Wild Swordtails are found from southern Mexico and down to Guatemala in Central America. The name Swordtail is derived from the body of the male Swordtail. The bottom ray of his caudal fin is extended, and points out from the body like a sword. The female Swordtail is without sword, and she can also be distinguished from the male by her more rounded body shape. Today you choose between red, black, green, albino and even neon coloured Swordtails since Swordtails have been extensively bred in captivity during many years. You can also choose between a lot of different Swordtail types, such as the Red Simpson, the Spotted Swordtail, the Gold tux Swordtail and the fanciful Lyretail.
You can keep one Swordtail in a 10 gallon aquarium or larger. Since the Swordtail is an active swimmer it will do best in an aquarium larger than 10 gallons, since this will give the Swordtail room to swim around a lot more. Swordtails are quite tolerant when it comes to water temperatures, and can live in temperatures from 18 to 27 degrees C. In the wild, the Swordtail live in brackish waters and your Swordtail will therefore appreciate a brackish aquarium. Swordtails are often kept in freshwater community aquariums, but brackish water is always better. Keep the pH in the 6.8-7.8 range.
The Swordtail fish is a livebearer, so unlike many other fish species a female Swordtail will give birth to fry instead of depositing eggs. The male Swordtail fertilizes the eggs inside the female, and the eggs develop into fry inside her belly. Just like with many other Livebearers, it is easy to get Swordtails into spawning condition. It is even possible for a female Swordtail reproduce in an aquarium without any male Swordtail present, since she can store enough sperm to fertilize six batches inside her body. If your female Swordtail unexpectedly gives birth without a partner, she has been kept with male Swordtails earlier and saved sperm since then.
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