Swordtails are from South and Central America where they inhabit
waters from salty estuaries right up to the fresh waters of the inland hill
streams.
They are live bearers that enjoy a varied diet of vegetation and live
foods. In order to breed properly they must be fed this varied diet. They are
prolific fish that can produce anywhere from 20 up to 240 young at a time, every
34 days. They do eat their own young however, and therefore must be carefully
watched and removed from the tank after the young are born.
Water temperatures should be kept between 18 and 28 C ( 64 - 82 F ) with
a pH of 7.0 - 8.3. the water should be fairly hard.
The females do occasionally change sex if no other males are present in
an aquarium of females, even if they have already given birth as a female. This
strange occurrence is well documented and seems to happen fairly frequently, I
have had it happen several times in my own tanks.
I highly recommend this fish for the beginner and well seasoned fish
keeper alike.