Swordtail fish fall under the list of one of the most loved pet fish among aquarists. They do not take much space and are easy to care for, making them perfect for new and old-time keepers. Therefore, if you are planning on getting a pet fish, I would one hundred percent recommend getting a swordtail fish as they don’t need too much attention, and you can take proper care of them with fewer expenses. Hence, if you plan to keep a swordtail fish, the first thing you need to consider is the ideal tank size for swordtail fish.
The ideal tank size depends on how you wish to keep your swordtails. A single swordtail requires a 15-gallon free tank space as they like to swim around. But since swordtails prefer being in a group of similar kinds, each additional swordtail fish need an extra 5-6 gallon tank space.
Another thing you will need to consider while choosing the ideal tank for swordtail fish because these fish are livebearers and give birth to hundreds of young fry in no time. Likewise, they grow about 5-6 inches long and are active swimmers. So, it is better to provide your swordtails with abundant swimming space to keep them happily swimming and healthy.
This blog post will answer all your queries on tank space for swordtails and more so you can provide the best for your swordtail fish.
Do Swordtails Like To Live In A Tank?
In the wild, swordtails are found in freshwater rivers and creeks. But captive breeding has made swordtails an excellent aquarium fish, especially for beginners. Swordtails are bred as aquarium fish and are most popular among the list. So, yes, swordtails like to live in the tank until you provide the best environment for them.
Swordtails are hardy fish and can survive extreme tank conditions. However, they need a well-built ecosystem for healthy living, so you need to provide clean water, enough swimming space, and some hiding spots like plants and caves.
What Is The Ideal Tank Size For Swordtail Fish?
As mentioned above, the appropriate tank size for a swordtail is up to 15 gallons. Although you can go to the least minimum of 10 gallons, they would still feel a little cramped. Moreover, since we recommend keeping swordtail fish in a group of at least five, a minimum of 30-40 gallon tank is preferred to keep them all happy and satisfied.
As mentioned earlier, the ideal tank size for your swordtail fish depends on the size and number of swordtail fish you have:
Ideal Tank Size For A Single Swordtail Fish
Swordtail fish are about six inches long so that they can fit into a five-gallon aquarium. Still, for a single swordtail fish, a tank of roughly 15 gallons is ideal.
Swordtails grow quickly, and if kept in a tiny tank, they may outgrow it. As a result, most experts advise against keeping these fish alone. If you only want to keep one swordtail fish, ensure you have adequate area for it with natural plants, decorations, an air pump, filters, and a heater.
Ideal Tank Size For Swordtail Fish Living With Other Swordtails
Swordtail fish should be kept in groups of five in a tank with a minimum capacity of 29 gallons. These fish can survive in even the tiniest of aquariums. However, keep in mind that swordtails produce a lot of trash. Therefore, when keeping swordtails alongside other swordtails, it’s crucial to examine the water quality.
Thus, weekly water changes of at least 50% and the use of a filter and suitable illumination are essential. However, it is advisable to keep two swordtails in every twenty-gallon tank or one swordtail each at least ten-gallon tank while keeping swordtails. It allows you to clean the tank more easily and guarantees that all fish have ample space.
Ideal Tank Size For Swordtail Fish And Other Fish
You can keep swordtail fish in tanks ranging from five to one hundred gallons. Swordtail fish do not require schooling and coexist peacefully with other non-aggressive fish species such as platies, mollies, catfish, corydoras, shrimps, and snails.
Of course, you can keep a single swordtail fish in a tank as little as 10 gallons. But, on the other hand, Swordtail fish will be considerably happier in tanks ranging from thirty to forty-five gallons if kept with other peaceful species.
What Are The Tank Requirements For Swordtail Fish?
Swordtail fish are hardy and can tolerate a wide range of tank conditions. You can take great care of your swordtail fish if you take proper care of their diet and water parameters. However, to ensure they do not get sick, you need to fulfill the basic tank requirements of your fish.
Some of the tank requirements for keeping swordtails are:
Sufficient Space
Swordtail fish should be housed in at least a 30-gallon tank, though they can thrive in smaller tanks if the right circumstances are provided. Because these fish grow so quickly, they require plenty of room to move about freely.
Smaller tanks encourage swordtails to bump into one other and become aggressive. Therefore, the most accessible approach to keeping swordtails together is providing at least 20-30 liters of room.
Conditions of the Water
Changes in water temperature and pH levels can harm swordtail fish. As a result, you must ensure that they have access to clean water and consistent temperatures (preferably 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit).
Aside from that, swordtails like water with a pH of 7.5-8.5, no nitrites or nitrates, and moderate hardness. As a result, you must be cautious of all of these water characteristics.
Changing at least half of your tank’s water weekly is usually the best strategy to ensure its water quality. But, first, make that the air pumps, filters, and heaters are all working correctly.
Adequate Lighting
Swordtail fish are active at night and frequently fetch their prey. As a result, they require sufficient lighting to guarantee that they remain safe and do not collide with the tank’s vegetation or other creatures. However, too much light can kill these fish.
As a result, fluorescent lights with a wattage of no more than one watt per gallon should be used in your fish tank.
Swordtail fish thrive in a vibrant habitat. As a result, you may utilize multicolored LED lights to keep swordtails healthy and happy.
Live Plants And Hiding Spots
When they are not exploring the tank, swordtail fish spend the majority of their time in plants. These fish give birth to their young plants, hide from plant predators, and occasionally eat plants. But, most crucially, when swordtails are sick, they sleep on the plants until they recover.
So it’s great if you have a lot of live plants for them to investigate. Anubias, Java Fern, and Moss are all favorites of Swordtails. They also enjoy eating algae from plants. As a result, you don’t have to worry about the tank’s cleanliness when you have swordtails.
How To Maintain A Good Tank For Your Swordtail Fish?
The popularity of swordtails skyrocketed in just a few decades. So it’s no surprise that swordtail fish are becoming more and more popular as pets in households across America, thanks to their gorgeous color and easy-care nature. First, however, there are a few things to think about before purchasing your swordtail tank.
Molly fish enjoy swimming and playing. As a result, having a tank with some depth would be ideal. Swordtail fish, on the other hand, tend to leap from the aquarium. So, if the opening on your tank is high enough, they might be able to jump out!
Here’s how you can maintain a perfect tank for your swordtail fish:
- An open-top or even one with mesh across the top where they can’t tumble out will gratify a swordtail. Swordtail fish require a filter in their tank and 50 percent water changes once a week, or more frequently if necessary.
- Swordtail fish also appreciate having some plants to rest on. However, be sure that none of the plants have sharp edges that could harm the fish’s sensitive skin and scales.
- A nice tank for this lovely fish would include at least 20 gallons of water and some hiding places.
- Similarly, swordtail fish require the company of other fish to avoid becoming lonely and unhealthy.
Where Else Can Swordtail Fish Be Kept?
Of course, regular fish tanks aren’t the only options for your swordtail fish. You can provide a unique home for your swordtail fish with different types of tanks. In addition, other types of tanks with varied dimensions and shapes can be a wonderful home for your swordtails.
Some of the popular types of the tank for swordtails are:
Tank
The swordtail fish tank is one of the most well-known fish aquariums. This is because it’s the ideal size for keeping tiny fish. It also has a heater to maintain the water at a comfortable temperature for the swordtails.
Because of its size and design, a tank is usually simple to clean. There’s also lots of room for the fish to swim around, which helps with anxiety issues while keeping swordtails for long periods.
Furthermore, you can get a tank in a variety of sizes to meet your needs. A 30-gallon tank, however, is the most acceptable option for housing roughly six swordtails. You can, however, raise the tank’s size if you want to keep more fish.
Fish Bowl
A fishbowl is approximately eight inches tall and six inches broad. Swordtail fish usually don’t have enough room to swim around in. They can also jump out of this style of tank swiftly. As a result, getting an extra lid that seals the fishbowl tightly on all sides is critical.
Furthermore, the fishbowl lacks sufficient capacity to include essential equipment such as air pumps, filters, plants, decorations, and tank mates. Swordtails pollute their environment more quickly than fishbowls since they are smaller. As a result, you must clean the fishbowl and change the water regularly.
Nano Tank
A nano tank is designed for keeping small, energetic fish such as swordtails. However, they do not have enough room in their house to devote an entire space or even half of a room to a fish tank. Therefore, the suggested minimum water capacity for this sort of tank is 10 gallons.
The measurements are approximately twelve inches tall by six inches broad. Nano tanks are equipped with heaters, allowing swordtails to swim in a pleasant environment at all times. In these tanks, feeding your fish is also a lot easier. As a result, it aids swordtail fish is growing even more significantly than their natural size.
Aquarium
An aquarium differs from other types of tanks in that it can easily accommodate many swordtail fish. However, the maximum number of swordtail fish that you should keep in an aquarium is ten. In addition, the aquarium’s minimum water capacity should be at least twenty gallons.
In addition, the aquarium offers ample space for plants, other non-aggressive tank mates, and tank equipment to aid your fish’s health.
Because swordtail fish are sociable animals, it’s advisable to keep them together then hold each fish alone. However, when you leave swordtails alone for a lengthy period, they are more prone to become stressed and acquire ailments.
Betta Bowl
A Betta bowl is a little bowl that you can use to keep your swordtails in. It is approximately six inches tall and two to three inches wide. But the most significant feature is the cover, which keeps your swordtail from escaping.
Your fish will be able to swim freely in the Betta bowl, which is also very easy to clean. As a result, these bowls are less prone to accumulate ammonia and negatively impact the swordtail’s surroundings.
This type of tank, however, does not contain a heater. As a result, you’ll need to keep the room where these bowls are kept warm at all times.
Therefore, these are the various options that can be a suitable home for your swordtails.
Can Swordtails Live In A Pond?
Swordtails are commonly kept in aquariums or tanks. Ponds, on the other hand, are a good place for your swordtails to live. In addition, ponds are ideal for swordtails because they include many other swordtails with swordtail fish-like interacting.
In addition, the properties of tank water differ from those of pond water. As a result, there will be specific issues in a pond, but swordtails can live there if these issues are correctly treated.
Swordtail fish are tropical fish that prefer warm weather. Similarly, they are unusually energetic and enjoy swimming. So, unless the weather turns cold, your swordtails will be OK.
FAQs
How Many Swordtail Fish Should You Keep Together?
The amount of swordtails you keep is purely determined by the size of your aquarium. Swordtails do not shoal or school-like other fish. However, they prefer to be in groups of 4-5 people who are well-suited to each other.
If you wish to obtain Swordtail fish for your aquarium, make sure to keep track of their numbers. This is because the amount of swordtail fish in a tank affects their behavior.
Swordtail fish are active and happy when they are in a group. This keeps them comfortable, engaged, and disease-free. As a result, depending on the size of your tank and the gender of your swordtails, 4 to 6 swordtails are the optimal number.
Are Swordtail Fish Schooling Fish?
Swordtails, on the other hand, are not schooling fish. Schooling occurs when a large group of the same kind of fish moves around in a synchronized fashion. Swordtails are unlikely to be seen swimming in schools. Hence we cannot consider them schooling fish.
Swordtails are strong swimmers who prefer to be in groups, although they are not schooling fish. They enjoy going on adventures and interacting with other fish. As a result, you can always find them in groupings with which they are suitable. They will not, however, be depicting schooling conduct.
Conclusion
Swordtail fish are the most common fish in aquariums. They can adapt to various water conditions as long as you provide them with the essential requirements for oxygen, space, and water parameters. Swordtails will be delicate in any tank size, big or tiny, if you maintain appropriate tank conditions.
A 15-gallon tank is the ideal tank size for a single swordtail fish, and a 30-gallon tank is suitable for a group. Beginners and seasoned fishkeepers alike can enjoy the swordtail fish. They are robust fish that can adapt to a wide range of water conditions, and their aquariums are simple to keep clean.
I hope you found the information above to be helpful. Thank you for taking the time to read this!
