could you respond via email? I don't always have access to the
external
internet to view the site but my email should work. Zach
< Not all male swordtails develop long tails. Sometimes it is in the genes or
may have been bitten and fungused off.-Chuck>
Dying Sword Fry
(Sorry if I just sent you the beginning of an email. I had an 18 month old
helping...lol.) OK, lets try this again. I have 1 male and 1 female red velvet
swordtails. (along with mollies, platies, barbs, killies, danios and 1 albino
rainbow shark) I've had the tank (33g) up and running for about 3 months. The
female swordtail had babies about 3 weeks after we got the pair. I separated the
mom after seeing her give birth to a few fry. She had 6 more in the v-breeder
(one of which she ate before it dropped to safety). That left us with 5 adorable
little ones. Anyway, They were all fine for a few weeks in the v-breeder. Mom had
been moved back to the community and the (v) had been removed from the breeder.
I didn't feel there was enough water flow in the breeder so I purchased a net
breeder and placed the fry in that. After about 2/3 weeks 2 fry died within a
couple days of each other. They were approx. 5-6 weeks old at the time and
seemed happy and healthy. Then everything seemed fine
for a couple of weeks. As of last week, at approx 8/9 weeks of age, I've lost 2
more a day apart from each other. I'm left with one lonely little baby. What
could be going on?
<Perhaps "just" weak young... the first few batches often have trouble>
I'm feeding finely ground flakes. I don't want my last one to die but I don't
know what happened to the others. I also have found stray fry swimming around my
tank and have put them in other breeders and don't want them to meet the same
fate. They aren't swordtails though. They seem to be 4 platies and 1 Dalmatian
molly. Can you help save my babies? Thanks so much! Kristy
<Be careful re moving too-pregnant females... do make just small (ten percent or
so) water changes in the fry tank... and keep otherwise doing what you are and
you'll be fine. Bob Fenner>
Swordtails - 11/04/2005
First of all I would like to thank you for all the information that you have provided.
<And thank you for the thanks!>
My first question is, how can you tell what kind of swordtail?
<Umm, as in, what species? Or what "color"? There are a number of different species.... Xiphophorus helleri is the one most common in the hobby, and is available in many different colors.>
And does it matter for mating purposes?
<Mm, most/all the species can hybridize (though I don't recommend it), but of X. helleri, breeding different color fish is no problem at all.>
I have a male that has a green line on his side that extends into the sword on his tail. He has been in my tank for 3 weeks now. The 2 females I purchased at the same time have both died. One died within a week (about 3 days), which the store replaced free of charge, a week later the replacement died. 2 weeks after the original purchase the second original female died. I have a 10 gallon tank, which I cycled using ammonia, my ammonia and nitrite levels are 0. I have to purchase a nitrate test kit, but am assuming that the levels cannot be too high, as my male and about 15 babies (which I presume are from the longer lived original female) and my flying fox are all fine. Two days ago I purchased 2 new females (my male was looking very glum and not eating, he had been alone for 4 days). One of those died overnight, and I have my free replacement. I have a completely orange female and a white female with black fins (this is the replacement and she is missing a huge piece of her tail fin, like something took a bite from her).
<Again, color is irrelevant; they will likely breed. I would be concerned about the damage on the tail of the new female, however.>
My second question is: Is it normal to lose so many fish?
<Normal? No. I would urge you to have caution in selecting new or replacement fish; please read here for more about health in fish:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwdis3setsfactors.htm. Selecting healthy fish to begin with is of great importance.>
I always hear people say they know nothing about fish, and their tank has been going for 4 years! I just seem to kill them off.
<There are always reasons.... the initial health of the fish you select, the "health" of your system (water quality, etc.).... Fish, like other organisms, don't "just die".... It's all a matter of isolating the cause and fixing it. In your case, as I said, I suspect the initial health of these fish was questionable to begin with. You might want to consider getting/using a quarantine system for new livestock.>
I live in the country, about half an hour from the pet store, and wonder if it is too much stress for them.
<Mm, no.... Fish can and do go several hours bagged at times.... keeping the amount of time from the store to home at a minimum is a good idea, though, and never leave them in a car where they might heat or chill.... basically, do your errands first, go to the fish store as the last stop on the way home - you should be fine.>
My third question is: When I got the replacement for the first female that died, the male showed absolutely no interest in her, even though the other female was obviously pregnant (she had the black spot, which disappeared after the babies appeared). Could the male have exhausted that second female, because he sensed that the replacement female was not well? She never did much and her dorsal fin was always clamped close to her back.
<Again.... I really suspect poor health in these fish to begin with.>
My fourth question: When should I give up,
<?? Only you can decide this.>
what if my females die again?
<Find out why. Select only the most active, healthy fish you can find. Never purchase fish from a tank with others that are obviously ill.>
How long do I persevere?
<Uhh, again, the ball's in your court on this.>
I reason that if the babies are surviving and growing that my water must be OK, so the problem is the fish.
<I agree, to an extent.>
One final note, the lady at Wal-mart...
<Oh. Uh. Not to be disparaging of any store or enterprise, but I, personally, would not purchase fish from a department store.... find a fish store that is dedicated mostly or only to fish; you wouldn't buy bread from an oil refinery, would you?>
...recommended that I use QuICK cure to treat all the fish when I added these new females, just in case the other females were sick.
<I would not. Medicating without knowing specifically what, if anything, you're treating is one of the many routes to disaster....>
I have done that 1 day now. The instructions do not say how long to use it, what do you recommend?
<I would stop using this now, unless you really have reason to believe these fish have a communicable parasite.>
Sorry this is so long.
<No worries.>
I am grateful for any help, this is my second attempt at a fish tank. The initial attempt was with goldfish, I managed to kill 8 goldfish and 1 pleco that time!
<Goldfish are much more demanding of space than most folks realize.... Much is archived on our site, in articles and FAQs, about proper care of goldfish - do please take a look if you're interested.>
I was completely unaware of test kits and cycling, etc. So I was somewhat shocked when I started killing fish again after all my attempts to do things properly this time!
<Begin reading, learning about fish health. You'll do fine, no worries.>
Thank you, -Olivia
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Question on Swordtails... breeding mostly 1/4/06
Hi, I have had my tank set up for about 6 months now, In the beginning we
had 3 swordtails, 2 females, (we thought),
<Mmm, these can "change" sex>
and 1 male... the male died about a week after we got him, and then a month or
so later the smaller of the two
females developed the swordtail of a male and the modified anal fin.... my
female
swordtail is a lot bigger then my male, but in all the months they have been in
the tank, they have not bred ever...
<Where are the spaces between your sentences?>
as I watch the male chases the female, but she always gets away from
him...could this be a false male??
<Yes, possibly>
or is it part of the mating ritual??...and what can I do to help them breed...
<Mmm, get another "certain" male... with a gonopodium>
Also I have a Balloon Molly who had babies recently, we noticed the yellow/
black
spotted babies swimming around on Christmas eve... how long before we start
seeing
more baby mollies swimming around??
<A couple of months>
also, there are 12 baby mollies along with 3 adult fish in a twenty gallon
tank, i know this is going to be over
crowded really soon, what size tank should i get to raise the fry in??...thank
you, Stacy
<The bigger the better... maybe keep an eye out for "used tanks" in the papers,
ads... as you will need/want a few tanks if you intend to raise, possibly sell
the young. Please use your grammar, spellcheckers before sending out email...
Ignorance is not bliss, and neither of us wants to look ignorant. Bob Fenner>
