Koi Kohaku Red Eye Swordtail

Koi swordtails, also known as kohaku red-eye swordtails, are bred in Thailand to display a bright red and white pattern similar to the famed kohaku show pattern of Japanese pond koi. Male kohaku swords mature at a very late age, so initially the two sexes are not distinguishable. These fish are show-quality swordtails and stand out in a community tank with their very bright colors. If you order multiple swordtails, we try our best to keep the ratio 50:50 male to female, but like we said, it is very difficult to sex them until they get very mature.

Quick Facts

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.