Swordtail fish are popular freshwater aquarium pets. They come in various colors, and they are effortless to care for, which is why people love them so much. But do swordtails eat dead fish?
The answer is yes, but only if the swordtail feels threatened or hungry enough. They tend to eat dead animals and plants if there is no other food available. Also, swordtails will nibble on anything smaller and not moving. Thus, swordtails will peck the flesh of the dead fish in your tank. It’s just nature.
This blog post will talk about what swordtails eat and are interested in eating their dead tank mates.
Eating Habits Of A Swordtail Fish
So, to answer the question “Do Swordtails Eat Dead Fish?” we must first discuss what a swordtail eats in general. Yes, they have been known to nibble on any smaller food when no other options are available. This includes their dead tank mates.
Swordtails are omnivorous, so their diet contains both plants and animals. They will eat flakes and any plant matter that is small enough to fit in their mouths. They also enjoy live worms, snails, bloodworms, and mosquito larvae.
Swordtails are also known to eat off residues of dead plant and animal matter in the tank. They are scavengers and feed on anything that is easy to get and fits right into their mouth.
Do Swordtails Eat Dead Fish?
Swordtail will take a bite of everything they see. So, if they see a body of flesh not moving, it’s natural that they will peck on them. Thus, yes, your swordtails will eat dead fish.
Swordtails will eat dead fish as long as they can get to them and see that they’re there in the first place. This doesn’t happen only if you keep your swordtail in an aquarium with plants on the bottom, so they have no way of seeing them.
However, dead fish rot easily, and it is not best for your swordtail to eat dead fish. Eating dead fish in the tank can lead to serious health hazards.
Swordtails are small fish and cannot be used as tank cleaners. Hence, if you see a dead fish in your swordtail tank, remove it and clean your tank immediately.
Do Swordtail Fish Attack Other Fish?
Swordtail fish are mostly non-aggressive. They only attack one another when they feel territorial, and even then, the fights don’t last very long.
Swordtails will defend themselves if the other individual is more aggressive than them. They will do this by staying out of reach and using their long tail to attack. When the aggressor is closer, they may use a bite or nip at them with their teeth.
Swordtails are more likely to fight when there’s not enough space for all of the fish in an aquarium. The attacks usually take place if there are multiple male swordtails in the tank.
The fights are usually not dangerous; however, if you have one weaker fish, he may end up dead.
Will Swordtails Kill To Eat?
Swordtails love live foods like bloodworms, mosquito larvae, etc. They are also seen nibbling on fish and other crustaceans that are in the tank. But, they rarely attack other fish in the tank to eat. So, the answer to this question is no.
Swordtails are also seen eating dead or decaying matter that collects in their tank-like rotting leaves and other vegetation. They use their long sword-like noses as a tool for digging in the sand substrate and filtering out food to eat from it.
The diet of Swordtails typically consists of live foods such as bloodworms, mosquito larvae, etc.; they will occasionally nibble on fish and crustaceans which are already in the tank but rarely attack other fish unless there’s nothing else available.
Do Swordtails Eat Dead Shrimps Or Snails?
Swordtails will eat your shrimps and snails, dead or alive. These creatures are tinier than swordtails, and in a swordtail world, if it fits, they eat.
If you have housed your swordtails with shrimps or snails, make sure you have enough hiding spots for these creatures. Otherwise, your swordtail will get after them.
Swordtails eat brine shrimp as a part of their diet. So, it will be no problem for them to eat up dead shrimps or snails.
Are Swordtail Scavengeres?
Scavengers are the type of fish that eat debris, dead plants and fish, and algae. Swordtails do not eat dead material as a part of their usual diet but will not restain from scavenging the leftover food or algae in your tank.
Swordtails are scavengers. They will eat any food available to them in the tank, but they rarely attack other fish or crustaceans for their own consumption unless there’s nothing else available.
Swordtails are voracious eaters and eat anything they find unthreatening. You all see them trying to eat the shrimps and snails in your tank. Moreover, they also eat their newborns.
So, dead fish is a feast for your swordtail.
Why Should Swordtails Not Eat Dead Fish In The Tank?
Swordtails are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both plants and animals. The reason swordtails should not eat dead fish in the tank is because it can lead to a build-up of nitrates in the water, which reduces oxygen levels, causing asphyxiation for them.
Dead fish decay in your tank. If you do not remove it thinking it would be good food for your swordtails, you are wrong! the decaying causes the ammonia in your water to spike up, causing major deterioration in your swordtail’s health.
The carcass may contain bacteria that can infect the fish. Some other reasons why swordtails should not eat dead fish in the tank is because it can lead to malnutrition, sicknesses, and decrease inactivity.
If you want your swordtail healthy for as long as possible, do not feed them dead animal carcasses or decaying animals that have died on their own accord!
How To Remove Dead Fish From The Tank?
If you want to remove the dead fish from your tank, it is recommended that you use a siphon. When sucking up the carcass, make sure not to suck up any of the sand or gravel at the bottom of your tank because this will also lead to problems with nitrates and asphyxiation.
When removing decaying animal tissues, please do so in small batches where there’s no chance for all of them to be pulled out at once, which would cause a spike in ammonia levels due to their decay.
The easiest way would probably be using an aquarium net without getting too close to these animals since they can inflict wounds on bare skin (skin covered by clothes isn’t affected). If possible, get someone else who has gloves on hand before.
Should I Change Water After Removing The Dead Fish?
You might be wondering if you should change the water in your tank after removing a dead fish. This question is not necessarily, but we recommend doing a partial water change for some heavily stocked tanks with live plants and fish.
However, other factors like how much food was left behind on the floor of your aquarium by both living and deceased organisms can also contribute to excess waste building up over time.
If there’s no visible evidence of debris or significant levels of nitrates, then you may want to consider just leaving it alone as opposed to changing out all the water, which will result in upheaval for any life forms remaining alive around the edges of your tank.
Conclusion
Swordtails eat dead fish. But, it is a good idea to keep them away from eating any other fishes that have died in your tank – this includes snails and shrimp as well!
