Swordtails are a species of fish that is commonly bred in aquariums. They are known for their beautiful colors and the way they swim together. However, one question people often wonder about swordtails is whether or not the female swordtail fish give birth all at once.
Generally, yes, a pregnant swordtail will give birth all at once. She will drop around 100-150 fry at one time.
However, we have also seen cases of swordtails taking about 48 hours to give birth, taking breaks in between because pregnancy is hectic, even for fish.
But, this is in the rarest of cases. Swordtail fish usually have a high ability to give birth to all baby swordtails at once.
Keep reading this blog post to find out all relevant facts on swordtail breeding.
Swordtail Breeding
After the mating, swordtail female starts to develop zygotes inside their belly. Then, the zygotes slowly develop into tiny little fry, and you can see this through the dark gravid spot that develops near the anal fin of the female swordtail. This is how you know that your swordtail female is pregnant.
After about 28 days, the swordtail female is ready to give birth. How will you know? She will limit her movements and will hide among the plants. If not already, this should be the right cue for you to shift her into a separate tank.
The labor can take a few hours. Swordtails give birth to almost 150 fry at one time. Some swordtails like to take a rest in between birthing, maybe because she is tired.
Then comes the cute little fry that will immediately start swimming all over the tank.
How To Know If Your Swordtail Is Pregnant?
After maturation, your swordtail fish can be pregnant throughout her life. In addition, female swordtails can store sperms in their pouch, giving them the ability to breed even without a male. So, how do you know if your swordtail is pregnant?
Firstly, you will notice that your swordtail’s belly is larger than usual and keeps on increasing in size with time.
Then, she will produce a dark black gravid spot near her anal fin. This is her uterus bulging against her skin from the inside. The dark spots might be tiny eyes of the fish fry growing inside.
This can be a sure sign to know that your swordtail is pregnant.
Is Your Swordtail About To Give Birth?
How do you know if your swordtail is ready to spawn? Here are some signs you should be careful about:
- Have a better look at the gravid spot. As the spot gets darker, your fish is more close to the labor.
- The belly of your swordtail is large and slightly squared. This is a sign that labor is around the corner.
- Your fish becomes inactive. They will limit their movement and stay in one corner of the tank, ready to give birth.
It would help if you were very careful to look after your fish after the pregnancy. Make sure to read all the signs and do all you can to facilitate the birthing process.
Does Swordtail Fish Give Birth All At Once?
As the Swordtail fish are not large-sized, many people wonder if they give birth to many or a little at once. If you think alike, here is what you should learn!
A female swordfish usually give birth to all her baby fish at once. It is hard for the female swordfish to give birth to so many babies, but it is true! The female swordfish usually have around 100 baby fish at a time.
Here, don’t get confused, as all the hatched eggs in pregnant swordtails are born at once. This is because they can indeed store sperm from males for a long span. But once the fertilized eggs turn into fry, pregnant swordtails give birth to them all at once.
Besides, the swordtail fish breeds quite regularly. So, you can expect a large number of fries to be born when she gives birth.
Can Swordtails Give Birth Over A Few Days?
Swordtails usually give birth all at once. However, they sometimes give birth over a few days. It’s rare to see them giving birth over a few days, but it does happen! So if you’re worried about your Swordtail being pregnant and have seen her struggling for labor, chances are she will take a break to birth all the live fry.
Swordtails can give birth over 48 hour period. Therefore, it is important to set up a proper environment for the parents and babies to feel safe and secure.
You’ll need a small tank (no more than 20 gallons) with plenty of plants, rocks, or wood; some live plants are ideal because they provide food and shelter as well as oxygen – either a filter or air pump to keep the tank clean and provide oxygen; a heater (if it is winter).
Swordtail Fish Fry Care
Now that we know swordtail fish fry give birth t 100-150 fry all at once, it is important to ensure the survival of almost all the fry. Mostly, swordtails eat their babies. Therefore, after your female swordtail gives birth, you must be cautious about saving the fry. Here are some measures to take care of the babies:
Separating The Parents
Immediately move her to the primary tank once your swordtail finishes popping fry in a separate breeding tank.
Labor fatigue can make a female hungry, and she will more likely feed on her babies. That is why, after birthing, move her to another tank.
Hiding places:
Add plants to the aquarium that are thick and provides a lot of coverage in the tank. Live plants like hornworts, guppy grass, java moss, etc., will increase the survival rate of your swordtail fry. In addition, the plants will give them coverage until they become juveniles and hang out with other fish in the tank.
Proper Feeding
Your swordtail fry will need a proper supplement for the sake of proper development and growth. In addition, swordtails are omnivores when in the natural environment. Therefore, you have to provide them with a balanced diet that contains all the necessary nutrients like protein and fibers.
Swordtails fry eat in smaller proportions, and they will feed more often. Therefore, drop food in smaller portions several times a day. Make sure not to overfeed them.
These are some of how we can save the swordtail fry.
FAQs
Below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions related to swordtails giving birth.
Do Swordtails Die After Giving Birth?
No, Swordtail fish do not usually die right after giving birth. However, sometimes due to difficulty in labor, repeated pregnancies, previous diseases, stress, and other such factors.
Thus, we must be careful about the health conditions of a pregnant swordtail when she is close to giving birth.
Do Swordtails Give Birth At Night?
Swordtails give birth mostly at night to protect the fry from predators or other fish in the tank.
However, we have also seen them birthing during the day. So, swordtails give birth whenever they are ready.
Conclusion
Swordtail fish usually give birth all at once. Swordtail fish give birth to 100-150 fry at a time. And after giving birth, pregnant swordtails stay in the birthing tank for about 24 hours before returning to their regular and primary tanks.
Swordtail fry needs additional care after they are born. They are born ready to swim and usually do not need parental care. However, they are in constant danger from other fish, so they need extra care.
