Fishkeeping is a great hobby growing excessively nowadays. Mostly, new aquarists prefer to keep beautiful fish like Swordtail fish. And, since Swordtails are small freshwater fish, they make an excellent addition to any home aquarium. Moreover, they are a great option for people who want to create a natural-looking planted tank. But, the feeding habits of these fish worry novice aquarists. Beginners fear the right kind and amount of food to give them and whether they can eat plants or not. So, do swordtail fish eat plants?
Honestly, swordtails enjoy meat more than plants. They do not usually go for plants if they have enough food. But, sometimes! When they are very hungry, Swordtail fish eat aquatic plants, like Java moss and Anacharis. But they only nibble on them without causing much damage.
Generally, swordtails are omnivores and require a fair share of plant supplements in their diet. So, if you find your fish constantly bidding on your beautiful live plants, provide them with enough fibers and proteins.
I know you might have many questions about what Swordtail fish eat. Therefore, this blog post is all yours. We will discuss how to keep your swordtail from eating your plants and provide tips on what kinds of aquatic plants they won’t bother with!
Will Swordtail Fish Eat Aquarium Plants?
Actually, some behaviors of Swordtails amaze people. If you have just started to keep fish, you will find many surprising facts about these fish. One of these is that Swordtails are omnivorous. Hence, they do eat some plant-based meals. Mainly some vegetables and plants.
Like every other being, they also need a full dose of a balanced diet. So, swordtails require plant-based supplements for a healthier and happier life. However, if you talk about live plants in the aquarium, Swordtails do not usually eat them. While some aquarists complain that their fish nib and destroy their beautiful aquatic plants, it is less common.
Usually, Swordtails go for live plants in the aquarium only when you fail to feed them enough or if they are ill. You may see them nibbling on aquatic plants and scraping off algae in the tank when they feel stressed or hungry.
However, Swordtails get their food from flakes or boiled plants or vegetables. So even though they nibble on your plant’s leaves, they will not cause any damage to it. Thus, you do not need to worry about your plants even if you find your fish nibbling. Instead, if you notice this type of behavior quite often, please consider consulting the Vet as soon as possible.
Do Swordtails Eat Algae?
This is one of the most asked questions about keeping Swordtails. So, friends, here’s your answer!
Yes, swordtail fish do eat Algae. In fact, swordtails can eat almost everything. In the wild, when they didn’t have enough food, these fish used to survive on algae, vegetation, and larvae. But as of now, with intelligent aquarists and fish-keeping guides, you won’t find your fish eating up algae a lot if they have food in the tank.
But what are algae, then? Algae are microscopic plants that grow in water; they attach to surfaces and create a slimy film on them like pond scum.
If you haven’t skipped the above part, you know that swordtails are omnivores and eat plants. So, they will eat algae too, but not as their primary food source. Generally, they primarily eat meat like bloodworms or other small insects. But this doesn’t mean swordtail fish can’t eat plants. It is just that Swordtails eating algae and plants is more common in the wild than in aquariums.
To be honest with you, as a fish owner, I have noticed that fish eat anything that fits into their mouths, and swordtails are no exception. However, I can’t deny that every individual fish has its preference. But I do see some swordtail fish enjoy taking a bite from the algae on the surface of an aquarium quite often.
Why Is My Swordtail Fish Eating Plants?
The most preferred option for Swordtail is meat-based products when it comes to food. However, it can be anything from bloodworms, brine shrimp, frozen daphnia, and black worms. So, actually! Swordtails eating plants might even be a matter of concern.
Nevertheless, there are many reasons why your Swordtail might go for plants instead. And a common reason why your swordtails eat plants in the tank is insufficient feeding. If your fish is not getting appropriate nutrition from what you serve him, they will start nipping the live plants in the tank.
Furthermore, sometimes your Swordtail also acts as an algae cleaner. They eat algae present on the sides of the tank to clean the tank. It is a very common habit of Swordtail. So, you need not be worried about it.
More to this, if your fish is eating too many plant leaves, it can lead to a lack of oxygen in that area of the tank. As a result, this could cause problems for other inhabitants living with swordtails. To solve this problem, make sure you are feeding your fish well, or better yet, give them a separate tank with plants.
In addition, another less common reason why your swordtails eat the plants could be due to their environment. It may be due to a change in water parameters or the breakdown of the heater. To fix this problem, you will need to change the water regularly, continuously check the tank devices, and increase aeration and circulation rates by using a better filter.
How To Stop Swordtails From Eating Plants?
While reading this, you might know that eating plants isn’t a good habit even though your Swordtail is an omnivore. This is because eating live plants might be dangerous to them.
But, don’t you worry! I am here with a few preventive measures that I use to stop my fish from eating the decorative plants present in the tank.
Unfortunately, I cannot assure you that these will work for you as much as they did for me. But, I am certain that these methods will help provide an environment where they do not need to eat plants to survive.
Anyways, here you are:
Feed Your Swordtail Well
You might not know this fact. But feeding your Swordtail is the best way to prevent them from eating live plants. Mostly, swordtails like to eat meat-based products. However, there are some exceptions though.
But still, if you can feed them enough with all the nutrients needed for their daily life. They will not start hunting for food. And end up nipping for live plants. So I suggest you feed your Swordtail twice a day. Further, it is very important to give them foods like bloodworms, brine shrimps, daphnia, cooked vegetables, etc. All these will ensure that you have fed your fish well with essential nutrition.
Keep Them In A Separate Aquarium With Plants
An aquarium contains various species of plants and creatures. Even each fish reacts differently to different plants. Therefore, a suitable plant for some fish species may not do the same for others.
Likewise, some aquatic plants are dangerous for your Swordtail. There may also be some expensive live plants in your aquarium that you do not want your fish to destroy. So, it is best to keep your beautiful buddy in their environment with a few plants that they can enjoy freely.
Monitoring Your Water Parameters
Maintaining appropriate water parameters is one of the most important things that you must take into consideration when you keep freshwater fishes like Swordtails. Even the slightest deviation in their water condition can be detrimental to the health of your fish.
Furthermore, you must also regularly check the tank devices like the filtration system, heater, and air pumps. Like every fish, the Swordtail needs proper oxygen circulation in the tank to maintain the hardness of around 10-15 DH. However, the key point in maintaining water parameters is to keep the water at a temperature of 72-79F and slightly alkaline with pH-7.2.
Adding More Plants
As we all know, plants are great for aeration and help oxygen circulation in the tank. So, it would be best if you kept some plants in your aquarium for proper oxygen supply. But while adding a plant, you must consider what type of plant you are placing. These plants should be non-toxic and safe for your Sowardtail.
Moreover, plants should be added slowly, as too many can quickly overpopulate your aquarium and create an environment that is not ideal for them. It may take a few weeks or months for new plants to grow, but it will eventually provide you with unlimited plant material for their consumption without any need to remove it from the tank.
Use A Screen Or Some Barriers
If you are having a problem saving your beautiful plants from the naughty swordtails, it is best to use a barrier that will separate the two. Personally, I go for some driftwood or platforms that will prevent the fish from reaching out. This is one way to help keep your fish away. All they will be able to do is watch them grow but never eat any.
Moreover, you can even use a glass to make a portion between the swordtails and plants. I have seen a few of my friends doing so, and to be honest, it looks very cool and edgy.
Lastly, another suggestion for you! to prevent your mischievous Swordtail from eating the expensive plants is to avoid using real plants. Indeed, there are many fake plants available for aquariums in the market. You can use them; they are all environmentally friendly and hardy so that your fish cannot chew or damage them.
What Plant Can You Keep With Swordtails?
Keeping different plants in your aquarium is crucial. Plants provide a lively and natural environment for your fish and help improve the tank’s oxygenation. But, more importantly, Swordtails enjoys plants and needs some plants for a disease-free and happier life. Do you know the diseases of Swordtail? If you don’t, check out Swordtail Disease!
Unlike some fishes, swordtails are the ones that usually prefer to live in a densely planted tank. Many plants fit the best for the swordtail’s tank. But the common ones that I have found and picked after a lot of research are Amazon swords, Java ferns, Anubis plants, Java Moss, and Vallisneria.
Adding up to this, you might be a little surprised, but Swordtails loves to eat plants. Speaking the truth that I see in my place, they enjoy eating any plant in the tank. So, you must avoid keeping them with slow-growing or delicate plants.
Moreover, I have had several incidents where I find my Swordtail choking after eating plants with bigger and rough leaves. Besides this, huge plants might take too much of the tank’s space. As a result, leaving only a little space for your fish to swim and play. Therefore, it is best to invest in plants that are easy to manage.
To help you make your choice, here are some options that I dig into while choosing aquarium plants:
Plants That Swordtails Will Love
You must indeed love the plant you buy for your aquarium. It must catch your interest. But since swordtails are the ones living with them 24/7, choose the live pants that will be best for your fish. Your swordtails must also love and enjoy the ambiance created by the chosen plants.
Generally speaking, swordtails will eat any edible plants in your tanks. But any plant might not be best for your place. You must always go with the manageable ones that your fish enjoys devouring. However, here are some of the plants that they can eat:
- Algae
- Hygrophilia
- Java Moss
- Water Sprite
- Ambulia
- Duckweed
Even though most aquarists argue Swordtail to be carnivores, in reality, I believe that the fishes also need equal plant nutrition. So, don’t you think it will be great to invest in the plants that your fish can actually eat?
Proper Plant Diet For Swordtail Fish
There are as many theories about the best diet for your Swordtail fish as heads. Thus, there is no clear-cut answer for your fish’s ideal diet. Every fish has there own dietary needs, just like humans. Moreover, you might often find your Swordtail enjoying meat-based more. But this doesn’t mean that your swordtail is a carnivore (as some aquarists suggest).
While swordtails might not enjoy eating plants like meat, they need some greens in their diet. They need some fibers, which they take by grazing on algae from rocks and tank walls. If you keep live plant shoots or vegetables in their tank, swordtails will also binge on them as those plants float in the water column.
Swordtails also like to nibble at eggs they find while searching for food. They especially prefer small meals that fit well in their mouth so that they will not choke. However, since their diet includes meaty items and vegetation, you might be clear now that swordtail fish are not predatory.
This is the mistake that I made a lot as a beginner. I used only to give my swordtails shrimps, worms, and meat. As a result, the fish used to clear up all the plants present in the tank. But after some trials and errors, I now know the perfect diet for my fish.
Note: My perfect diet includes feeding them twice a day. Giving shrimps, worms, and other types of meat in the morning and blanched veggies at night.
Moreover, there are also many packaged foods in the market like pellets, betta, and frozen foods in the market. If you have tons of workload and do not enjoy cooking, these are best.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Swordtail fish must have a diet that includes plenty of plants. They need the nutrients served by plants too. Every food that exists in the world has its specific importance. Meat products alone will never compensate for the nutrients present in the plants. Therefore, you must be cautious and keep edible plants when you prepare your tank.
As I have mentioned earlier, I usually go for edible and smaller-slow growing plants that do not take much space and are easier to manage. After that, however, it is up to you what you want. I have already given you a few of the options. So, it’s time for you to choose. Just make sure that the plants are not dangerous for your fish. Also, do remember not to waste any nutrients and remove the uneaten decaying food from the bottom of the tank.
Thanks for reading! Hope you like it and will come back for more information.
Have a great day, and happy Swordtail keeping!
