Why Did My Swordtail Fish Die?

Are you making sure that the water parameters are optimal?

Did you notice any unusual behavior of your fish, like glass surfing, hiding, loss of appetite?

Do you have more male than female swordtails?

Was your swordtail an older fish (3-5 years old)?

You have to monitor the ammonia and nitrate levels in the water to ensure that your fish are safe. The ideal temperature for the swordtails should be between 72 degrees Fahrenheit and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The pH level should remain between 6.8 and 7.8. Swordtails also prefer hard water ranging between 12 dGH and 30 dGH, and you should filter it properly. Track the parameters so that you can act on time and prevent issues.

Swordfish do not handle stress for a very long time and might end up dying. High stress is the most common cause of mortality in aquariums. If the swordtails are moving up and down continuously or they are turned upside down when swimming they may be stressed due to poor quality water or the tank is very small for them. Disturbed swordtails tend to hide in the plants or to stay at the bottom part of your aquarium.

Swordtails are known to breed faster when the males are dominating because they harass the females and try to mate with them constantly. Continuous breeding can cause over-exhaustion in live-bearing females, and they can die at the time of giving birth because the body is unable to handle the stress. The optimum ratio of males to females is 1:3. With an optimal ratio, you will manage to control the breeding rate.

The average lifespan of swordtails is 3-5 years. Old age is an unlikely cause of death in swordtails, but as the swordfish ages, it gets weaker and becomes more susceptible to diseases. You can recognize the older individuals as the color of this species of fish changes and dulls as they get old.

Your fish might have died due to a disease. When a disease starts taking hold of the fish tank, it might be hard to control it. Disease treatments are valuable additions to the aquarium kit when the fish start getting sick or some of them die. The treatments target problems and prevent their spread. However, you will have to work out the diseases, bacteria, or parasites affecting your fish before you opt for a treatment option.