family: poeciliidae
size: the males tend to grow to about 10cm and the females to about 12cm
diet: they are omnivorous and will tend to eat small live food and flakes will be accepted
water conditions: they like a ph level of 7.0 - 8.0 and a temperature of around 20' - 26' degrees Celsius
swimming level: they are middle level swimmer but will tend to feed on the top when given flake food
breeding: they are like there family livebearers
Famous for there tail that is like a sword that's were they got there name, there sometimes an aggressive fish so they are best kept alone or in a community tank by itself with several other bigger fish that can defend them self and there area of the tank if attacked in anyway. these fish also have the tenancy to suddenly change sexes sometimes and drop there tails off and become females or grow tales and become males and this can happen suddenly and change back so don't get frightened its very natural for them to do it. the swordtail is a very hardy fish and because of the breeding to create such great colours the can be prone to diseases sometimes but normally a very easy to keep fish. they are very active and require large amounts of room in the tank to use to swim and many plants for the other fish to seek refuge when the male tend to chase some of them. they can produce up to 80 young in one breeding (brood) and will take about a month before they are born.
<--- a male swordtail