Black Swordtail 4cm

Black Swordtail

Swordtails are one of the most common and popular aquarium fish in the world for all the right reasons. They come in an array of colours, look super unique, and are quite easy to take care of. Where most swordtail strains are super bright, the black swordtail puts a very unique and bold spin on this fish. The most loved feature about this fish is the long extension seen on the tail of the male fish which looks like the blade of a sword. In some cases, the sword can be just as long as the fish itself which is stunning to see.

Through the years of selective breeding, aquarists have been able to develop the black swordtail which is a stunning fish in its regard. It has a near jet-black colour from head to tail which is broken up slightly towards the face with a speckling of white, this then leads to some iridescent spotting across the body giving these fish an almost galaxy-like appearance. The contrasting aspects of these fish make them amazing for any aquarium setting since they will stand out.

Breeding swordtails in the home aquarium is a super easy task that often requires no effort from you. Since these fish are livebearers, the females will drop fully formed baby swordtails which totally avoids the process of rearing eggs. Males and females are easily distinguished as male swordtails have long extensions on their tails whereas females do not. The wild habitat of the natural swordtail is widespread from South America to Mexico.

Tank Recommendations for your Black Swordtail
Black swordtails reach around 7 cm when fully grown, this excludes the extension on the tail as this can grow just as long as the fish itself. The ideal aquarium size to keep a small group of 5-7 swordtails would be a 70-litre aquarium. This ensures there is ample space for the fish and room for potential breeding as well. Having a black background and a higher red spectrum in the aquarium lighting will really make these fish pop.

A sand or gravel substrate would be fine for these fish as well as a lot of plant growth which not only makes them contrast really well but also makes for handy locations where swordtail fry can grow. black swordtails are considered to be a ‘hard’ water fish meaning they prefer the water to have an elevated PH and are not like a tetra. This higher PH of 7 - 8 can be achieved with a PH buffer or even African cichlid lake conditioning salts.

Suitable Tank Buddies
The black swordtail is a very peaceful aquarium fish. They are great with a wide range of nano aquarium fish however males can be highly prone to certain fin-nipping species so these should be avoided. The other factor is that swordtails are fish that need higher PH so keeping them with South American tetras may not be very suitable as these lower PH.

Usually Compatible
Pseudomogil species such as fork-tail rainbows, blue eyes, rice fish, and nano aquarium fish which can tolerate hard water conditions.

Sometimes Compatible
Medium-growing or possibly fin-nipping species. Bettas should also be avoided because of their flashy nature to swordtails which could lead to aggression from the bettas' end.

Rarely Compatible
Large and aggressive species that would prey on the swordtails such as oscars, or jaguar cichlids.

Feeding your Black Swordtail
Black swordtails are very easy to feed once they are settled into the aquarium. They will readily take a wide range of foods but would prefer to have a floating nano pellet or flake due to their top-dwelling behaviour. Giving them nutritional food with good protein and varied ingredients can result in the colours of the swordtails being further enhanced.