10gal planted setup for hard water fish

[ClownLurch]

Apparently a feller in the next street from me has Pygmy swordtails. Just found this out today. I’d imagine his water would be similar to mine 340ppm and 19dh. I know nothing about them.

 

[Sgooosh]

Apparently a feller in the next street from me has Pygmy swordtails. Just found this out today. I’d imagine his water would be similar to mine 340ppm and 19dh. I know nothing about them.

will platy-swordtails and neon swordtails school together?

 

[FFGuest6357]

Apparently a feller in the next street from me has Pygmy swordtails. Just found this out today. I’d imagine his water would be similar to mine 340ppm and 19dh. I know nothing about them.

I’m with you on that, I haven’t heard of them, but that would be something to consider.

Due to the pandemic non sense, my LFS has limited stock on the most basic readily available fish. So that one might have to be a future consideration

 

[Sgooosh]

I’m with you on that, I haven’t heard of them, but that would be something to consider.

Due to the pandemic non sense, my LFS has limited stock on the most basic readily available fish. So that one might have to be a future consideration

i think mosquitofish are cool too, eastern mosquitofish we can catch them in lakes around here

 

[FFGuest6357]

I’ve got a whole night of research ahead of me, thank you all for the suggestions.
I’ve spent most of the day doing chores with the wife, and checking in on my new pandas, so once we go lights out and the kids go to bed, I’ll get to my homework

 

[Essjay]

will platy-swordtails and neon swordtails school together?

These are not schooling - or shoaling- fish. They prefer company of their own kind but not in the way that, say, neon tetras do.

Platy-swordtails are hybrids and so are neon swordtails. They are basically the same species. Since common swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri, are dull green, they were hybdised with platies to get the colours we see in shops. Any common swordtail which is a pretty colour is a swordtail-platy hybrid.
(I say common swordtail because there are other species of swordtail as well but they are rarely, if ever, seen in shops, you normally have to get them from a breeder)

 

[Sgooosh]

These are not schooling - or shoaling- fish. They prefer company of their own kind but not in the way that, say, neon tetras do.

Platy-swordtails are hybrids and so are neon swordtails. They are basically the same species. Since common swordtails, Xiphophorus helleri, are dull green, they were hybdised with platies to get the colours we see in shops. Any common swordtail which is a pretty colour is a swordtail-platy hybrid.
(I say common swordtail because there are other species of swordtail as well but they are rarely, if ever, seen in shops, you normally have to get them from a breeder)

hmm my neon swordtails love to school and they never are apart. also mine looks more like wild swordtail instread of platysword

 

[Essjay]

If you got the swordtails from a fish store they will most likely be hybrids. Stores don't tend to sell wild swordtails as they are not pretty enough for most customers.

You could always post a photo and see what our livebearer experts make of them