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Freshwater fishGreen Swordtail
Green Swordtail
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The green swordtail is the closest to the original native species found in Mexico and one of the hardiest swordtail aquarium fish in the trade. The green color is light and designed to blend with the surrounding environment as a defense against predators.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Xiphophorus hellerii (green, wild-type color) |
| Origin | Southern Mexico to Honduras (wild ancestors); aquarium-bred |
| Care Level | Easy, good for beginners |
| Temperament | Peaceful (males may spar) |
| Adult Size | Up to 4–5" (not counting the sword) |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Water Temperature | 72–79°F |
| pH | 7.0–8.0 (hard water) |
| Group Size | Keep more females than males |
| Shipping Size | Approx. 2" |
Care Guide
Tank setup: Swordtails are active swimmers, so give them plants, open swimming space and a tight-fitting lid, since they are good jumpers. They prefer hard, alkaline water.
Feeding: Feed a quality flake or small pellet with some vegetable content once or twice a day. They also enjoy frozen foods like bloodworms and brine shrimp.
Tankmates: Swordtails get along with most peaceful community fish of similar size, such as platies, mollies, larger tetras, danios, rainbowfish, gouramis and corydoras. Keep more females than males, since males chase females and may spar with each other. Avoid fin-nippers and large cichlids.
Good to know: Swordtails are livebearers and breed readily. Fry are born free-swimming and will be eaten unless there are dense plants or a breeding box for them to hide in. Only males grow the "sword" on the tail.
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