Swordtail fish are a lot of fun to watch as they swim around the tank, but did you know that there is more than meets the eye when it comes to these small creatures? So if you are looking at your swordtail fry and wondering how big swordtail fish grow, this article is just for you.
Swordtail fish are small livebearer tropical fish. The size of the swordtail fish varies according to gender. An average male swordtail grows to a maximum of 5.5 inches, and an average female swordtail fish will grow to 6.3-7 inches.
Swordtail fish fry are about 0.25 inches at birth and grow to the maximum size of 5-6 inches under optimum tank conditions.
Did you know that swordtail fish grow in size and develop at different rates depending on their environment? This blog post will talk about how big do swordtail fish get and other interesting facts.
Size Of Average Swordtail Fish
The average swordtail fish is five or six inches long when fully grown in its natural habitat when it comes to size. However, these fish can vary as much as ten centimeters (four inches) between males and females, with the male being larger than female swordtails on average.
This isn’t necessarily true for a captive-bred swordtail which may not reach that length because of space constraints and other restrictions imposed by captivity. In captivity, your swordtail will likely be smaller than that because it won’t be able to get as big.
It’s hard to know how big your average swordtail will get when it reaches maturity because the size of the fish depends on various factors. These include:
- the type and length of your swordtail’s habitat
- the temperature in its environment
- the availability – or lack thereof – of live food sources for your pet to consume
Swordtails grow at different rates depending on how much room they have, the temperature, and food availability.
Swordtails grow at different rates depending on how much room they have, the temperature, and whether there’s a live food source for them to eat.
How Big Does A Pet Swordtail Fish Get?
A swordtail fish will typically reach about six inches long when fully grown. However, the size of the fish varies depending on if it is a male or female and whether or not they are in their natural habitat. In captivity, swordtails may grow up to five inches long, smaller than what you might expect them to be in nature.
Your average swordtail size depends on many factors, including its environment (length of the habitat, temperature) and whether they have a live food source. If you’re keeping your swordtail in captivity, it will likely be about five inches long when fully grown.
Swordtail Fish Growing Stage
If you are looking for a pet fish and want to keep one in your tank, know that swordtail fish are very prolific breeders. When males and females have the proper balance, swordtail fish will have hundreds of babies every month. Understanding at what stage your swordtail life cycle changes helps you find ways to care for them more effectively.
The size of swordtail fish at different stages of life are as follows:
Week 1-4: Fry Stage
In the fry stage of their growth, swordtails are quite tiny and measure 0.25 inches after birth. However, after four weeks (i.e., when they become fry), a swordtail is double in size since its birth and can also grow up to 0.50 inches in size!
Week 4-8: Juvenile Stage
During these weeks, the fry grows into a juvenile. A normal Juvenile fry is 1 inch in size and doesn’t grow around much. The maximum a Juvenile can grow is up to 1.5 inches.
Week 8-12: Young Swordtail
This stage is when the young Juvenile slowly changes into an adult swordtail. A young swordtail will grow to the full-fledged adult almost which is around 2 inches.
Week 12+: Adult Swordtail
This is the final growth stage of a swordtail fish after about six months old. Adult swordtails measure around 5-5.5 inches. This is especially seen in an adult female swordtail, which grows up to 2 inches longer than males.
Reasons Why Your Swordtail Fish Isn’t Growing
There might be some issues if you have a swordtail fry and it is not growing as the stages estimated above.
Here are some of the reasons for the delayed growth of a fry:
Bad Water Parameters
Swordtail fish are quite sensitive toward changes in water parameters. Therefore, keeping them in the most unfavorable environment according to these factors will stress them out.
This stress can inhibit your swordtail from growing any farther.
Overcrowded Tank
Like I’ve told you already, your swordtail tank can get overcrowded really soon. So, if you haven’t controlled their population, high nitrogen levels and lack of area to swim around can invite stress on your fish, delaying their growth.
Insufficient Nutrition
Perhaps the worst thing is letting your swordtail go hungry for weeks.
But wait! Fatty food like heart, beef, and so on are equally bad for the growth of fry and juvenile swordtail fish.
Moreover, if you’re giving low-quality food to your swordtail fry, chances are they’re not going to grow properly.
Genetics
Unlike all the reasons above, which are caused by negligence, this reason is that your swordtail may be bred to be a dwarf swordtail!
There is a dwarf swordtail that is bred to look cute and tiny for an aquarium.
How To Help Swordtail Fish Develop Faster?
Providing ideal conditions for your swordtail will ensure rapid growth and development for your swordtail fish.
Some of the instructions are:
Providing Good Nutrition
Providing a healthy diet for your swordtail fish will ensure it grows and develops normally.
You should provide foods high in Omega-three fatty acids and calcium, proteins, and vitamins A & D.
Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp, Mosquito larvae, ALgae wafers are some of the most liked diets of swordtail fish.
Maintaining Water Parameters
Swordtail fish can grow and develop only if the water parameters are maintained. You should maintain a 73-80 degrees Fahrenheit temperature, with a pH level between six to eight, alkalinity levels at or below 50 ppm, and hardness less than 20 dGH.
Keeping Your Swordtail Fish in an Appropriate Size Tank
It is advisable to keep your swordtail fish in a tank that has the capacity for its maximum size.
This will ensure that the fish does not become stunted and its growth is not hindered.
It should be kept in a tank with at least 50 gallons of water, lit from below to create a natural flow through the top layers of your aquarium.
Maintaining the Right Level of Light
Swordtail fish thrive in an environment with moderate levels of natural light, so you should make sure that they are not kept under excessively bright conditions for too long.
For example, if your swordtail is being raised indoors, it will require at least eight hours per day of light.
In this way, you might be able to influence the growth rate of your swordtail fish.
FAQs
Some frequently asked questions are answered below.
What Is The Lifespan Of A Swordtail Fish?
The Lifespan of a swordtail fish is about 3-5 years.
To ensure the longevity of swordtail fish, you should take care of factors like water parameters, adequate diet, stress-free environment, etc.
Do Different Types Of Swordtails Have Different Size?
There are around 15 known species of swordtail fish. Captive breeding generated some through laboratory breeding procedures into different sizes, patterns, and colors.
Yes, swordtail fish size may vary according to the type. For Example, Green Swordtails grow up to 5.5 inches; Red Swordtails grow up to 6.5 inches, etc.
Conclusion
Therefore, average swordtails grow up to 5-6 inches along with a long attractive sword-like tail in males. And, the females grow about an inch or two longer.
Don’t be discouraged if your swordtail fish isn’t growing as quickly as you want it to! Various factors can affect the size and development speed of your pet.
So, ensure they have sufficient space, enough room where their food doesn’t go bad too fast (live or frozen), and plenty of warmth.
