# Swordtail Question -- algae?



## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

I have a new group of 3 swordtails in my 29 gallon lightly planted (eventually to be heavily planted) tank. I noticed that they are picking at my driftwood and rocks. I haven't seen any green water or buildup of algae, but is this behavior an indication that there's some in the tank? 

And, if so, I was thinking of adding Otos to my tank as algae control when I noticed that there was algae for them to eat. How many would be appropriate for 29 gallons? (Other inhabitants are, so far, 6 zebra danios and the three swordtails -- I would like to add 4 kuhli or zebra loaches and maybe some glass shrimp at some point, and have considered a pair of rainbowfish if that wouldn't put me at an overstocking point -- opinions?)

Thanks for any info on whether or not the swordtail behavior has anything to do with algae!

Just for fun, here's a pic of my swordtails:


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

uncskainch said:


> I have a new group of 3 swordtails in my 29 gallon lightly planted (eventually to be heavily planted) tank. I noticed that they are picking at my driftwood and rocks. I haven't seen any green water or buildup of algae, but is this behavior an indication that there's some in the tank?
> Thanks for any info on whether or not the swordtail behavior has anything to do with algae!


Many fish pick at things, finding little bits of something they like. If there is some algae of the type they like, they will probably munch on it, however, if you feed them on a regular schedule, they will probably slow down on the algae front. Mollies are somewhat known for muching on algae more than other livebearers, but I've seen platies, mollies and swordtails and lots of other species munch at little green bits. Also of note, I have never seen them eat certain types of algae, for that, Siameses are your friends, but they can get really large! (True Siamese Algae Eater - SAE - be careful if you go to buy them as there are 2 look alikes commonly mislabeled, flying fox is the most common mislabel)



uncskainch said:


> I was thinking of adding Otos to my tank as algae control when I noticed that there was algae for them to eat


It might be too late if you wait that long. Oto's can be sensitive, if your tank is fully cycled, I would get some small ones now. I don't know of many community fish that will bother them, but some larger ones may.
if there isn't enough algae (or even if there is), a weekly sinking algae tablet keeps them happy. (and your swordtails will probably go after the tablets too).


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## ThatNewGuy (Sep 8, 2004)

My swords seem to pick at everything they can reach, just like toddlers they want to put everything in their mouth. I have known mine though to eat some kinds of Algea. 

Why the huge concern over algea though. From everything I have read a small amount of algea is in every planted tank. As long as it doesn't take over it shouldn't be anything to worry about.


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## mousey (Jan 1, 2004)

speaking of swordtails-- do the fry grow slowly? Mine seem to but then I am comparing them to how fast guppies grow. the swords are growing at about the same rate as the platys. The other thing i have noticed is that one sword fry of the bunch seems to grow really fast and gets about twice the size of the other fry.
Any comments?
thanks
mouse


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## BlueRam (Sep 21, 2004)

uncskainch said:


> "and have considered a pair of rainbowfish if that wouldn't put me at an overstocking point -- opinions?


My rainbows love to swim. In my prior 29gal (30") they were skittish but in the 4'er they know they can swim about and settled down some.


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## Nolan W. (Feb 9, 2005)

My swordtails seem to pick at everything. I don't think it means algae, but I can't be sure, since my tank is already infested with algae. :icon_frow They do eat algae, but in small quantities, so if you want algae control, use full-time algae eaters. Otos are good at eating green spot algae off the glass.



mousey said:


> speaking of swordtails-- do the fry grow slowly?


I'm not sure, but mine seem to. My fry take six months and up to reach full size. I wonder if a high protein diet would help.


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## jhoetzl (Feb 7, 2005)

mousey said:


> speaking of swordtails-- do the fry grow slowly? Mine seem to but then I am comparing them to how fast guppies grow. the swords are growing at about the same rate as the platys. The other thing i have noticed is that one sword fry of the bunch seems to grow really fast and gets about twice the size of the other fry.


Most likely depends what and how often you are feeding them. 
Freshly hatched (<10 hours old) baby brine shrimp (BBS) and grindal worms with the occasional Hikari algae powder 3x daily in smallish quantities will get them going nicely. 
I would also question if you are raising them in a seperate tank or if they survived long enough in a community tank and are now just "visible" enough.


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## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the advice -- I'm not so much worried about algae, but was just curious about what the swordtails were doing with the rocks and driftwood. Someone mentioned to me that I shouldn't put otos or algae eating shrimp into the tank until I had some algae for them to eat, so I was wondering if this might be a good way to tell if it was starting up before it became a big problem. It sounds, though, like I might be able to feed algae-eaters on algae wafers if I wanted to add them to the tank prior to any major algae outbreak.

Unfortunately, one of my female swords jumped out of the tank last night -- her first night in the tank! I found her on the floor behind the tank in the morning. I have a Perfecto 29 gallon with a plastic hood on it, so I was a bit surprised that she made it out in the narrow little place spot that's cut out to accommodate the filter and heater! Any tips for keeping swordtails in the tank -- or was this probably a freak thing that I shouldn't worry about? I'd like to replace the female and maybe add another (bringing the total to 1 male, 3 females), but want to make sure the tank is secure so I don't lose any more.


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## mousey (Jan 1, 2004)

in a separate fry tank. they have had the organizms in java moss from day one, plus 3 dry feeds daily. Now they get scraped bloodworms twice weekly as they are big enought to get it in their mouths(2 months old) as well as algae tabs and dry food. water changes q 2 weeks. they are very busy liitle fish.
I guess they are not rapid growers like guppies.
mouse


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## ThatNewGuy (Sep 8, 2004)

I never really set out to breed the things but they have taken over. I occasionally lose one of the older generation but I am on the third generation of swords now so it softens the blow. the swords range from barely visible to 3 inch long fat females (I refer to them as my sea cows). The other interesting thing to watch is their colors. I started with a trio of red velvets and a trio of beautifully colored marigolds. Now the colors are mixing from a deep red to a light lemony color to a very pronounced bright orange.

As far as jumping out of the tank I think your incident was just some sort of freakish accident. I don't think swords are know to jump and I have never had one do it before.


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## uncskainch (Feb 22, 2005)

Thanks NewGuy. Just to be on the safe side, I made a little mini-cover out of plastic window screening to go over the small area at the back of the tank hood that is open for the filter, heater, etc. It allows for ventilation and lets any water drip back into the tank, but keeps any jumping fish in. Might be overkill, but a few people have told me tales of jumping swordtail suicides, so I figured if I'm going to keep them long-term, I'd jump-proof the tank a bit more. I'm hoping, though, that mine will turn out to be non-jumpers like yours. 

I'm looking forward to seeing if any fry will make it in my tank! Some people say they all get eaten and never rear the fry to adults, others seem to get overrun with swordtails. I'd love to hear other people's experiences with them! I'm not quite ready to set up a nursery tank, so I think they'll have to fend for themselves in the short-run, but I suspect that as I add more plants to my set-up, they'll find better places to hide and perhaps a few will make it.

Oh -- and does anyone know what the coloration on the ones I have is called? (See photo in my first post, above.) I just liked them in the fish store, but didn't think to ask if there was a name for that color pattern.


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## BB2007 (Mar 12, 2007)

*Hello Everyone!*

I am new to this site and have 3 week old swordtail fry. My Question is, how old before we can see if we have any males?


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## mousey (Jan 1, 2004)

Depends on how fast they grow. I cannot usually tell with mine until they are 6-7 months old.


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