Easy
Swordtail Red (Xiphophorus helleri red)
22–28°C · pH 7–8.4 · 75L
£3.99
A hardy, colorful livebearer with a graceful swordtail and an easygoing nature, perfect for beginner community aquariums. Easy care, peaceful. 23-27C, pH 7-8.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Xiphophorus helleri
Swordtail Commet pink are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
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A hardy, colorful livebearer with a graceful swordtail and an easygoing nature, perfect for beginner community aquariums. Easy care, peaceful. 23-27C, pH 7-8.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Platies are one of the best beginner fish — hardy, colourful, peaceful, and available in dozens of colour varieties. Perfect for community tanks of all sizes.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Soft pastel pink is not a shade you expect from a swordtail, and that is precisely the charm of the Commet Pink (Xiphophorus helleri commet pink). Gentle colouring, the family's graceful tail and a thoroughly easygoing nature combine in a fish that makes a natural first livebearer, listed at a manageable 4.5 cm. Where louder strains compete for attention, this one calms a tank down — a pastel counterpoint to stronger reds and golds elsewhere in the aquarium.
Stocking around it is simple. Platies, mollies, guppies, other peaceful livebearers and snails are all listed companions, while large aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping fish, large predatory species, aggressive barbs and very delicate soft-water fish should be left out. Anything that requires acidic, very soft water is a mismatch — this strain wants the neutral-to-alkaline side, with pH 7.0–8.5 and hardness from 5 to 30 dGH. That preference is the single most important line in its care sheet: get the water right and everything else about this fish is genuinely beginner-grade.
A 75-litre aquarium heated to 23–27 °C is all it takes to get started. Keep maintenance rhythmical rather than reactive — small regular water changes hold the listed ranges far more easily than occasional big corrections. It asks for consistency, not expertise. The Commet Pink feeds as an unfussy omnivore, cruises the middle of the tank and, with routine care, lives around three years.
If this is your first community aquarium, the Commet Pink is a forgiving place to begin — peaceful, hardy and undemanding within its listed ranges. Its easy-care rating and peaceful record make it one of the most forgiving introductions to livebearer keeping we can suggest. Start slow, stock light, and add colour gradually as confidence grows. Pick calm tank mates, keep up regular maintenance, and let the pastel colour do the rest. Fish arrive via licensed live-animal courier with a live arrival guarantee as standard.
