Everything about Swordtail Fish totally explained
» For the genus of butterflies commonly known as swordtails, see Graphium.
The
Green swordtail (
Xiphophorus hellerii) is a
species of
freshwater fish in
family Poecilidae of
order Cyprinodontiformes. It is also called
Red swordtail. A
live-bearer, it's closely related to the
southern platyfish or "platy" (
X. maculatus) and can interbreed with it. It is native to an area of
North and
Central America stretching from
Veracruz,
Mexico, to northwestern
Honduras.
The male green swordtail grows to a maximum overall length of 14cm (5.5in) and the female to 16 cm (6.3 in).
The name "swordtail" is commonly but mistakenly believed to be derived form the elongated lower lobe of the male's
caudal fin (tailfin), but is actually derived from the sword shaped anal fin of the male.
Sexual dimorphism is moderate, with the female being larger than the male but lacking the "sword". The wild form is olive green in color, with a red or brown lateral stripe and speckles on the
dorsal and, sometimes, caudal fins. The male's "sword" is yellow, edged in black below. Captive breeding has produced many color varieties, including black, red, and many patterns thereof, for the aquarium hobby.
The green swordtail prefers swift-flowing, heavily-vegetated rivers and streams, but is also found in warm springs and canals. Omnivorous, its diet includes both plants and small
crustaceans,
insects, and
annelid worms.
X. hellerii has become a nuisance pest as an
introduced species in a number of countries. It has caused ecological damage because of its ability to rapidly reproduce in high numbers. Feral populations have established themselves in southern
Africa, including
Natal and eastern
Transvaal in
South Africa and
Lake Otjikoto in
Namibia.
One of the most popular
tropical aquarium fish, the green swordtail has been bred into various hybrid forms for the aquarium hobby due to its hardiness and suitability for community tanks.
The green swordtail, as the most common of the swordtail species (and in recognition of the fact that many captive-bred color varieties are not green), is typically known simply as the
swordtail in the aquarium hobby. It is often designated
X. helleri (with one
i), but authorities consider this an orthographic error and the spelling with two
is is the valid specific epithet. Due to interbreeding with the
southern platyfish or "platy" most "swordtail" in the aquarium are hybrids to some degree.
The males' elongated caudal fins have been found to significantly affect their chances at mating. The presence of a well-endowed male spurs the maturity of females while it inhibits the maturity of juvenile males in the vicinity as the well-endowed male.
Further Information
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