Swordtails are one of the most iconic and beloved freshwater fish in the aquarium hobby. Named for the distinctive elongated lower tail fin on males, swordtails are hardy, colorful, and peaceful — making them a perfect choice for community tanks of all sizes. At Dave's Fishroom, we breed a wide variety of swordtail strains including Kohaku, Pineapple, Sunset, Lyretail, Cauliflower, and Regular Red Swordtails.
Swordtail Tank Requirements
- Tank size: 20 gallons minimum, 30+ gallons recommended
- Temperature: 65–82°F (18–28°C) — one of the most temperature-tolerant tropical fish
- pH: 7.0–8.4
- Hardness: Moderately hard water (12–30 dGH)
- Filtration: Moderate filtration with some water movement
Swordtail Diet
Swordtails are omnivores and easy to feed. They thrive on a varied diet of:
- High-quality flake or pellet food as a staple
- Frozen or live foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms
- Blanched vegetables like zucchini or spinach for plant matter
Swordtail Tank Mates
Swordtails are peaceful community fish that get along well with most similarly sized, non-aggressive species. Excellent tank mates include guppies, mollies, platies, corydoras catfish, mystery snails, and peaceful tetras. Keep only one male swordtail per tank unless the tank is large enough to provide separate territories, as males can be aggressive toward each other.
Swordtail Varieties at Dave's Fishroom
We specialize in a wide range of locally bred swordtail varieties:
- Kohaku Swordtail — stunning red and white koi-like pattern
- Pineapple Swordtail — cheerful yellow-orange coloration
- Sunset Swordtail — warm orange, yellow, and red hues
- Lyretail Swordtail — elegant lyre-shaped tail fin
- Cauliflower Swordtail — rare and unique fin texture
- Regular Red Swordtail — the classic, timeless variety
Breeding Swordtails
Like guppies and mollies, swordtails are livebearers that give birth to live fry. They are easy to breed and females can give birth to 20–100 fry at a time. Provide dense plant cover or a breeding box to protect fry from being eaten by adults.
Our Locally Bred Swordtails
All swordtails at Dave's Fishroom are locally bred and raised in tap water, making them hardy and easy to acclimate. We always recommend a 2–4 week quarantine period before introducing new fish to an established aquarium.
Shop our full range of live swordtails for sale — shipped nationwide with a live arrival guarantee!