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Pineapple Swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii
Animalia›Chordata›Actinopterygii
Variety of Swordtail · pineapple
📍 Central America
A swordtail variety named for its yellow body patterned with a dark scale edging that creates a net or pineapple-skin effect, often paired with red or orange accent markings. Hardy and active like all swordtails, it does best in community tanks with hard, alkaline water and ample swimming space.
Care Guide
Diet
Pineapple Swordtails are omnivorous and should be fed high-quality flake foods, small pellets, and regular supplements of frozen foods like brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms. Feed once daily in amounts they can consume within 2-3 minutes, supplementing with blanched vegetables like spinach or zucchini 2-3 times weekly.
Behavior
Active and energetic swimmers that prefer the middle water column, Pineapple Swordtails are peaceful community fish that display characteristic swordtail behavior including frequent darting and exploring. Males may show mild aggression toward each other, so provide ample space and visual breaks with plants; females are generally more docile and gregarious.
Breeding
Breeding in captivity is relatively easy as swordtails are livebearers that reproduce readily in established tanks with adequate space and vegetation. Females produce 20-100 fry every 4-6 weeks; separate pregnant females into a breeding tank or provide dense plants to protect fry from predation by adults.
Tank Mates
Similar size, peaceful temperament, and identical water parameter requirements make guppies ideal community companions
Fellow livebearers with matching water needs and peaceful behavior; can interbreed but compatible in mixed-sex groups
Small, peaceful schooling fish that occupy different water zones and prefer slightly softer water but tolerate swordtail conditions
Algae-eating snail that thrives in hard water; swordtails generally ignore snails and benefit from their cleanup
Peaceful algae eater that prefers similar water conditions and provides biofilm control without competing for food
Common Diseases
Fin Rot
Frayed, discolored, or deteriorating fin edges; lethargy and loss of appetite
Perform 25% water changes every 2-3 days, maintain excellent water quality, and treat with aquarium salt (1 teaspoon per 5 gallons) or antibacterial medication if severe
Ich (White Spot Disease)
Tiny white spots on body and fins, excessive scratching against objects, rapid breathing
Raise temperature gradually to 28-29°C, treat with aquarium salt or commercial ich medication for 7-10 days, and perform daily water changes
Velvet Disease
Fine golden or rust-colored dust on body, clamped fins, lethargy, rapid gill movement
Increase aeration, treat with copper-based medication or salt following product instructions, dim lighting, and maintain pristine water quality
Dropsy
Swollen belly, protruding scales, lethargy, loss of appetite, pale coloration
Isolate affected fish, perform frequent water changes, treat with antibacterial medication, and provide high-quality foods; prognosis is often poor
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Varieties
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Water it likes
- ph
- 7.0–8.3
- ammonia
- 0 ppm
- nitrate
- <20 ppm
- temperature
- 64–79°F (18–26°C)