Swordtail fish are small fishes that grow up to 6 inches. They have a sword-looking structure on their tail and hence the name swordtail. You can find swordtails exploring the tank and engaging with the tank mates. But do you think swordtail fish can live alone?
Swordtail fish can live alone. But, I highly recommend you not to keep them alone. In an aquarium, swordtails need the company of other fish because they can’t live alone for a long period of time. So, the swordtail fish needs companionship with other swordtail fish. Otherwise, it will not only be lonely and develop various issues.
Let’s learn why it is best to keep swordtail fish with good company.
Can Swordtail Fish Live Alone?
There are two swordtail fish in my fish tank. They interact with each other and even engage in sword fighting. I have always wondered if swordtail can live alone?
It would help if you did not keep swordtail fish alone for a long time. Swordtails are very intelligent, social creatures that require the company of their own species. If you keep swordtails with good companions, they will definitely enjoy their life and stay healthy.
The swordtail fishes need more activity which can only be achieved when they engage with one of their species or other fishes like betta fish or platyfish.
If swordtail lives alone, you can get different types of issues developing within them. That is why it is essential to keep the swordtail in a group of swordtail fish or some other swordtail. Swordtails are very active creatures that need the company of their own kind.
Can You Keep A Single Swordtail In A Tank?
So swordtail fish are more of a group pet in a tank because swordtails do live with other swordtails. You can’t always be sure if they will get along with their swordtail friends or not, though, so sometimes swordtail fish fighting does occur, and you need to take action.
You may think, “I’ll just buy 3-4 swordtails and keep them alone,” but swordtails don’t like being kept alone in tanks. They are used to living in many swordtails together and not by themselves. So sorry, you cannot keep a single swordtail on its own unless there is another swordtail for the company.
The appropriate number is 4-5 swordtails in a group with a maximum of females. The right ratio of males to females is 1:3. However, male swordtails can be aggressive towards one another, so you should avoid keeping multiple males in a tank. Similarly, always keep more females in the tank because male swordtails can stress a single female out for mating and other purposes.
Why Should You Not Keep Swordtails Alone?
Swordtail fish do not live alone because swordtails are solitary creatures. Swordtail fishes can live long if you keep them in groups of at least 4-5 swordtails; otherwise, swordtails will die within a year.
Swordtail fishes need companionship with other fishes because they become aggressive and even get lonely without the company of their own kind.
If swordtail fish live alone, they may face issues like aggression, stress, loneliness, which can even lead to the death of swordtail fish, so swordtails should always be kept in a group.
Thus, to prevent stress and diseases in your fish and help them live a long, healthy life, you should avoid keeping them alone.
What Happens If You Keep Swordtails Alone?
Swordtail fish will deteriorate their overall health when they are kept alone. Following are some of the issues your swordtails will face if kept alone.
Diseases
Swordtails are hardy and resilient fish, but can they be neglected? Studies have shown that swordtail fish kept alone are more susceptible to infection.
When swordtail fish live alone, they seem to face an issue with their immune system called the “sickness response.” This sickness response leads your swordtail fish into a state of feeling vulnerable and insecure.
The swordtail has been found to produce fewer antibodies when it feels less secure. Reduced immunity in swordtails leads to a higher risk of diseases like fin rot or fungus. Therefore, you must ensure that swordtails live in groups without exposing them to stress factors that lead to reduced immunity.
Swordtails kept as singles face an increased likelihood for diseases like Fin Rot, Ich, etc.
Stress
If swordtail fish live alone, they face stress due to a lack of social interactions. Likewise, the swordtail gets stressed when it feels isolated from other swordtails. As a result, swordtail fishes feel vulnerable and insecure, which nullifies their immune system defenses.
When swordtails feel lonely or isolated from other swordtail fishes, they experience what is called “social stress.” Social stress affects swordtails’ overall well-being because it makes them more susceptible to disease factors like bacteria and parasites and leads to less resistance towards infections.
Inactiveness
Swordtails kept alone face the risk of becoming less active. Fish are live-bearing animals, and we should always keep swordtail fish in groups to remain as active as possible. When swordtail fishes live in isolation, they get stressed and start to develop a lack of activity.
A swordtail is not an “inactive” or “quiet” type of fish; swordtail fish enjoy moving around aquariums. However, if swordtail fish live isolated from other swordtails, their behavior shows signs of lethargy and anxiety due to a lack of socialization with like-minded individuals belonging to the same species.
Constant movement is what swordtails enjoy the most. Therefore, swordtail fish should always live in groups to enjoy that constant movement and characteristically swordtail-like behavior.
More Aggressive Nature
Swordtails kept as singles face aggression issues, where the swordtail becomes more aggressive towards other swordtails of the same species. Swordtail fish live in schools because swordtail fish are social creatures who cannot be happy living alone.
When swordtails live isolated from one another, their inherent nature does not allow them to get along with others. Isolation leads to a larger chance of fights breaking out between single swordtails and an increased likelihood of injury or death due to injuries caused during sword fighting.
If swordtail fishes fight each other over (food, territory, etc.), swordtail fish can sustain injuries that result in death.
Should Swordtails Live In Groups?
Keeping swordtail fish in groups is always better, even if it means having more swordtails than the aquarium can accommodate.
The swordtails do a lot of swimming, especially at night which makes them tired during day time, and thus they sleep most of the time in aquariums, so keeping a group of swordtails is better than keeping just one swordtail fish alone.
If swordtail fish live alone, then there are chances that they will die out within a year because swordtail fishes need companionship with other swordtail fishes; otherwise, it becomes very lonely and aggressive towards their owner or any other human who comes near them.
Therefore, swordtails should be kept in groups of 4-5 so that you can prevent them from getting depressed, stressed, or sick.
Benefits Of Keeping Swordtails In A Group
Swordtails that live in groups are more active than swordtail fish kept alone. If swordtails live alone and there is no one to play with them. Swordtails are social creatures and will thrive in groups.
That is why swordtail fishes should be kept in a group of at least 3-4 swordtails not to get bored or lonely. The swordtail fish starts having issues like aggression, stress, and depression when it does not have any companionship for a long time.
When you keep swordtails with good company, these fishes will develop better coloration as well as longer fins due to healthy competition among swordtails.
Another benefit of keeping swordtail fish in groups is that swordtail fish are aggressive by nature regarding food or territory. And when swordtail fish live alone, they become even more aggressive towards humans. So if swordtails are kept in groups, one swordtail will keep the other in control and make it less aggressive towards owners.
A good company will help your swordtail become active, and it will help their overall performance. In addition, staying engaged will keep them stress-free and thus healthy.
Conclusion
In summary, swordtails kept as singles face several issues with their health due to the stress factors and reduced immunity swordtails face when they live isolated from other swordtail fishes.
Therefore, swordtail fishes should always be kept in groups of 3 or more swordtails to be exposed to fewer stress factors and less likely to suffer immune system deficiencies.
