Swordtail housing and numbers

fishbguy · 02-14-2007, 03:13 PM

how many swordtails could i put in an empty 16 gallon tank? empty meaning no other fish in the tank.

also, i have heard that males are somewhat aggresive. if this is true, what would be the best male to female ratio? i think that a 1:3 ratio would prolly be best. what do you think? Thanks
Andrew

Ringo · 02-14-2007, 04:24 PM

In an empty 16G tank I wouldn't put any fish in there.
But after you fill it up with water

you could have 8-10 swords in there. 1:3ratio is good to go by.

fishbguy · 02-14-2007, 04:47 PM

sorry, i ment to say "water but no fish"
Andrew

**Buggy** · 02-14-2007, 04:48 PM

Swordtails aren't as bad about aggression as mollies but remember they are live bearers and they will reproduce quickly. They get to about 2-3" so 10 is a bit much for a 16 gal. Two males and 4 females would work nicely....until you get fry. A cool thing about swordtails is, when you put two or more males together with the females the dominant males tail will grow really long. It's a guy thing. LOL

fishbguy · 02-14-2007, 04:57 PM

i was told that a 16 would be too small for swordtails but i think that 10 would be too many. i was going to start with a trio of them, one male and two females then add another trio after the tank is finished cycling. or would it be better to add them all at once? i understand about the fry thing. i would either sell them or use them as fishfood.

eon17 · 02-17-2007, 12:48 PM

1 male to 2 females is good-you could add 3 trios 1 at a times

mousey · 02-17-2007, 03:25 PM

every time I have only 2 females in a tank the stronger beats the weaker one up. Maybe you can have more than 2 females. I even had a female with her 2 daughters and she beat them up too. She barely tolerated the male.

fishbguy · 02-17-2007, 08:02 PM

i like the three trios idea. for each trio, i would add a diffeent color. three koi, three green, and either three lyre tails or black. is their any way to make sure the different strains don't breed w/eachother w/o sepparating them? thanks

guppyart · 02-17-2007, 08:23 PM

nope you would have to seperate them all.
other than that you are going to get mixes and you won't have pure lines anymore.

02-14-2007, 03:13 PM	#1
fishbguy Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: michigan Age: 17 Posts: 1,898	Swordtail housing and numbers how many swordtails could i put in an empty 16 gallon tank? empty meaning no other fish in the tank. also, i have heard that males are somewhat aggresive. if this is true, what would be the best male to female ratio? i think that a 1:3 ratio would prolly be best. what do you think? Thanks Andrew

02-14-2007, 04:48 PM	#4
Buggy Moderator Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Oklahoma Age: 42 Posts: 1,038	Swordtails aren't as bad about aggression as mollies but remember they are live bearers and they will reproduce quickly. They get to about 2-3" so 10 is a bit much for a 16 gal. Two males and 4 females would work nicely....until you get fry. A cool thing about swordtails is, when you put two or more males together with the females the dominant males tail will grow really long. It's a guy thing. LOL __________________ Fish are people too! *My Animal Family* Dixie - Boxer/Lab Peanut -Chihuahua Cali - American Short-hair Cat B.B. - Parakeet Flower - Western Ornate Box Turtle Loki - White Ferret Odin - Brown Ferret *Aquariums* 55 gal tropical Fresh Water - 23 various fish 29 gal tropical Fresh Water - 4 various cichlids 10 gal tropical Fresh Water - 1 Red Male Betta, 3 black neon tetras, 1 Asian Glass Catfish

02-17-2007, 08:23 PM	#9
guppyart Naked wookie Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: canada Age: 19 Posts: 702	nope you would have to seperate them all. other than that you are going to get mixes and you won't have pure lines anymore. __________________ photography

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02-14-2007, 04:24 PM	#2
Ringo I'm just a Twig Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The Sticks Age: 16 Posts: 961	In an empty 16G tank I wouldn't put any fish in there. But after you fill it up with water you could have 8-10 swords in there. 1:3ratio is good to go by.

02-14-2007, 04:47 PM	#3
fishbguy Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: michigan Age: 17 Posts: 1,898	sorry, i ment to say "water but no fish" Andrew

02-14-2007, 04:57 PM	#5
fishbguy Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: michigan Age: 17 Posts: 1,898	i was told that a 16 would be too small for swordtails but i think that 10 would be too many. i was going to start with a trio of them, one male and two females then add another trio after the tank is finished cycling. or would it be better to add them all at once? i understand about the fry thing. i would either sell them or use them as fishfood.

02-17-2007, 12:48 PM	#6
eon17 Banned Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: kansas Posts: 149	1 male to 2 females is good-you could add 3 trios 1 at a times

02-17-2007, 03:25 PM	#7
mousey Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 861	every time I have only 2 females in a tank the stronger beats the weaker one up. Maybe you can have more than 2 females. I even had a female with her 2 daughters and she beat them up too. She barely tolerated the male.

02-17-2007, 08:02 PM	#8
fishbguy Banned Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: michigan Age: 17 Posts: 1,898	i like the three trios idea. for each trio, i would add a diffeent color. three koi, three green, and either three lyre tails or black. is their any way to make sure the different strains don't breed w/eachother w/o sepparating them? thanks

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