If you or your children are considering getting a pet, start with the fish. For starters, the best choice would be a swordsman. For children, caring for these fish will be an interesting fun that will not cause much trouble. This species is one of the most unpretentious and popular aquarium fish. They got such an interesting name because of the unusual shape of the fin, which looks like a sword. These fish have an interesting appearance and a variety of colors. If you plan to get fish, then start with this species, since the maintenance of aquarium swordsmen is not particularly difficult. They are unpretentious and quickly bring offspring.
Appearance
As noted above, the distinctive feature of a swordsman is the fin in the form of a sword, which only males can boast. Their color is very different: they are red, orange, black and yellow. Sometimes the color of the body of the fish may differ from the fins. But as a rule, mainly male can attract with its brightness and unusual beauty. The female fades against his background, although she is larger in size. A fairly common case is the transformation of a female swordsman into a male. She has a tail in the form of a sword and her behavior changes: she begins to look after the females, but she is barren. The reasons for this joke of nature are still not clear.
Types of Swordsmen
There are a huge number of species of these fish, which are different in color and in the shape of the fins:
- Green swordsman. This variety has an olive-brown color and thin red stripes along the body, and the sword has a colored border. In the natural habitat, only this species exists, the remaining species are obtained by crossing with other fish.
- Citric. It differs from the green swordsman only in its color scheme. Breeding of this type is a rather problematic process, since offspring do not always preserve parental traits.
- Bulgarian white. It is an albino, but keeping and breeding swordsmen of this species is a simpler task, unlike lemon ones.
- Red. This variety is obtained by crossing a green swordsman with red pecilia.
- The black. A hybrid of a green swordsman and black pecilia. It is a rather rare species, because due to an excess of pigment, these fish often get sick and die.
- Chintz. It differs from other types of tri-color. As a rule, he has black and red spots on the main white background.
- Rainbow. On the gray-green body there is an orange tint, and reddish stripes pass along the body.
- Brindle. This species is red with black spots, and his sword is always black.
- Mountain. It has a cream shade, and on its sides it has zigzag stripes of light tones.
Living in nature
The homeland of these fish is Central America. The natural habitat for them is the reservoirs of countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, as well as Honduras. Unlike aquarium and breeding species, the original swordsman is much paler.
You can meet these fishes in nature in various reservoirs - both fast rivers and quiet fresh waters are suitable for them. They are preferable to be in shallow and abundantly overgrown places with rich vegetation, which are necessary for feeding the swordsmen. The main food of fish in these conditions are various algae, insects and detritus. In the wild, swordsmen differ in size from aquarium ones. The length of the male excluding the sword is about ten centimeters, and the females are thirteen.
The most common types of swordfish in nature are:
- Montezuma;
- micromuric;
- Cortez;
- Clementia.
Maintenance and care
Despite the fact that these fish are peaceful and unpretentious, breeding and keeping swordsmen in an aquarium with other smaller relatives is undesirable. This is due to the fact that larger fish will terrorize small ones. In addition, it is not worth adding sedentary neighbors to the swordsmen of the swordfish. As a rule, male swordfish are quite cocky, so it is likely that they can damage the fins of other fish.
It may be problematic to keep swordsmen in one aquarium. As a rule, males are not particularly friendly to each other. In pursuit of leadership, two cocky males will fight all the time. The optimal composition of the swordsmen in the aquarium is as follows: three females and one male. But it is also possible for three or more males to be in the aquarium. Thus, the attention of the swordsman will not be directed to a specific opponent, in this regard, the degree of conflict can significantly decrease.
Features of keeping in the aquarium
It should be noted that the swordfish is not too complicated in maintenance and care. For children, an aquarium with these fish will be a good gift. But still there are certain nuances that are worth considering.
Due to the fact that fish like to group in the upper layers of the water, the composition and color of the soil do not have much significance. It can be sand, gravel, coral chips. But it is worth considering that the growth and general condition of plants depends on the quality of the soil, but the vegetation for swordsmen is fundamentally important. They need plants for shelter, so it is worth choosing several species at once. The following options are great:
- Wallisneria. It is a fairly popular plant that does not require special care. There are three types: dwarf, giant and spiral. Their length can reach up to two meters. Such a plant is recommended to be planted in the corners of the aquarium.
- Elodea - it grows in rivers, swamps, ponds and lakes in North America. Recall that it is there that you can meet wild swordsmen. This plant is used for decorative purposes and does not require special care.
- Hornwort is a unpretentious and common plant, which also serves as a filter for the aquarium. It helps to enrich water with oxygen, as well as eliminate nitrates from it. This plant does not need to be planted in the ground, as it has no roots. It can swim in the water column, but if desired, it is recommended to fix it with a stone or driftwood.
- Duckweed - this plant is used both for decoration of the aquarium and for feeding fish. As a rule, it floats on the surface of the aquarium, which gives the fish a sense of security. Duckweed is great for shelter during spawning, and is also used as food, which contains a large amount of nutrients.
And this is not the whole list of plants that are perfect for keeping swordsmen. But it is worth considering the factor of compatibility of fish and plants in a particular habitat. For example, swordsmen need water with a pH of 7-8 and a hardness of 8-25 ° dH.
It is also important to monitor the absence of changes in temperature, acidity and water hardness so as not to cause stress among the inhabitants of the aquarium. For the maintenance and breeding of swordsmen, it is necessary to maintain a hydrogen index at a stable level. To keep the water clean, it is worth partially changing it once a week. You can replace approximately one third of the total volume. Among other things, filtering the aquarium is necessary. For swordsmen, it is enough to acquire one internal filter. It is also worth thinking about aeration if the aquarium is crowded with residents. As mentioned earlier, these fish are not picky in their content, therefore they feel good both in fresh and in brackish water.
To keep the swordsmen at home, it is advisable to purchase a spacious elongated aquarium. Its length should be at least thirty centimeters, and about three liters of water should fall on each fish.
Proper illumination in the aquarium will help create plants that tend to swim on the surface of the water. Such green spaces will help create diffused light and will also become a shelter for fry during the breeding season. It is worth noting that male swordsmen tend to periodically jump out of the water. Therefore, in order to avoid such situations, the aquarium must be covered with glass. There are so many different accessories for the aquarium that will please not only you, but also your underwater inhabitants. Located at the bottom of the original trinkets in the form of ships and antique amphorae will become an additional refuge for fish.
Feeding
Aquarium fish swordsmen in the care and maintenance, although unpretentious, but nevertheless demanding food. Feeding the swordsmen is both live and frozen food, and you should not forget about dry flakes. Plant foods should be high in fiber. Given that swordsmen in the wild prefer brittle algae, you can buy cereals with a plant component for them in specialized stores. Among other things, experts recommend diversifying the menu with lean meats, dried bread, chicken yolk, as well as boiled squid and fish. The following food categories are suitable for feeding swordsmen: vegetable, dry, live (tubule, daphnia, bloodworm, artemia, cyclops). Plant food can be made independently from lettuce, spinach, nettle or algae. But the most important thing is that the plants you collect are young. Before grinding, it is necessary to douse them with boiling water.
Young fish Swordfish in the care and maintenance are more finicky. They should be fed not only with special dry food, but also offered to feast on microworms, a cut tubule, live dust (the smallest microorganisms). Experts also recommend adding egg yolk and spirulina to the diet of fry. Such additives will help accelerate the growth of fish and improve their color.
Compatibility
In the care and maintenance, the swordsmen, as we found out earlier, are not too whimsical. But what if, in addition to these fish, there are other varieties in the aquarium? Swordsmen can feel quite comfortable with the following types of fish:
- Pecilia. He is a close relative of the swordsmen. There are cases when these species crossed among themselves, while bringing beautiful offspring.
- Guppy. They belong to the same family as the swordsmen. As a rule, these two species are similar to each other. According to experts, the percentage of mortality in the aquarium will decrease if you leave only these two varieties.
- Mollinesia. Originally from the water bodies of Central America, as well as the swordsmen. There is the possibility of crossing these species, which is considered quite successful selection.
- Gourami. For a swordsman, he is an excellent neighbor, as they are close relatives. The fish of these species have similar temperaments and requirements for the conditions of detention.
With whom can settling in an aquarium be dangerous?
Swordsmen do not get along with representatives of the Karpov family. These include koi carps, goldfish, barbs, zebrafish. The fact is that the above fish are predators, so it will not be difficult for them to destroy the swordsman.
Also, do not combine swordsmen with snails and shrimps, unless you want to please them with a treat. These active fish cleverly get snails out of their shells. It is worth noting that the swordsmen are aggressive towards crustaceans and small fish. Therefore, adding them to the "swords", you thereby reduce their life expectancy.
Many sources indicate that scalars can be good neighbors for swordsmen. But actually this is a moot point. Undoubtedly, scalars have a calm disposition, but compatibility with them is quite controversial. This experiment should be carried out only in a spacious aquarium with many different shelters.
With cichlids, as well as with scalars, the swordfish have partial compatibility. But it is worth considering that these fish are much larger. Therefore, it is highly likely that they can eat swordsmen. In addition, these species have a different diet.
It is worth noting that the swordsmen are generally peaceful. Younger fish are thought to be calmer than older ones. There is also an opinion that the cause of aggression is the lack of the light they need.
Diseases of the Swordsmen
Many aquarists know that the swordfish fish in care and maintenance is not too whimsical. But still, these fish are just as susceptible to disease as any other creature.
In aquarium fish, diseases are divided into:
- infectious, caused by various microorganisms, can be transmitted between individuals;
- invasive - appear due to unicellular and multicellular parasites;
- non-infectious, which are caused by large parasites or improper conditions of detention.
Therefore, when acquiring swordsmen, the first thing to do is to examine them for signs of disease. Experts advise as a preventive measure, before starting a beginner in a common aquarium, hold it for about twenty minutes in salted water. The solution is made at the rate of one tablespoon of salt per liter of water. This procedure will help rid the swordsman of all kinds of external microbes and protect other fish.
But as a rule, this type of fish is not particularly susceptible to various diseases. The most common cause of disease is infected and poor-quality feed. Therefore, in order to avoid infection, get food for fish only from trusted sellers. In case you notice a sick fish, you should immediately put it in a separate container so as not to infect the others.
Life span
As a rule, the life expectancy of swordsmen is from three to five years. It is worth noting that a densely populated aquarium is able to shorten the life of local residents. In addition, fish are adversely affected by the high temperature of the water. This must be taken into account in their content.
Propagation of the swordsmen
To keep your fish healthy and bring offspring, you need to know some secrets of caring for them. Beginning aquarists should be aware of the breeding and maintenance of swordsmen. Puberty in these fish occurs in a favorable environment after about three months. First of all, it is important to observe the temperature regime, and to ensure the safety of fry, you should use a separate container or a special jig that can be installed inside the aquarium.
If you want to keep as many offspring as possible, then put the female in a separate place in advance. Otherwise, it is likely that the fry will be eaten by their own kindred.
Experts advise to create the following specific conditions for breeding swordsmen:
- The optimal temperature for breeding is slightly higher than usual - from 28 to 30 degrees.
- Change water as often as possible.
The optimal breeding medium is clean, warm water with a high oxygen content. Adding different plants will only benefit. You can also influence the future sex of fish with the help of water temperature. If the temperature of the water in the aquarium exceeds 30 degrees, then there will be more males, and if it is about 25 degrees, more females will be born.
For the selection of beautiful fish, it is worth choosing the right parents. Experts advise selecting swordsmen for breeding according to the following criteria: it is better to take a male eight months old, and a female should be at least ten months old. It is better to choose large fish with a rounded abdomen.