Swordtail Breeding

[MarleyBetta]

I am looking to breed swordtails for fun and/or profit. I have a 10 gallon tank with assecories but i know i would need more. What do you guys suggest would be good materials for a swordtail breeding program?

 

[MarleyBetta]

Anyone??

 

[YoungFishBreeder]

Well, Currently i have 6, 2ft tanks set up for breeding and growing out swordtail's. It depends on what variety's, just colour variations or the more rarer Swordtails, I only have 3 different types in them at the moment and one batch of fry. Then the other tanks are filled with other breeding fish. If your breeding them for profit it would most likely be a bad idea first of all, The fry take ages to grow ( Longer than guppies or mollys or platys) even if you feed them live food, and in a big tank. And the other reason is the don't breed as prolifically as guppies, and don't have as many fry.This is why you don't see many swordtails in shops, because commercial breeders cant turn them around quickly.

When you mention breeding program, It strikes me you would like more than a couple of pairs or groups.

Your going to need more grow out tanks than breeding tanks, and a lot of waiting.

its only been posted for just over half an hour. Patience...

 

[MarleyBetta]

Thx. Actually my "breeding program" would most likely start off as a couple of trios or so and if I enjoy it I'll move up a couple levels. I've never had swordtails before but i adore them and i enjoy breeding fish so this will be a new hobby......
And the profit thing i figure now i don't have enough space for a full blown production but maybe a couple tanks for breeders and some for fry....
Do you know how long it takes for them to mature?
Thanks again!!!!!

 

[puddle_inc]

probably about 6-8 weeks i think? i think thats the common age. but i could be wrong.

 

[@ombomb]

What do you guys suggest would be good materials for a swordtail breeding program?

some reading materials would seem like the place to start

 

[MarleyBetta]

do you have any suggestions for reading material??

 

[fubarmick]

ive just bred swordtails by acccident lol!!!!!!!

had 1 female and 2 males, once the female got pregnant she grew huge, she had the fry and still huge much bigger than my other swordtails! i just have a normal tank, few ornaments few plants and they seem happy enough, although i just purchased another female and 2 more males thought about breeding more, and they seem to attack 1 ov the males, no idea why just they dont like him, bit off all his fins and some scales, ive had to move him!!!!!! but the other 5 r doing fine, and im hopeing to get some more babys 1 day

 

[Jamesham]

my swordtail females have all bred and they are in with a community.

I have 4 Females and 1 Male

 

[MarleyBetta]

So if i have a tank w/ maybe 2 trios they should breed? do i need anything to persuade them or should i be ok?
A grow out tank should be a good idea for the fry......

 

[DiscusAngel]

ive just bred swordtails by acccident lol!!!!!!!

had 1 female and 2 males, once the female got pregnant she grew huge, she had the fry and still huge much bigger than my other swordtails! i just have a normal tank, few ornaments few plants and they seem happy enough, although i just purchased another female and 2 more males thought about breeding more, and they seem to attack 1 ov the males, no idea why just they dont like him, bit off all his fins and some scales, ive had to move him!!!!!! but the other 5 r doing fine, and im hopeing to get some more babys 1 day

your having problems because 3 males to 2 females males are fighting for females... so the sword tails now have paired up one is on its own and bullied someone else has 4 females and 1 male as 1 male will breed with 1000 females. so if i was you take the male back for a female 2 males to 3 females shopuld be ok