Swordtail fish are among the most beloved pet fish species because they are peaceful and easy to maintain. However, although swordtail fish holds the reputation of a peaceful community fish, they sometimes tend to get aggressive and show hostile behavior like attacking other fish. So, why is your swordtail fish attacking other fish?
Swordtails can turn aggressive and start attacking other fish. The reason behind the hostility can be many. Some common possible reasons are inappropriate water conditions, tank overcrowding, stress, illness, lousy tank mates, and a few of their behavioral characters like territoriality or bullying.
If your swordtails are constantly attacking their tank mates, it can cause severe damage like fin rot and injury, leading to infections or other diseases. So, you must be careful enough to prevent such hostility so all fish in the tank can thrive.
This article will help you clear all the doubts on the shift of behaviors of swordtail fish and how you can prevent it. So, keep reading!
Swordtail Fish: General Description
Swordtail fish, commonly known as Xiphophorus helleri, are small freshwater fish that reach a maximum length of six inches. They are members of the Poeciliidae family, which includes guppies and platies.
There are around 15 different species of swordtails that belong to this family. As a result, swordtails come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and colors. Above all, these fish are simple to care for and require little tank equipment to live a long life. As a result, they are popular among aquarists and breeders.
In addition, unlike other fish, swordtails give birth to their offspring. As a result, this fish has become a popular object of study among breeders.
Behavior Of Swordtail Fish
Swordtails are a great addition to any community tank. They are friendly, peaceful, and love being in the company of others. Swordtail fish are easier to care for because they are calm and kind. While roaming the tank, they like interacting with other fish. Even though they are not a shoaling species, they still love to gather in groups on occasion.
However, aggression is a possibility, particularly among males. Due to their territorial nature, numerous males in the same tank are prone to demonstrate hostility towards one another. Therefore, to keep the tank peaceful, you will require a larger female-to-male ratio (4 females to 1 male).
Do Swordtail Fish Attack Other Fish?
Swordtail fish are naturally aggressive. If you fulfill all their requirements in the tank, you will never have to see your swordtail fish attacking other fish. It’s inappropriate that causes your swordtail to act out.
You will find your swordtail fish attacking other fish in the tank or picking up a fight at times. There are many reasons why that could happen. However, food, mating, and territory are the main reasons a swordtail fish may become violent.
So, yes, swordtail fish do attack each other, but not by instinct. It happens only when they aren’t happy and satisfied with the home you’ve provided.
Why Is My Swordtail Fish Attacking Other Fish?
Here are some of the reasons your swordtail fish go around chasing and attacking other fish:
Territorial Nature
The swordtail fish is calm and gentle. However, this does not imply that they will welcome all invaders. On the contrary, they have a strong sense of self-protection when it comes to their personal space. When other fish try to encroach on their territory, they will attack them to defend themselves.
Stress
Swordtail fish are particularly vulnerable. Even minor changes in their water parameters cause them to become worried and disturbed. When these fish are in unfamiliar or crowded conditions, they feel threatened. As a result, when they come across intruders in their domain, they frequently attack other fish. This is especially true for swordtail fish that share a tank with larger or more territorial swordtail species.
Sickness
When unwell, swordtail fish become more aggressive. These fish are fragile due to health difficulties and infections. They frequently misinterpret even minor changes in the surroundings as a threat. In addition, health problems might lead to a lack of appetite and energy.
After a while, a sick swordtail gets so sensitive that it will attack every nearby item in defense.
Overcrowded Tank
When your swordtail fish’s tank isn’t big enough for them to swim around in, they can get hostile. A good rule of thumb is that every swordtail should have ten gallons of water. Also, each tank should have not more than two swordtails. If they begin to attack other fish, you should probably give them more room.
Hunger
If they don’t have enough food, swordtail fish will attack other swordtails or other fish in general. So make sure you feed your swordtails twice a day and give them plenty of room to swim around without colliding with one another.
Need For Companionship
Swordtail fish prefer to be in groups, and if other fish do not surround them, they may become aggressive. Similarly, these fish are gregarious creatures who require the company of their peers.
They lack a proper tank mate when kept with a loner fish or any other aggressive fish, making them hostile.
Because of their loneliness, swordtail fish may attack other fish in the tank.
Thus, these are some possible reasons swordtail fish attack other fish.
How To Prevent Swordtails From Attacking Other Fish?
There are a few things you may do to keep swordtails from attacking other fish in the aquarium.
Because swordtail fish are territorial, the first thing you need to do is make sure your aquarium has enough room for everyone. After that, these fish get along with other little, peaceful fish that aren’t as colorful as koi or guppies and don’t have long fins.
Furthermore, the following are some helpful hints for preventing swordtail fish from attacking other fish:
- Before adding any extra fish, make sure you allow them plenty of time to grow used to their environment.
- Swordtails also require a lot of plant stuff since it provides cover and encourage them to avoid fighting.
- In addition, providing them with hiding spots where they may dart in and out will limit the number of swordtail conflicts in your tank.
- If you have both male and female swordtail fish in your tank, they will often fight, so make sure you only have one male swordtail at a time. If you wish to keep more than one swordtail in the same tank, keep them all as females or juveniles until they are old enough to breed.
- Remember that swordtails are sensitive, so don’t overstock the aquarium with more swordtails or any other fish. This will make them more stressed and cause them to pick on one other more than usual.
In this way, you might be able to control the aggressive behavior of swordtail fish and stop them from attacking other fish.
FAQs
How To Control Aggression In Swordtail Fish?
If their needs aren’t addressed, swordtail fish can become violent. Therefore, understanding the reasons for aggression in your fish and what could spark it is crucial to taming it.
Aggressive swordtails can seriously injure passive fish in the tank. As a result, separating the aggressive fish can help reduce the amount of harm caused by hostility.
Thus, separating the bully, rearranging your tank decorations, and providing hiding spots can control aggressive swordtail fish. Feeding your agitated fish can also help to calm them down.
Conclusion
In conclusion, swordtail fish might show aggression and start attacking other fish. If this goes on for long, the fish in your tank can get injured, which invites parasites and infections.
This can put the whole tank in danger of getting sick, so you should try and control the aggressive swordtail fish by separating them so that all the fish in your tank can thrive to their respective fullest.
I hope this blog was informative about this behavior of swordtail fish. Thanks for reading!