Interbreeding has led to the generation of the most beautiful fish. Breeding different species of fish together has wonderful unique results of strong and beautiful fish. So, can you breed swordtails and guppies?
Swordtails and guppies are beautiful fish, but swordtails can’t breed with guppies because they belong to different genera. Swordtail fish belong to the genus Xiphophorus, while guppy fish belong to the genus Poecilia.
Only one swordtail species belongs in the genus Poecilia: P. acuta, which was discovered by Dr. George S. Myers in 1936 near Acapulco, Mexico, on a fishing expedition.
If you’re looking for more information about swordtails breeding compatibility, please continue reading this blog post!
General Information On Both Fish
Before going further inside the topic, let’s know some basic information on swordtails and guppies.
Swordtail Fish Profile
Swordtails are found in freshwater habitats worldwide, and a sword-shaped caudal fin can identify them.
The most popular swordtail species is Xiphophorus helleri, which has a black dorsal fin with various colored stripes on its body.
Swordtails prefer temperatures ranging from 70-86 degrees Fahrenheit. They like heavily planted tanks with enough space to swim around.
Likewise, they are omnivores and eat both meat and vegetables. They also like live foods like bloodworms, daphnia, etc.
Guppy Fish Profile
The guppy is a small freshwater fish that inhabits both freshwater habitats, but it prefers shaded areas with lots of vegetation such as ponds, swamps, or flooded forests.
Their rounded caudal fin identifies them, and additionally, they come in many different colors – including pastel blue, turquoise, and white.
They live in temperatures ranging from 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit, but they like cooler water.
Guppies are omnivores and eat both meat and vegetables; however, they prefer to nibble on plants rather than insects.
Can Swordtails Crossbreed With Guppies?
Swordtails can’t breed with guppies because swordtail fish belong to different genera.
Swordtails and guppy are beautiful aquatic animals, but swordtails cannot crossbreed with many fishes, such as guppies, due to their difference in genus. The swordtail belongs in the genus Xiphophorus, while the guppy is found among the genus Poecilia.
Swordtails and guppies are from two different genera, which means they can’t breed. Swordtails belong to the genus Xiphophorus, while guppies belong to Poecilia. So, no matter what you do, swordtail fry will not come out of any breeding that includes a guppy female!
So basically, you won’t find any swordtail breeds with guppies because swordtails belong to a different genus.
How Come There Are Baby Fish In My Tank?
Sometimes you might think your swordtails and guppies have interbred because some of them bear babies. But how is it possible if they cannot breed together?
The reason is that your swordtails or guppies might have been impregnated long before you kept them together. Swordtails or guppies can be impregnated by other swordtail males even if they are not in the same tank.
Swordtails and guppies are livebearers and can store sperm in their reproductive tract for up to four months. Thus, they may appear pregnant and give birth to breeding even without a partner.
Differences Between Swordtails And Guppies
swordtails and guppies are both freshwater tropical fish. They are pretty compatible with one another and have similar preferences. However, there are also some differences.
An experienced aquarist can easily point ut the biological and physical differences between swordtails and guppies. But, if you are a beginner, these are the differences you should know about:
- Guppies prefer warm water around 74-82 degrees Fahrenheit while swordtails like it at 65-86 degrees Fahrenheit
- Swordtails have black stripes on their body with brightly colored fins, whereas guppies usually come in pastel colors such as blue or white to match the vegetation they inhabit.
- Guppies belong to the Poecilia genus, whereas swordtails are Xiphophorus.
- Swordtails and guppies vary in DNA and genes, which makes it impossible for them to breed.
Guppy Fry Can’t Become Swordtailed!
For sure, swordtail fry cannot become baby guppies because these two belong to different genera. No matter what you do, swordtail fry will not come out of any breeding that includes a guppy female.
Swordtail fry cannot become baby guppies because swordtail fish belong to the Xiphophorus genus while guppy belongs in Poecilia. This means swordtails and guppies can’t breed together, even if some of your fish are pregnant!
You may think that a swordtail’s black stripes will give way to blue or white color, but this is not possible since a swordtail produces a unique type of sperm that prevents other genes from being expressed.
The only exception would be when you cross two species belonging to the same genus (which includes swordtails) with one another. But again, swordtails and guppies belong to different genera, so swordtail fry will not become baby guppies.
Can Swordtails And Guppies Live Together?
Swordtails and guppies can live together, but they cannot breed with each other.
Swordtails and guppies can live together because they are peaceful and have similar tank requirements like water parameters, diet, tank decorations, etc.
The males on these two species would fight for territory constantly if placed together in a small space like a home aquarium setup, which leads to more stress levels among all creatures involved and often death or severe injury.
If you want to keep both breeds alive, then it has been advised by experts at this point that there need to be large enough tanks set up for them.
What Other Fish Can Swordtails Breed With?
Swordtails can breed with swordtail breeds that are similar to them in size and fins. In addition, they can easily breed with closely related species like the platies. Swordtails and platies can easily breed in any aquarium or the wild, producing 100-150 babies at a time.
This cross-breeding is possible due to their biological proximity. Therefore, it would help to give the swordtail platy fries little extra care until they are big enough.
FAQs
What Other Fish Can Guppies Breed With?
Guppies can breed with mollies because they belong to the same family Poecilia. You may also attempt guppy breeding with other fish which belong to the Poecilia family. This is because they are related, which makes breeding possible.
Best Tank Mates For Swordtail Fish
Swordtails are peaceful fish. They can be kept with guppies, platy, and mollies which have the same temperament.
However, you should avoid keeping swordtails with larger fish like the cichlids and the sharks.
Conclusion
The swordtail and guppy are two of the most popular types of fish. They both belong to a family called “livebearers” who can reproduce without help from male partners.
However, they cannot breed with each other to create hybrids because they have different genes. They can, therefore, live together happily, but unfortunately, we can never see swordtail and guppy hybrids.