Swordtails are considered one of the popular fish species for beginners because taking care of them is fairly easy. They are peaceful, easy-going, and can make any aquarium lively with their friendly nature. Similarly, their diet also makes them one of the easiest fish to keep. What do swordtails like to eat? Are swordtail fish omnivorous?
Swordtail fish are omnivorous. In their natural habitat, swordtails have the option to feed on a variety of different insects, crustaceans, fishes, and plants including algae. Likewise, in tanks also they prefer eating various flake foods and other live foods along with blanched vegetables and algae.
Thus, swordtails eat practically anything. This makes their diet care very easy. However, we have to make sure they get a properly balanced diet to help them thrive.
Swordtail Fish Diet
Swordtails in nature can eat a variety of foods from insects, crustaceans, aquatic plants/algae, small fishes, and more depending on the swordtail species. For example, swordtails (Xiphophorus maculatus) that live in North America have the choice of eating natural food or pellets made for omnivorous animals.
Swordtails will only eat what grows naturally in their habitat if there is not enough artificial food to be feed such as sinking pellet wafers and brine shrimp. If swordtails have an abundance of both unnatural & natural food they’ll often choose to mainly eat unnatural foods such as sinking pellet wafers and brine shrimp. And swordtails that have the choice to eat either natural or unnatural food will often choose to mainly eat artificial non-natural food no matter how much they have available to eat.
Some swordtails will eat other swordtails that are smaller than them. Swordtail fish do not have parental instincts and will eat their babies if they get a chance. As mentioned above, swordtails eat basically anything that fits into their mouth. This might include some of their tank mates like cherry shrimps, snails, and other small fish like small Danios, Tetras, etc.
Are Swordtail Fish Omnivorous?
Swordtail fish (Xiphophorus birchmanni) are omnivores. They eat a wide variety of foods including algae, insects, and larvae found in water plants. swordtail fish live in tropical climates such as Mexico south to South America, but can be kept as an aquarium pet worldwide.
In the wild, they eat a wide variety of live foods like worms, shrimps, smaller fish, etc. along with those, they also graze on wild plants and algae as they prefer both plants and protein.
Similarly, in the home tank, they do not get to venture around for food. Hence, they must be provided proper supplements keeping in mind their nutrient requirements. Swordtail fish are omnivores but do like a bit of protein in their diet. Hence, you should provide flake foods as the primary food along with vegetable-based foods such as peas and blanched vegetables. Swordtail fish will readily eat live feeder fish, brine shrimp, krill, daphnia, etc.
How Do Swordtails Like Their Food?
Swordtail fish are omnivorous, swordtails eat what grows naturally in their habitat if it’s available (which is not always the case) which means swordtails can eat algae, insects, larvae, small fishes, and more.
Swordtails that live in North America are often feed sinking pellets to keep them from eating the plants and other fish because swordtails will eat anything they can catch. I know swordtail fish also love to eat hemp seeds (edible seeds that hang off of marijuana plants) too! But if you don’t want your swordtail eating the aquarium plants then try giving them frozen or fresh brine shrimp instead of sinking pellets or wafers.
Brine shrimp feeder fish are full of protein and a meal for any predatory tropical freshwater fish including swordtail fish. If your swordtail eats all the pellet wafers right away but still seems hungry then give him/her some frozen or live brine shrimp right away to sate swordtail’s appetite. Brine shrimp are also easy for swordtails to digest, I’ve never heard of anyone’s swordtail getting sick from too much freeze-dried or live brine shrimp food in my entire life.
Do Swordtail Fish Like Plants More or Protein?
Several swordtail fish experts have come to the conclusion that swordtail fish are omnivores. This is due to swordtails eating not only algae but also other things like zucchini and cucumber.
If swordtail fish eat vegetables why can’t they also eat some meat? This is a common misconception between people who think swordtails are herbivores and people who think swordtail fish are omnivores.
Even though swordtails do need nutrition from plants or algae for survival, it doesn’t mean that they don’t need to consume meat for nutrients as well. Some leaves even contain animal proteins if you know where to look!
Swordtails love eating “good” nauplii (baby brine shrimp) because baby brine shrimp contain both animal protein and plant matter from the algae inside of them. Brine shrimp feeder fish are worm larvae that are high in nutrients and proteins
Do Swordtails Like Eating Insects?
Yes, swordtails love eating mosquito larvae and other insect larvae. Some swordtail fish even enjoy eating adult mosquitoes! You can’t feed your swordtail mosquito eggs because swordtail fish have a different side of their mouth just for chewing food.
If you’re looking to feed your swordtail pre-killed insects then look into getting some pellet-type canned food or freeze-dried bloodworms instead. Swordtails don’t have jaw strength nor teeth strong enough to eat small prey animals such as live worms and bugs without injuring themselves in the process.
How Can You Tell A Swordtail Fish Is Eating Enough?
Swordtails will let their owner know if they’re hungry by constantly swimming around the water bowl begging for more food with an open mouth and pointed teeth or by chasing each other while biting tails until one swordtail gives up and swims away from the aggression.
If your swordtails often beg for more food then just give them what they want! It’s annoying but it’s better than both swordtails becoming aggressive with each other over food. In swordtail fish swordtails can bite tails until one swordtail gives up from blood loss or they can grab their opponent swordtail by the throat and use brute strength to try to put his opponent swordtail in submission before he can grab him, this is called “jaw-locking”
If you ever see two swordtails jaw locking then it’s a warning that the swordtails are going to fight for territory over food. So if there’s any food floating around in your aquarium then quickly remove all sources of food from your aquarium while those swordtails figure out who should have first dibs on whatever food is left behind.
Conclusion
If you’re thinking about adding a swordtail fish to your tank, make sure that it will have adequate plant and meat supplements. Swordtails are omnivores, so they require both plant and animal-based food sources in their diet.
This is important because all of the nutrients from these foods provide energy for the fish’s muscles as well as its organs like the heart and liver! As long as you create a healthy balance of plants and meats with each mealtime feeding, your new pet should be happy in no time.
Don’t forget to add some live or fake plants too–swordtails love grazing on them! All this information can help ensure your new friend has an easy transition into his/her new home.
