Swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii
Photo: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
A bigger livebearer. One male and a few females in a 20 long is the usual mix. Males will duel.
A bigger livebearer that uses the full water column.
In the tank
- Active swimmer in a 20 long.
- Will graze some algae.
- Water
- freshwater
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Swims
- Midwater
- Adult size
- 5.5 in
- Minimum tank
- 20 gal
- Group
- Can be kept singly
- Temperature
- 65–82°F
- pH
- 7.0–8.4
- Diet
- Flakes, pellets, veggie matter.
- Beginner
- Not a first fish
How to keep them
- One male and a few females. Males duel.
- 20 gallons is the real start.
Tankmates
Platies, mollies, larger tetras.
Avoid
Bettas and slow long-finned fish.
Check tankmates · Stocking calculator
Same group
Guppy
Poecilia reticulata
Colorful livebearer. A population bomb if you mix sexes.
They pick leftover flakes and biofilm.
Endler's Livebearer
Poecilia wingei
A smaller, wilder guppy.
Grazes biofilm in planted nanos.
Platy
Xiphophorus maculatus
Sturdy livebearer for hard tap water.
Grazes a bit of algae and leftover food.
Molly
Poecilia sphenops
A livebearer that actually grazes algae.
Picks green film off glass and décor more than guppies do.