TFA101

My dad let me get $10 worth of fish for my 20 gallon tank, and I chose a healthy pair of Marigold swordtails. The male is fairly young, but very lively and spirited too, and the female is pregnant, I can see the young inside her and she is bloated to the max. They're settling down nicely, and they're already eating. Luckily, I just found out my friend's 75 gallon tank is still empty (the friend with the long lost koi fish in her pond if any of you remember). She would take any baby fish off my hands, but some questions must be answered:

1. My female stressed herself out 160% in the bag, and she is very pregnant. What are the chances her fry will not be still born?

2. What are the survival percentages of fry in a decorated and sheltered tank?

3. What's the life expentacy of swordtails? Mine are pretty young.

PS

Name of Male: Kohana [meaning: swift; origin: native american]

Name of Female: Mei-Xiu [meaning: beauty and grace; origin: chinese]

Steen16

Fry would be ok by themselves but what else would be in the tank with them?

BTW great names!

oh yea and they should live 3-5 years

TFA101

just the parents and a clown pleco. after this batch of fry, im thinking about some cories and 4 lemon tetras

thanks, I actually went to a baby naming website because I had nothing to name them

that's a long time with swordtails

MissMTS

I love swordtails. They are so pretty The fishlore profile says that the fish can live 3-5 years. If I were you, I would get one more female. Swordtails do best with a 1M 2F ratio. Otherwise, a single female can get harassed by the male. Good luck with your fry, and post some pics when you get a chance.

Steen16

Yea that is quite a long time.

I would say the fry probly get eaten by their parents, my sugestion would be raise them up a bit bigger in a breeder box, then you could put them in the main tank.

TFA101

My tank it artificially planted, and in some cases, the parents can't squeeze more than their head through little nooks and crannies

Steen16

Thats good cover for when there older but they will need to come out to feed witch is one of the dangerous points for fry, a breeder box wouldnt set you back much.

TFA101

I have one, but i don't want to stress my female

Steen16

oh i see.. what i did with my guppies is let them drop there fry then suck them up in a clear silicon tube then spit them into the breeder box! lol it worked perfectly I have now got 8 healthy guppy fry and they are starting to get colour in there tails now!

TFA101

I'll try, but it sounds risky. oh well, anything for some free fish right?

Steen16

hahha. so true

Taku

Turkey Baster. I have raised livebearers for over 10 years now, it always works well for me.
Push all the air out of the turkey baster, then submerge in water near a fry and let go of the ball end. It sucks water fry and all.