Okay, I have some more questions... I want to make sure I know as much as I can to help my fish!
1. I have two "litters" of swordtail fry now. One litter is three weeks old, and they are neon swordtails. The other were just born yesterday, and they are half-pineapple swordtails. (Their mother was pregnant when I bought her, so I don't know what the father was. I know he wasn't a pineapple, because the fry have very long, jet black tails with bright orange bodies!) I was just wondering if I could put them together at these ages, so I don't have to have both litters taking up separate tanks. Will the younger ones be okay?
2. When will I be able to tell the difference between male and female fry, and when should I separate them?
3. My female pineapple swordtail has a pretty sad looking tail. It looks ragged and chewed on. I heard of finrot but I don't know what the symptoms are. I also don't know if it is contagious to the other fish. Right now I have her separated because she had her fry, but I don't want to put her with the other adults yet because I don't want them to catch it. They have never been in contact with her before, so they are safe as of right now. Could she have just been picked on, and had her tail bitten?
4. I have an adult black swordtail female, but lately she has been acting like a male. I'm very sure she is a female because she doesn't have the male anal fin, and she doesn't have a swordtail. I know some young males look like females, but she is so big you'd think if she were a male, her tail would have a sword already. Anyway, she chases my pregnant marigold female all over the place, and backs up into her a lot. She also tends to nip at her. What should I do? I have heard that sometimes other fish know if another fish is pregnant and will nip at their gravid spot, waiting to eat the new fry... is this true? Well, the black female doesn't just go for the gravid spot, she goes for the tail and fins as well. It's not an attack, but it sure isn't play, either. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanx!
1. I have two "litters" of swordtail fry now. One litter is three weeks old, and they are neon swordtails. The other were just born yesterday, and they are half-pineapple swordtails. (Their mother was pregnant when I bought her, so I don't know what the father was. I know he wasn't a pineapple, because the fry have very long, jet black tails with bright orange bodies!) I was just wondering if I could put them together at these ages, so I don't have to have both litters taking up separate tanks. Will the younger ones be okay?
2. When will I be able to tell the difference between male and female fry, and when should I separate them?
3. My female pineapple swordtail has a pretty sad looking tail. It looks ragged and chewed on. I heard of finrot but I don't know what the symptoms are. I also don't know if it is contagious to the other fish. Right now I have her separated because she had her fry, but I don't want to put her with the other adults yet because I don't want them to catch it. They have never been in contact with her before, so they are safe as of right now. Could she have just been picked on, and had her tail bitten?
4. I have an adult black swordtail female, but lately she has been acting like a male. I'm very sure she is a female because she doesn't have the male anal fin, and she doesn't have a swordtail. I know some young males look like females, but she is so big you'd think if she were a male, her tail would have a sword already. Anyway, she chases my pregnant marigold female all over the place, and backs up into her a lot. She also tends to nip at her. What should I do? I have heard that sometimes other fish know if another fish is pregnant and will nip at their gravid spot, waiting to eat the new fry... is this true? Well, the black female doesn't just go for the gravid spot, she goes for the tail and fins as well. It's not an attack, but it sure isn't play, either. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanx!
