Easy
Xiphophorus helleri koi sanke
23–27°C · pH 7–8.5 · 90L
£14.99
Tuxedo Swordtail with smart two-tone patterning, about 4 cm. Peaceful, easy to keep and easy to breed; 75 litres plus, 23–27 °C.
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 tuxedo
Swordtail Tuxedo are a shoaling species — they need 6+ to feel safe and show their full colour.
Tuxedo Swordtail with smart two-tone patterning, about 4 cm. Peaceful, easy to keep and easy to breed; 75 litres plus, 23–27 °C.
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
That smart two-tone look is where the name comes from: the Tuxedo Swordtail (Xiphophorus helleri tuxedo) wears the striking tuxedo pattern across a small body listed at just 4 cm. Patterned fish often demand huge tanks to show well; this one does it from a body about the length of a matchstick. Compact, busy and simple to keep, it adds constant activity to the middle band of a community aquarium — and it is noted as an easy breeder, so numbers can grow if you let them.
Peaceful by nature, it fits comfortably with platies, mollies, guppies, peaceful danios, Corydoras catfish and snails. The companion list reads like a who's-who of gentle community fish, and that is no accident — calm surroundings are what let a small, busy livebearer thrive. Leave out large aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping barbs, large predatory fish, very delicate slow movers and generally aggressive tank mates, and the Tuxedo will go about its day untroubled.
Requirements are modest: a tank from 75 litres, water at 23–27 °C, pH between 7.0 and 8.5 and hardness in the broad 5–30 dGH window. That hardness tolerance is worth underlining, since it covers an enormous spread of real-world water supplies without adjustment. Nothing about these requirements should stretch anyone who has run a heated community tank before. As an omnivore it eats whatever varied fare the community gets, and a lifespan of about three years is typical with steady care.
A 75-litre community gives a group of Tuxedos plenty of room, and their patterning reads clearly even in a busy tank. Match them with the calm companions listed above and avoid anything nippy. Introduce them gently, feed little and often at first, and the group will soon be weaving through the midwater. Their small size makes them easy to house and never an afterthought to watch. We send fish with a licensed live-animal courier, covered from dispatch by our live arrival guarantee.
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