swordtail temps

KendraMc

do swordtails really need temps of 76-84? the minimum of 76 seems high, considering that it says they do better at cooler temps. do they do ok at like 72 or 74?

i'm trying to figure out what to put with some, and a lot of the fish i'm finding that can handle the harder water/higher pH likes water a little on the colder side, a lot being no higher than 78 or 79.

Pisces47

Just had a quick look in a book I have titled " The Aquarium Handbook" and it says that for Swordtails the water temperature should be between 72 - 79 F with a pH of 6.8 - 7.5.

KendraMc

can anyone else add some information? i'm not doubting you, pisces, i would just like to have more sources one way of the other, since the two ranges i now have are rather different. i want to do what is best for my fish, and wrong or misleading information is potentially worse than no information.

KendraMc

so, i googled Swordtail temperature ranges and got the following:
64-80
72-82
74-78
69-82
75-82

that is quite a range. can anyone verify any of these? i don't know enough about this kind of thing to rate the reliability of the sites i found these ranges on.

1077

Have kept them at warmer temps and believe they fair better,longer, between 73 and 75 degrees F.

KendraMc

so, if i plan tank mates based on 75 F tank, i should be ok, right?

hillz45

..

platyfishlover123

Yes but they have to be compatible with Swords like other livebearers.

1077

Should be fine.
Would alway's have more females than males if space permit's.
Males only,,or more than one male in 20 gal tank,,,and the two males will maybe not get along so well.
One male to three or four females if you wish to raise fry.

KendraMc

yeah, that too . i know livebearers like higher pH and harder water than most fish, so that is just as important as the temp when figuring out tank mates. i'd already made my list based on that, tank size, activity (though that one isn't as big of a deal with swords as it is with some other fish), etc. temperature was the last thing i had to figure out.