Pygmy golden swordtail

[jammedfool]

My LFS has 3x pygmy Golden swordtail (apparently all male but no sword tails)
I can't seem to find these on SF, wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction.

The shop was also selling swordtail (listed max 6cm) as xiphophorus sp.
In another tank, they had wagtail swordtail at 10cm...
What would you suggest as min tank size for either please?

[Pegler89]

I went to give my male swordtail away. The guy told me he had an appropriate tank. On arrival it looked too small. 50l approximately. I couldn’t give it to him. It looked too small. Maybe 80l+ for Pygmy imo. They certainly need a larger space than platies

Also I believe males will develop their ‘swords’ if they become the dominant male.
Look at the anal fin if you are unsure. Females have a fan shape fin and males, well they look a little phallic.

[jammedfool]

I think they were xiphophorus pygmaeous, tiny like an endler size. Labelled "rare"
The storeperson said shed actually breed them herself and would do the 3 males for £10 as noone seems to want them. I didn't go for them but at the till she mentioned putting them in with platies and 'seeing what happens'

The others were standard swordtail, various green/brown/silver and orange/black. -6cm max
Then a completely separate tank had red/black only and were labelled "wagtail swordtail". -10cm max

Is there any truth to the 6cm/10cm? Or have they labelled wrong as xiphophorus sp. Comes up with platies? I know they're related and potentially interbreed but perhaps platies come in a sword tail variety (though not proper swordtails?)

My tank is about 80cm long and I feel like I saw that's too short for swordtails.

I'm sort of taking every but of advice with a pinch of salt (pardon the pun) at the moment from the store now as they did seem to be selling just anything (even rams which they admitted would prefer hard water but I could try in my smaller tank.. even with the current stock I have)

That said they have some lovely stock and majority look healthier than other stores around. They have a load of stock which I've seen on this forum as "rare finds" e.g limia which I had considered

[jammedfool]

Also I believe males will develop their ‘swords’ if they become the dominant male.
Look at the anal fin if you are unsure. Females have a fan shape fin and males, well they look a little phallic.

Right, she seemed to know what she was looking for in the anal fin, she said she'd love one of them to be female but that one seemed to be just a dull colour male. Guess she checked the anal fins.

[BigBen]

Another point in her advice that's wrong - Rams prefer soft water.

[Martinspuddle]

If they are Xiphophorus pygmaeus and you can house them, I'd get these little livebearers as their not available on the market very often.

britishlivebearerassociation

[plankton]

I wouldn't mix them with platies though - they will cross-breed with other xiphophorus species.

[fr499y]

My LFS has 3x pygmy Golden swordtail (apparently all male but no sword tails)
I can't seem to find these on SF, wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction.

The shop was also selling swordtail (listed max 6cm) as xiphophorus sp.
In another tank, they had wagtail swordtail at 10cm...
What would you suggest as min tank size for either please?

which LFS is this?

[black ghost]

Standard domestic Swordtails grow to 15cms (female) and 10+ cms (male, without the sword).

[jammedfool]

Another point in her advice that's wrong - Rams prefer soft water.

Sorry, yes I mistyped late last night, she did say they prefer soft water (mine is ~12dGH)

If they are Xiphophorus pygmaeus and you can house them, I'd get these little livebearers as their not available on the market very often.

britishlivebearerassociation

I wonder if she'll have more fry any time soon, they might go in either tank if they stay smallish. These are all male, but she was doing 3 for £15 (1m+2f) before
My 40L has been really stable so far, no spikes of any kind and at weekly water changes the nitrates are barely registering... might be nice for a little more activity/variety

My LFS has 3x pygmy Golden swordtail (apparently all male but no sword tails)
I can't seem to find these on SF, wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction.

The shop was also selling swordtail (listed max 6cm) as xiphophorus sp.
In another tank, they had wagtail swordtail at 10cm...
What would you suggest as min tank size for either please?

which LFS is this?

Reefkeeper rugby (MA)

I wouldn't mix them with platies though - they will cross-breed with other xiphophorus species.

Yeah I wouldnt want to if they're a rare find

Standard domestic Swordtails grow to 15cms (female) and 10+ cms (male, without the sword).

Thanks - I guess not suited to either of my tanks, despite the store "advice"...