Easy
Swordtail Wien Lyra (Xiphophorus helleri wien lyra)
23–27°C · pH 7–8.5 · 75L
£5.99
Red Swordtail — classic solid red, about 12 cm, peaceful and easy to breed. 22–28 °C, pH 7–8.4, hard water 10–30 dGH, 75 litres plus.
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. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Xiphophorus helleri red
Swordtail Red are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
Red Swordtail — classic solid red, about 12 cm, peaceful and easy to breed. 22–28 °C, pH 7–8.4, hard water 10–30 dGH, 75 litres plus.
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. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
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
Solid red from nose to the tip of the tail is what the name promises, and it is what this strain delivers. The Red Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri red) is a brightly coloured livebearer reaching a substantial 12 cm or so, bringing constant motion to the middle of the aquarium — and it is recorded as an easy breeder, so keep a mixed group and fry tend to follow. It is the swordtail many keepers picture when they hear the name. In a planted aquarium the effect is immediate: one moving stroke of red against green, visible from across the room.
Take note of this strain's listed water profile, which differs slightly from its relatives: a wider 22–28 °C temperature window, pH from 7.0 to 8.4, and hardness of 10–30 dGH — firmly on the hard-water side. That broader temperature band also gives a little extra forgiveness in rooms that run warm in summer or cool overnight. The minimum aquarium is 75 litres, though a fish this size always appreciates more.
Temperament is peaceful, and the listed companions are familiar community staples: platies, mollies, guppies, Corydoras catfish and snails. Avoid large aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping fish, predatory species, very delicate slow movers and soft-acid-water specialists. Fed as an omnivore on a varied diet, a healthy Red Swordtail lives around three years — a stocking choice that needs no follow-up purchases, no special food and no extra equipment.
Hard water is this strain's friend, so there is no need to soften your supply to suit it — check your parameters sit inside the listed ranges and you are set. Give it length to swim and peaceful neighbours, and it becomes the centrepiece red of a community display. It remains a classic for good reason: simple needs, strong colour, constant movement. Settle arrivals slowly and feed once they cruise the midwater with confidence. Delivery is by licensed live-animal courier, complete with our live arrival guarantee.
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