# Swordtail Help



## semisweetgracie (Sep 21, 2008)

I started with 2 female swordtails, as I didn't wish to have fry. One changed from a girl to a boy (yes, I know this is because of infertility!) and in turn, sprouted a sword. They are both orange. Now the "male" is developing a black mark along the bottom of his tail and just began chasing the female around. (She looks pretty annoyed...) Yea, what should I do? I don't really know if this is a question.


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## trashion (Aug 24, 2007)

Either get rid of the male (if you don't want babies) or add at least 2 more females. Livebearers should be 1m/3f.


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## malakye (Dec 16, 2008)

he will chase her to try to breed, you will either have to keep a solitary female which isnt very fair or just let them breed but buy another couple of females so she gets a break from him. If its just because of fry numbers theres every chance the fry would be eaten by other fish if you just left them too it.


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## Manthalynn (Aug 23, 2008)

It's ridiculously difficult to find truely female swords! I started out with 2 females and 1 male. One of the females turned out to be a juvenile male and sprouted a sword about a month after getting him. So now I had 2M, 1 F.

So out I went to buy 3 more females. Couldn't find definitive females anywhere! A few weeks later, I found some that were questionable but I really was hoping so I brought 3 home. Two of the three I bought turned male on me.

Grrr....it makes sense that LFS want to sell the showier males and the breeders just keep the females, but really, how difficult should it be to find female swords?! Mollies you can barely find a male when you want to!


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