Terrie Lee Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 I moved my two new female pineapple swordtails into my 5g betta tank. It has been a whole day and they are sill hiding under the big clump of java moss and looking morose. They are very large for swordtails could it be that a 5g is too small for them? It is hexagonal and I am not sure of the dimensions. The water is the same as the tank they were in and I put a established filter on the tank before moving them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P@UL Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 my female sword tail sits around and does nothing litterally for the last couple months Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 They are very large for swordtails could it be that a 5g is too small for them? Sword tails are active fish and need room to move around. The minimum size you should keep them in is a 15g tank. 12*12*24. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted March 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Sigh. I thought so. I was trying to keep the girls separate because they are lovely pineapple swordtails. I got them at the auction. I want to keep as many of those gorgeous fry as I can. They were looking a bit more active at feeding time today. Aw nutz........ they aren't going to drop those fry if they are stressed are they? I am tempted to squeeze them and see if fry shoot out. (I am very much kidding on that.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted March 1, 2007 Report Share Posted March 1, 2007 Aw nutz........ they aren't going to drop those fry if they are stressed are they? Probably not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 (edited) I found that female S.T.s on their own are not very active, throw in a male and they spend most of their time resisting his advances. Edited March 2, 2007 by HOSStile Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red-dragon Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 just give up now and sell them as feeders... -roll- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Never! I moved the girls back into the big tank. They seem happier and do spend most of their time running away from the male. I just hope they drop those fry on the java moss provided and I can catch a few and put them in the fry tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop Eye Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 can you maybe put a breeder net in the main tank. That way they can still see the male and if they drop the fry they will be caught in the breeder net? Dont know if this will work.. But thought I would mention it. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanker Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 I strongly caustion against the breeder net idea... I have seen more fry literally sucked through the 'holes' on even the finest nets... the rest of the fish in the tank will simply consider this a bit of sport and you'll end up with not-a-one at the end of the day. I used to keep swords - reds, pineapples and some wild-greens - but they all were terrible as far as the females dieing for no reason, bloating up during birth and exploding (talk about a mess) and just generally being really 'weak' fish. Slightest variance in water params, and they would go first, everytime. I had Ottos that made it through spikes that the Swords would fold on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kona Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 I had swords for a lot of years and from your description I would say they are at or near the end of their life cylcle---unfortunatley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 What would indicate that my swordtails are near the end of their life-cycle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kona Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Any of the good females that I had became as you say very large for a sword then would become less active and then die. I would say life span of only 1.5 to 2 years tops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qattarra Posted March 9, 2007 Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 I've seen your girls, they don't seem aged to me. Might just be loneliness. What temp is your tank and do you have salt in there. A bit of salt may sprite them up Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terrie Lee Posted March 9, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2007 Since I moved them back to the 29g they are sprightly as ever. I think they just did not like the confined space. They also like hanging out with their boyfriend who "motivates" them to move around. I think they are mature, but not quite old. I will look for changes in behavior as they age even further. Don't fish also lose color as they age? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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