You’ve had your first batch of small baby swordtail fry, but they’re transparent beige and don’t appear particularly appealing right now. Not exactly what you were hoping for? Don’t worry; your swordtail fry will start to develop some colors and personality before long. There are a few things you can do to assist them.
Swordtail fry starts to develop some color when they are 1 week to 6 weeks old. At first sight, you might find your swordtail fish bland and not as fancy. However, once they grow up a bit, they will eventually start to show colors.
Adult swordtail fish come in various colors. Moreover, captive cross-breeding has led to the development of vibrant colors and patterns in swordtail fish. But when they are born, they are clear and have no colors; some might have spots. They develop colors as they grow along. The development of colors also highly depends upon how to take care of the swordtail fry.
If you want to know all about swordtail fish fry color, this is just the article for you!
How Long Does It Take For Swordtail Fry To Develop Their Colors?
It’s fascinating to watch a young swordtail fry move around. But the fry is not as colorful as your adult swordtails. So, when will swordtail fry begin to develop its color?
The time a swordtail fry will take to develop or show its color is not definite. Various factors influence the development of colors in swordtail fry, and individual fry may have individual timing.
When a swordtail fry is 1 to 6 weeks old, it begins to develop its colors. Swordtails begin to show color around the age of four to six weeks. Your swordtails will be fully colored by the time they reach the age of 8 to 10 weeks, depending on the strain.
However, keep in mind that this time period is not absolute and depends on each fry, especially how you care for the tank and water conditions.
When Do Swordtail Fry Get Colors?
Most swordtail fry when born are beige or transparent and develop colors as they mature. However, sometimes, swordtails with common colors like orange and olive green are seen to have the same colors even as babies.
Swordtail fry starts to show color from a month of birth. The colors are usually the same as their parents’. The intensity of colors and the pace of development depend on factors like water temperature, diet, etc.
Generally, swordtails will be bright and colorful if they are happy in your tank. However, if the tank conditions are not met, they can grow dull or even lose color.
When Do Male Swordtail Fry Get Their Colors?
Male swordtails are more vibrant than female swordtails, as you may have seen.
By the time they are a month old, male swordtail fry will have developed some color.
They begin to develop color on their tails initially, and by the time they are three months old, they have acquired the majority of their color.
However, how well you care for your swordtail fry will determine a lot of this. As previously said, swordtails gain their color if you feed them a well-balanced diet and living in a pleasant tank environment.
Why Are Male Swordtails More Colorful Than Female Swordtails?
In every species, mating is a common occurrence. Bright hues, on the other hand, are known to attract mates. The fact that male swordtails are more vibrant is due to this.
Male swordtails with bright colors are more likely to attract female swordtails. But, on the other hand, female swordtails can use it to find a better, healthier, and attractive spouse.
The prevalent consensus is that male swordtails are more vivid than female swordtails. But let’s take a closer look at this from a scientific standpoint.
Scientists discovered that male swordtails have chromosomes that solely pass on color to their male offspring. At the same time, the female offspring do not inherit any colors.
What Determines When A Swordtail Fry Will Develop Its Colors?
I have mentioned a couple of times above that several factors influence the pace development of colors in swordtail fry.
The factors are:
Genes
The first and most important component that determines the color of your swordtail is genetics. If you breed and raise a swordtail in your tank, you’ll see that the swordtail fry begins to develop its colors about the same time as the rest of the family.
However, If you get your swordtail fry from a breeder, you will have to wait and see. In this instance, it should begin to grow color between the ages of one and six weeks.
Diet
Its diet influences the color of a swordtail. Your diet determines the rate at which your swordtail grows. The faster your swordtail grows, the sooner it will develop its color. If you offer your swordtail live food like baby brine shrimp or micro-worms, it will grow faster than if you solely feed it vegetables and flaked commercial food.
Nitrates
Nitrates are the result of the decomposition of fish feces. They slow down your swordtail’s growth, which slows the process of your swordtail developing color. Keeping the tank clean is the best way to avoid this. As a result, your swordtail will mature faster and develop its colors sooner.
Metabolism
The temperature of the water directly impacts the metabolism of the animals that live in it. Therefore, warm water is preferable to cold water for your swordtails. Warm water encourages your swordtail to eat more, resulting in rapid growth. A swordtail’s coloration will begin to develop rapidly as it matures.
All of these factors have a role in determining when a swordtail begins to develop its hues.
How Can You Help Your Swordtail Fry Get Their Colors Early?
There are various ways in which you can help your swordtail fry develop its colors sooner.
Keep the water at a comfortable temperature and change it frequently to help your swordtail fry develop its colors sooner. You may aid the development of the colors by changing their water regularly. Similarly, a change in diet is also required because they require more protein than adult swordtails. If your tank’s ammonia levels have risen, your swordtail fry will have to deal with the consequences.
Some important ways are:
Routine Change Of Tank Water To Balance Ammonia
If you want your swordtail fry’s color to develop as quickly as possible, make a 25-50 percent water change once a week.
This is critical because it removes all waste from the substrate before an ammonia spike occurs, hazardous.
Maintain The Temperature Of The Water
Another important issue is the water temperature in your tank. Swordtails are cold-water fish, but if the heat is turned up too much, it can be detrimental to them.
It’s also crucial to keep the water temperature consistent. For example, it would be best to keep your tank at a temperature of no less than 68 degrees Fahrenheit, as this will impact its colors.
Related Further Reading: Ideal Water Temperature For Swordtail Fish
Swordtail fish will become pale or even white when the temperature drops, which might be detrimental for them.
Diet
Changing the diet is another approach to help your swordtail fry develop its colors sooner. You can feed them the best fish food, such as brine shrimp and bloodworms. You should also feed your swordtail fish a varied diet that includes both live and frozen meals.
The temperature of the water is a factor. Food and bottom-feeding, on the other hand, are both equally important. Mushier or softer foods can assist your newborn swordtails in developing their color, enhancing their growth rate, and speeding up their metabolism, all of which will improve their appearance.
Avoid Overcrowding
Overcrowding your tank can bring a slew of issues for swordtail fish and their offspring, especially if you’re keeping them in cramped quarters.
If there is too much waste created, it will alter their coloring and the behavior of the other fish. So always keep an eye on your tank to ensure it isn’t overstocked, as this can damage its hue.
If there is a lot of waste in the water and it isn’t removed, they won’t develop their colors as quickly since they won’t be in a healthy environment.
You should not overstock your tank and get the proper quantity of fish for your tank size. Overstocking your tank will prevent swordtail fry from getting their colors because of more waste production.
Conducive Environment
Their surroundings should also be pleasant, as this will influence how rapidly they grow.
They require a nutritious diet and both parents to recognize their colors early on, but this isn’t always the case; oftentimes, if one or both of them seem different, that’s where the issue lies.
You should provide a comfortable habitat for your swordtail fry, one where they feel safe, secure and have adequate space to swim around comfortably. If there isn’t enough room, it will slow their rate of growth.
Thus, if you take care of these factors, you can help your swordtail fry develop colors early on. Moreover, they may develop more bright and vibrant colors and patterns thanks to their favorable environments and healthy diets.
Do Swordtails Alter Their Color?
Swordtails do, in fact, change color.
The cells that give swordtails their hues are not a single layer of cells. On a molecular level, things alter as the water chemistry changes and your swordtail becomes older. Swordtails’ color may alter as a result of this.
Swordtails, in general, change color as they grow older. Or when they are under duress.
Additionally, as your swordtails become stronger and less stressed, they will begin to develop color. As a result, a positive color change occurs.
Do Swordtail Fish Lose Color?
The gleaming color of swordtail fish fades over time. Male swordtails retain only approximately 5% of their natural color.
The main cause of your swordtails’ color loss is stress.
Due to poor water quality, your swordtails may become stressed.
If you keep your swordtails among other fish species, the other fish will likely chase or nip at your swordtail.
Your swordtail may become stressed as a result of this, and its color may change.
Diseases and inappropriate water conditions are two other factors that cause the swordtail to lose its color.
Read: 10 Ways To Keep Swordtail Fish Happy
What Is The Role Of Color In Swordtail Survival?
In the wild, color is essential to swordtails. Unfortunately, predators have an easier time seeing multicolored swordtails. As a result, they become prey.
In a home aquarium, however, the circumstances are much more relaxed. Your swordtails will not be exposed to any natural predators daily. As a result, their hue does not play a significant part in their survival in a domestic setting.
That was all about swordtails’ color.
FAQs
Here are answers to some related questions about swordtail fry.
How To Care For Swordtail Fry?
Swordtail fry is active swimmers by birth and does not need much care like other babies.
To take proper care of swordtail fry, remember to keep them separate until they are juveniles. Likewise, please give them a properly balanced diet, i.e., both plants and meat supplements, do not overfeed them, maintain water parameters, and clean the tank water.
These factors play a huge role in keeping your swordtail fry healthy and happy, thus, increasing their growth rate.
Can Swordtail Fry Survive In The Main Tank?
No, swordtail fry is small and cannot vend for themselves. Other larger fish, including their parents, are likely to prey upon them.
For this reason, it is better to separate them until they are large enough to survive in the primary tank.
How Quickly Does Swordtail Fry Grow?
The growth rate of swordtail fry depends on their environment and diet. Usually, swordtails grow into juveniles in 4 to 8 weeks.
However, it can grow faster with proper care, which helps them develop colors and even breed faster.
Conclusion
Swordtails normally develop their color between the ages of one and six weeks. By the time they are three months old, they will have acquired the majority of their color.
Swordtails in males are more vivid than females.
Diseases, inappropriate water conditions, and stress cause Swordtails to lose their color.
Swordtails grow color quickly when they eat well-balanced food and live in a stress-free environment.
