ID

[emo]

Anyone have any ideas if this is a Platy or a Swordtail... it was listed in the LFS as a HiFin Platy.

It's near impossible to get a good pic during the day, so this one is when she was resting at night.

only other clear shot I have is...

Thanks

 

[GSD]

actually it looks abit like my smallest large gols sail molly!!!!

 

[fantasy fish]

Looks to me like a swordtail. It looks like it has a longer and slimmer body than a platy would have.

 

[aquarius]

i think the lfs is right. looks like a hi fin platy to me. definitely not a sailfin molly and i think swordtail would be longer

 

[TorPeteO]

I think it's a swordtail. Platys generally have a more abrupt diamond shape, whereas a sword has a more elongated body type.

 

[Mamaschild]

It's a High-Fin Variatus Platy. Strawberry, to be precise

http/www.fish2u.com/ashigfinvar.html

 

[Polardbear]

I'd say Hi Fin Platy.

 

[Final Dynazty]

the first picture looks like a male platy, the secound looks like a female swordtail

 

[emo]

Thanks for your replys everyone...

Final Dynazty, it's actually the same fish in both shots... it's definetally a female.


I'm pretty sure Mamaschild is right... that photo does look quite similar. Presumably my fish is a simply a lot younger, and the dorsal fin hasn't quite developed as long yet.


I suppose it might stay a bit of a 50/50 till she has babies, cos I think she's pregnant. If she does, it might clear up a few things if I get a couple of males!



Thanks again everyone

 

[vidiots]

I dunno if this will help or not but here is some of the differences between the wild species that I looked up. I beleive that many of the common pet store varieties got their many variations from a hybrid somewhere in the family tree, so exact identification may be difficult.

Genus: Xiphophorus, Xiphophorus, Xiphophorus
Species: Helleri, Maculatus, Variatus
Name: Swordtail, Spotted Platy, Variatus Platy
Dorsal Fin Rays: 12-15, 9-10, 9-14
Lat. scales: 26-28, 22-25, 25-28
Vertebrae: 27-30, 26-27, 28-30
Male Body Length: 14cm, 3cm, 4.5cm
Female Body Length: 16cm, 4cm, 5.5cm
Male Sword: Yes, No, No
Male Sword Length: 4-8cm, N/A, N/A
Fry per pregnancy: 40-80, 20-80, up to 100

I tried to make a table out of this info but it didn't turn out well posted as a message, but hopefully with a little work it can still be understood.

 

[Zenn]

That is not a Swordtail, and i am telling you on a Certain note...

That as Mamaschild said is a Hi fin platy... Because you only get platies with those shaped fins...

You dont get sail fin swordtail, you get long finned swordtails, but not sail fin... so trust, that is a Hi finned platy

 

[Mamaschild]

Thank you Zenn I'm sure it's a Variatus, because I used to raise them Your's could still be young, as it's hard to judge in a pic, but she looks most similar to these, just with a High-fin
http/www.fish2u.com/lgstrawvar.html

You can see more Variatus here
http/www.fish2u.com/variatus.html

And more Platies here
http/www.fish2u.com/platies.html

 

[paulthegreat]

I think that all pictures point to platy and the first shot looks like an early stage of pregnancy as well. The second shot looks like they are not full sized yet or have over large scales. I would say definetly not Swords.

 

[fantasy fish]

I still think it is a swordtail

 

[paulthegreat]

If it is a Swordie then it is not a type I have ever seen. I also think the tail does not look quite right to me for a Sword thought the fish pictured are definatly female.