A swordtail fish is a popular freshwater fish species among many aquarium hobbyists. They are also called beginner fish as they are the perfect choice for someone who has just gotten into aquarium fish keeping. They are the perfect fit for you because they are easy to care for. Although, it can sometimes be hard to keep them happy due to rookie mistakes. So, what are the 10 ways to keep your swordtail fish happy?
The most reliable way to ensure that your swordtails are happy in your tank is to care for all their necessities. Swordtails have their own way of living in the wild, so to keep them happy, you should take care of their housing requirements like tank size, water parameters, diet, friends, partners, diseases, etc.
This article will discuss 10 ways that you can adopt to keep your swordtail fish healthy and happy in your tank. But before that, let’s see what keeps your fish unhappy.
Signs That Your Swordtail Fish Is Unhappy
There are various reasons why your swordtail fish might not be happy in the home you’ve provided for them. Some of the signs of an unhappy swordtail fish are:
- Inactive and hiding behind the plants or other decorations
- Gasping at the surface of the tank
- Settling at the bottom
- Not Eating Properly
- Continuously rotating in a circle
To avoid such circumstances, you have to ensure your swordtail’s happiness. And here are 10 ways how to.
10 Best Ways To Keep Your Swordtail Fish Happy
The way to swordtail fish’s heart is their tank, water, and food requirements. The 10 best ways to keep swordtail fish happy are:
Help Your Swordtail Fish Adapt
Swordtail fish have their adaptability to certain environments. Before you keep a swordtail fish, you need to research what type of fish they are and what they like in their tank.
Understanding the type of fish will enable you to know their necessities like preferred water conditions, compatibility, and temperament. So, you can help your swordtail fish adapt to the new tank environment to keep them happy and healthy truly. This might help.
Tank Space
One thing swordtail fish like to do is swim around the tank. Swordtail fish are active swimmers and happily swim around the tank, engaging with other fish during the day. For this reason, you need to make sure that you house your swordtail fish in a spacious tank.
Another reason your swordtail fish needs a commodious tank is because the male swordtails are territorial and might attack fish trying to enter their territory.
Swordtail fish need sufficient space to move around and enough water for their oxygen needs.
One swordtail fish needs approximately 10 to 15 gallons. When choosing a tank, consider the number of fish and their size at full maturity. So, give your swordtail fish an appropriate housing to keep them happy.
Give Them A Natural Environment
Recreating the natural habitat is another way to keep your swordtail fish happy. Swordtail fish are freshwater fish that are found in tropical regions. They live in fast-running water bodies like streams, creeks, etc.
To simulate the natural habitat for swordtail fish in your tank, the bare minimum necessities are:
Warm Water:
Tropical regions are warm, so the water bodies there have warm temperatures, Therefore to keep your swordtail fish happy, provide them with warmer temperatures. More on this below; keep reading!
Live Plants:
Swordtail fish live in waters with lush vegetation. So they prefer live plants in their tank. The live plants not only provide them a homely feeling but will also check the water filtration. Moreover, it will also provide your fish with adequate hiding spots.
Substrate:
Swordtail fish usually swim in the middle regions of the tank, so they wouldn’t mind the kind of substrate you add. But swordtails prefer a particular kind of substrate, so make sure to add that to give your swordtails a natural environment.
Take Care Of The Water Parameters
Another way to make sure that your swordtail fish are happy is by maintaining water parameters. These might be the most crucial step in keeping swordtail fish healthy. The appropriate water parameter for a swordtail fish is
Temperature: 65-82 degrees Fahrenheit
Alkalinity: 12-30 DH
Water pH: 7.2-8.4
Swordtail fish like warm temperatures with slightly hard water. A neutral pH is necessary for the health and happiness of your swordtail fish. Keeping the right pH is important because a change in pH can affect your swordtail fish.
Similarly, keeping the hardness consistent and maintaining ideal water temperatures is also crucial to allow your fish to thrive in your aquarium.
Keep The Tank Clean
If your habitat is healthy, you are healthy and happy, and the same goes for your swordtails. If you provide your fish with a healthy home, they will remain happy. Keep your tank water clean, clear, and fresh. This will help you control the residues in the tank that pollutes your water. Or, you can use a gravel vacuum to siphon the water.
Likewise, remove excess algae in the tank as swordtails may suffer from various diseases. It is believed that swordtails eat algae, but excessive algae can be fatal to your tank and fish.
Moreover, please do not make the mistake of thinking that swordtail fish clean tanks themselves. They are not tank cleaners, so you need to figure out how to provide a healthy home for your swordtails.
Routine Water Changes
Water changes are an essential element to swordtail’s health and happiness. Swordtail fish are freshwater fish and need clean and fresh water. However, they also create a lot of waste, which is why water changes are important.
That said, you should also note that frequent water changes can harm your swordtail fish. Therefore, the golden rule is to change around 25% of the tank water every two months. This way, the water can be properly circulated and conditioned while also removing the debris.
Aquarium Equipment
Swordtail fish need a perfectly conditioned tank with appropriate setups to stay happy. Fortunately, there is a few pieces of equipment that can regulate the temperature and cleanliness of your tank. Some are:
Heaters:
As mentioned above, swordtail fish prefer warm temperatures. Although the range is pretty wide, you must have consistent temperatures to ensure your swordtail fish are not prone to diseases. For that reason, you should install a heater for your swordtail fish.
Filters:
Swordtail fish need clean water, and routine changes of water can suffice. But a filter will make your way job way faster and easier. A filter will collect all the dead and decayed residues to keep the tank water as clean as possible.
Air-pumps:
To keep your swordtail fish happy, you need well-oxygenated water. Air-pump will aerate your water and provide enough aeration through the faster gas exchange at the surface.
Water Current:
Swordtails have their origins in the fast-flowing rivers of Central and North America. The water current will provide them with the flow they require to move around. But too much water current can also be harmful.
Bubblers:
Now we all know that bubbles make a tank look exotic. But it also helps in aeration. Swordtail fish typically don’t need a bubbler, but having one in the tank is helpful to maintain oxygen levels and achieve a beautiful appearance. In addition, bubblers provide more oxygen for your fish.
Decors:
Another important tank setup is the decorations you use in the tanks. Some decors like driftwood, fake plants, real plants, shells, caves, pearls, etc., can beautify your tank. Not only that, but it also provides your swordtails with hiding spots to celebrate their me-time. So, decors might be a necessary addition to the tank. However, some decors like stones, driftwood, shells, etc., can fluctuate your water conditions, so be wary.
Health And Diet
Another essential factor to keep your swordtail happy is to protect them from diseases. Diseases and sickness can be fatal to your swordtail fish. Few diseases that swordtail fish suffer from are white spot (ich), fungus, swim bladder disease, etc. However, if not cured in time, it can even lead to death.
Now, prevention is better than cure. One good way to prevent these diseases is to provide swordtail fish with an adequate diet. Swordtail fish are omnivorous and require both meat and vegetable supplements. In addition, swordtail fish eat bloodworms, brine shrimps, daphnia, and a few kinds of algae.
Swordtails are voracious eaters and eat anything that fits into their mouth, including debris and residue. Eating too much-decayed foodstuff can also be detrimental to their health. So, you should provide them with a balanced diet with proteins, fibers, and vitamins.
Swordtail fish also accept pellets, wafers, and quality flake food.
Male-Female Ratio
Swordtail fish are prolific breeders and breed voluntarily without any initiation from the owner. Unfortunately, swordtails do not pair for life and have multiple partners. This is why you need to check the male-female ratio in your tank.
Swordtail males mate heavily, and this can be stressful if you have only one female swordtail in your tank. Therefore, the required male-female ratio is 1:3 so that multiple female swordtails can keep your male swordtail calm and occupied.
Introduce Compatible Tank Mates
One thing you need to know about swordtails is that they prefer to stay in groups. They are peaceful, amicable, and love to hang out with fish of similar temperament.
You need to introduce new tank mates for your swordtail fish to keep them happy. The best tank mates for your swordtail fish are those creatures that love engaging, are small and peaceful, and will not cross with your swordtail’s territory.
Swordtail will do great with other livebearers like Guppies, Platies, Mollies, some Cory, Catfish, and even some freshwater Shrimps and Snails.
Swordtail fish will be more active and less stressed when housed with compatible tank mates, which keeps them happy.
Thus, these are proven 10 ways in which you can keep your swordtail fish happy. But, of course, a way to any fish’s happiness is good and healthy living.
How To Tell If Your Swordtail Fish Is Happy?
It’s difficult to determine if a swordtail fish is a content, but one method to tell is to observe their behavior.
Excessive hiding or swimming towards the water’s edge to avoid being in it for long periods of time could be signs of an unhappy swordtail.
Swordtails will not come and tell you that they are happy, but clear eyes, shining scales, and good eating habits.
A joyful swordtail fish is more active and spends more time swimming through the water column. They’ll also swim to the surface for oxygen now and again.
Another indicator that a swordtail is content is if they are continually following or attempting to attract the attention of its owner.
Paying attention to your pet’s color is another way to tell how it feels about its surroundings.
If your swordtail’s coloring is dull or grayish, they may be unhappy with the habitat you’ve created for them. A healthy and happy pet, on the other hand, will have brilliant colors in its scales or tail fin.
If any of these symptoms appear, it may be time to make some changes to your swordtail’s surroundings.
Related Questions
Below are some of the burning questions on the internet regarding swordtail fish:
Are Swordtail Fish Dirty?
Swordtail fish isn’t foul. However, they do eat a lot and so create a lot of waste. So in that sense, they can sometimes pollute the tank.
But, they are tiny fish, and the largest amount of waste they excrete is still less and easy to clean.
Moreover, swordtails sometimes scrape off algae from the tank surface, helping you a little to clean the tank.
Are Pregnant Swordtails Unhappy?
Pregnancy can be a frustrating time for any female. Your female swordtail can be stressed out during her pregnancy and even more when the delivery is near.
But, that does not mean that they are unhappy; it’s just that they are in a stressful circumstance. You will want to keep a close eye on your swordtail fish so that they can have a safe and successful delivery.
Do Swordtail Fish Need Hiding Spots?
We know that swordtails like densely planted tanks. The reasons behind that are (i) it resonates with their natural habitat and (ii) provides plenty of hiding spots.
Yes, swordtail fish need hiding spots, especially when they are housed with large fish or when females are housed with aggressive males. Swordtails hide behind the spots when they are in danger, in stress, or need some me time.
Conclusion
Swordtail fish are wonderful pets. They are of many types, amicable, peaceful, and hardy. Likewise, they are also easy to care for and breed if you are looking into it.
We love our pets and only want the best for them, and with swordtails, it is close to effortless. With the right water and tank conditions, a balanced diet, and like-minded tank mates, swordtail fish will flourish in your tank.
Swordtail fish can be a wonderful addition to your tank, and their unique and colorful appearance can make any tank lively and mesmerizing.
I hope the 10 ways can come in handy to take care of your swordtail fish and keep them healthy and happy.
Good Luck! And Happy Fish Keeping!
