Hi All,I have a 60litre tank. Current stock are 1 male Swordtail, 5 Neon Tetra's, 4 Cory's. The Swordtail spends a good deal of his time down the bottom of the aquarium. I wanted to get some company for him to bring him out of his shell! I was thinking about getting 1/2 Female Swordtails. However on the other hand I do not want a tank in 6 months time covered in Swordtails! Has anyone any suggestions?If I were to get 1/2 Female Swordtails how often would they breed? Would the fry be eaten or is there a chance a small percentage would survive?Is there any other fish I could get as company for him without them breeding? (I read that male Swordtails together will fight so know this is not an option).Thanks in advance for any advice :)

You've identified the likely source of his malaise correctly - he's a schooling fish (needs to be in a group of 4 or more) that's alone. Swordtails are deeply related to the platy (they're both genus Xiphophorus - http://loveoffish.com/types.html#platy ), so much so that they interbreed, and many so-called swordtails are sometimes swordtail-platy hybrids. You should put him in the company of swordtails (preferred) or platies (will do) to get him to relax.Three thoughts -a) You may be pushing the one inch per gallon limit on your tank. Have you considered getting a larger tank or an additional tank?b) Can you return the male and get a bunch of females? Of course, females lack quite the same kind of sword, so maybe that defeats one of your goals.c) You could let the fry be eaten. Your tetras will do it if the platies/swordtails don't. It sounds cruel but that is what happens in nature. Cut back slightly on flakes when you see fry. Note - Any thick-enough vegetation (especially something tangly like Java Moss) will allow some fry to get away, and you will find your Platy/Swordtail ranks multiplying if that's the tank environment.

i would get him some females if you have the room for them. i let my tank go the "natural" way when it comes to fish breeding (natural selection) if by chance you ever get a population problem, you can always give some of the new arrivals to friends or family with compatible fish, or donate them to your local fish store. i let people donate fish all the time where i work (i have a lady coming in every 6 months with 130 convict cichlids, and another customer that comes in with platies) and sometimes you can find a mom n pop store that may buy them from you, prolly not for much, but its a plus!

males won't fight.....they just need time to get used to it.....if not 2-3 female betta's will help him get out of his shell....lol

I'd personally go and get 2 females. Yes, Swordtail fry will be an issue, but if you just leave the fry in the community, the weaker and slower ones will die and only the strongest will survive. Livebearers have another brood every 31 days or so, but you could always sell the fry on or give them away. However, there's another issue here. How's your filtration holding out? Do you have any results for ammonia and nitrite (particularly those 2). The reason I ask is because you may be a little overstocked. If the filter's coping, great - go ahead and get 2 more Swordtails - but it might be time to think about getting a bigger tank.Hope that helps :) and feel free to email me if you need any more help.

If you add female you need to add 2 as livebearers need to be kept 2 female per male if you keep both genders. Unless your tank is heavly planted the changes of any of the fry surviving is slim, but you can avoid it all togather and just add a couple more males and no females. Male swordtails don't generally fight unless if is over a limited number of females so if there are no females then no problem.

If the parents dont eat them one other fish much or you could say to the person you buy them from if my swordtail has fry can i give them to you because i dont wont alot in my tank.He/she will probally say yes because your not selling them to him/her.