Raising Swordtails

Now what do I do? I have removed the four that I was able to save to a breeder box. One got ate by a panda Cory and I'm not finding anymore. So for now I have 4 and I have a thing of hikarI first bites. What do I do to bring these fish up to adulthood?

Make it 5 fry

 

First Bites is a great fry food. Basically do what you do for the parents...clean water, good food. Feed 3 x’s a day instead of 2. Good luck!

 

Ok so they should be ok in the breeder box?

 

Just 4 will be fine. They can join the tank mates in about 6 weeks.

 

Another thing is that the birth totally surprised me. When I was reading up on their breeding habits I read that the females will get squared off before birth. Mine are just big round and fat. Is that normal?

 

Another thing is that the birth totally surprised me. When I was reading up on their breeding habits I read that the females will get squared off before birth. Mine are just big round and fat. Is that normal?

My swordtails always gave birth unexpectedly, I could never tell they were even pregnant.

 

I was hoping they were pregnant cause they kept getting fatter and fatter so either pregnancy or something wrong. But I wasn't sure when they got pregnant and I was calculating for a birth next week.

 

Ok so I think I managed to catch all of them and get them in the breeder box. Current count is 7.

 

Day 2 update. . .
The count is now 8. They are swimming around their little breeder box. I can't tell if they are eating though. I will continue to feed the fry food and keep an eye on them. One seems to be bigger than the other 7. Wonder why that is.

 

Day 3 . . .
Still have 8. My sponge filter arrived in the mail finally so I now have them in a 2.5 gallon tank. They are swimming and exploring all over. I put some duckweed in the tank and I have a small flower with some java fern attached to it in there as well. Should I do anything else for this grow up tank?

 

Day 4. . .
Most of the swordtails stay near the bottom of their nursery tank. However a few have started venturing around and exploring the height of the tank. They are so adorable but still too small for my camera to focus on.
How often should I do water changes with these 8 fry in a 2.5 gallon tank with an uncycled sponge filter?

 

Day 5. . .
I think I'm down to 7. I can only count that many at a time but it's possible that one is just hiding really well in the java fern. Still can't tell if they are eating but if they are still alive then they have to be eating something, right?

 

Finally got a response from the little guys. I got some frozen baby brine shrimp from adg today and they are going nuts for it. Yay!

 

Day 6. . .
They have so much more energy today. Swimming all around the tank. Maybe they weren't really eating before and they needed the baby brine shrimp. Either way they are loving the baby brine shrimp. Hopefully they start growing so I can get some pics.

 

Water changes should be daily on a fry tank. Especially if you are feeding frozen foods.

 

That's good. That's what I have been doing. They are so little. They don't appear to be growing.

 

Day 7. . .
They have made it a whole week. Yay! They tend to stay more near the bottom of the tank though. Is that normal for week old swordtails? They still like the baby brine shrimp. I can see them eating it.

 

Day 8. . .
Finally able to get a few pics

 

Just found another baby in the main tank. He's about the same size as the others so I think he was born in the same batch. I just managed to miss him the first time.

 

Day 12. . .
Some are gaining an orange coloration while some are still clearish. Considering they are a cross between a neon swordtail and a brick swordtail this is not surprising.

 

Day 13. . .
Had to cull 2 due to deformities. Their spines were bent and I know that is unwanted in healthy fish.

 

Day 21. . .
They made 3 weeks. Some are definitely bigger than others. I also have a clear idea of what colors they are going to be. It looks like half are going to develop brick coloration like the mom and the other half will be neon like the dad. They are still so adorable and cute.

 

Day 24. . .
Still doing well. Readily eating frozen baby brine shrimp, hikarI first bites and even tubifex worms. They are so beautiful.

 

Oooo do you have more pictures of them? 83

 

I can try to get some. They like to move right as I try to snap the picture.

 

Yeah I have that issue too so I totally understand.

 

Day 28. . .
My babies are doing great. Found 1 newborn fry in the big tank so I went ahead and put her with the older babies in the little tank. 2 more weeks and she will have the tank all to herself.

 

Was able to get a short video of the baby swordtails. 4 weeks old. Yay!

 

Sad news guys.
The babies have all perished. I put them in the big tank with their parents and one by one they disappeared. Then when I went to redo the tank yesterday I couldn't find any from the original group. However there are a couple itty bitty babies swimming around in the tank.