Swordtails

[Zenn]

Now here is the story, i got two swordtails, a male and a female, now they did their thing and so on, but shortly after the male died, and the female lived on, giving birth, now the other day i went out and got another male swordtail and the next day i found it dead and i was wondering, it female kill their male or something after you know what, or is it something else?

 

[cation]

Hard to tell without more information. Can you tell us the size of your tank, your water parameters, and who else lives in there with the swords?

 

[Zenn]

Ok, right well to my info i think it is my algae eater attacking them...

But here goes, i have a 24 by 15 by 12 tank which hold 15 gallons, i have it at a temp of 26 degree celeus, i dont know the pH at the moment becase my tester broke, and i have to get a new one, but the female is just fine so i dont think it is the pH, i have a Chinese Algae eater, a Red tail black shark, a leapod platie, 4 black neons and three blue tetra neons and the rest are swordtails, one female adult and 7 babies... That is about the best i can give you since this is really my first time keeping tropical fish insted of cold water fish...

I have read up on my fish and made sure that from what i have it is to their suiting and all that, i love fish so i like reading up on them, but i cant get everything from a book

 

[cation]

It sounds like you are doing your best to make sure your fish get the best care they can. But you're right, there's a lot to learn! How long have you had this tank? Did you add fish right when you got it? If so, how many?

 

[Zenn]

Right, i got that tank about a mouth ago, because before hand i had a hexigon shaped tank which was taller than in width, and so i sort to get a bigger tank for my fish and so i got this one, and the fish from that tank are the same ones in my new tank...

 

[cation]

Did you cycle the new tank? Or transfer the filter media to your new tank, or the substrate?

It could be the CAE attacking them, I suppose. They're usually docile when they're younger, but become agressive bullies when they get older. How do the bodies look when you find them? Torn up? or whole?


By the by, I don't know much about sharks, but I was under the impression that they needed a bigger tank. I also was under the impression that smaller tanks may make them more agressive. Maybe someone with a shark could help out here?

 

[Joviella]

i wouldn't keep my red tailed black shark in a 2ft tank unless he was on his own!!!! just my opinion.........

 

[HeatherSweetness]

In my experience,when something goes wrong with water chemistry or if the tank isn't cycled,male swordtails seem to be the first ones to suffer and die from it. You may want to wait awhile,let your tank establish itself for awhile,and then add another male swordtail. I went through the same thing,I waited about two months and after that they thrive.

 

[noelberg]

From my experience, new swordtails can be very sensitive to water conditions and stress. I've had quite a few from Petsmart die. But once they get established then they do extremely well. The CAE and the shark are definitely the two meanest species in your tank, and the shark needs a cave or little territory to call his own. He will defend it too! But it's doubtful he would kill over it from what I've seen of some friends' sharks. CAE's aren't great small community fish, sorry to say.

 

[Zenn]

Did you cycle the new tank? Or transfer the filter media to your new tank, or the substrate?

It could be the CAE attacking them, I suppose. They're usually docile when they're younger, but become agressive bullies when they get older. How do the bodies look when you find them? Torn up? or whole?

Well i havent used anything new if that is what you mean, as for the bodies, that i have managed to heal now, it was torn on the dorsal fin and the caudal fin, and there was a chunk missing from her under belly and one of her pectoral fin was half missing, but she if healed mostly now, the her fins are, not her pectoral one, and the belly has heal thankfully, considering she is still blinking carrying... :rolleye:

"i wouldn't keep my red tailed black shark in a 2ft tank unless he was on his own!!!! just my opinion......... "

I have only got one, and at the moment it seems the female swordtail is ruling over him and keeping him in place, for she is not properly attacking him, but more warning him off when he gets around her terrioty

"In my experience,when something goes wrong with water chemistry or if the tank isn't cycled,male swordtails seem to be the first ones to suffer and die from it. You may want to wait awhile,let your tank establish itself for awhile,and then add another male swordtail. I went through the same thing,I waited about two months and after that they thrive. "

Wow, i didnt know that, thanks for telling me, that will make me think twice now before adding a new one

What i have done with the Chinese algae eater is put him in my oter tank which is at least a 5 gallon tank, fairly tall, and so set him up totally in there, and i will go out and get some neons to keep him company for he seems not too bothered by them, so i have release the female into the bigger tank along with my platie and the Red Tail black shark and i will see how they get on, but from what i see they are remarking their terrioty and they are doing alright now and i have released one of my babies as well (Bubbles) and at the moment she is doing ok...

Thanks for the info by the way, i will have to get a pH tester then...