Black Swordtail Issues

LoganLennox

HI all I have been breeding my swordtails for a couple of generaltions now but wanted to try breeding my black female with a black male. however I found it hard to find one that doesn't have a black sword. I have heard that the gene that causes black fins is also cancerous for them, and I was wondering if anyone knew if that also includes his sword. He's such a handsome looking fish like a blue and black tuxedo... and now hes been swimming funny. sort of bobbing around and letting himself fall to the bottom before moving a fin. I isolated him because he lived with a puffer and didn't want him to become food.... but is there anything i can do to make him comfortable or if it is cancer whats the humane thing to do?

LoganLennox

Just an update that my Swordtail has now passed quietly and peacfully away. But I would still like to know before I get another one, is the black sword cancerous with clear fins? Or could this have been something else?

karjean

Sorry for the passing of your fish.

Austin

There's a number of things it could have been.

I'm no expert, but I don't understand how a certain coloring on a fish would cause cancer... unless it was dyed, which most swordtails are not, and I doubt the one you had was.

LoganLennox

I don't fully undrstand it myself and I'm not positive that cancer is what got him but there was something wrong with his dorsal fin and his tail, like he was oddly shaped. His dorsal was always flat to his back and he never opened it, and he always curled to his left side.... He looked really sad for a fish.