Diet:  prepared foods and small live foods

 

Water:  temperature 70-78 degrees F; hard (100-150 mg/l) and alkaline pH 7.5

 

Temperament:  males are often quarrelsome, good community fish.

 

Breeding:  easy to breed livebearer.  Up to 200 offspring. Offspring should be separated from adults as they will be eaten. If a pure line is desired, they should not be mixed with other lines of swordtails or with platys as they will interbreed.  Gestation period 30-40 days.

 

Gender:  males are characterized by their distinctive long lower swordtail.  Females have a well rounded tail and are typically larger than males.  Males have a gonopodium.