TankStockingSwordtail Tank Mates
Swordtails are active, peaceful livebearers — bigger and stronger swimmers than platies, needing a longer tank.
They share the platy's easy-going temperament and broad compatibility, but males can squabble and the fish are strong jumpers, so a lid and a roomy footprint matter. The engine clears the usual peaceful community crowd.
Swordtail key facts
The sourced figures the engine uses to judge Swordtail pairings.
| Adult size | 12 cm |
|---|---|
| Minimum tank | 20 US gal |
| Minimum group | 3+ (pair/group) |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Temperature range | 22–28°C |
| pH range | 7–8.3 |
| Bioload | Medium |
| Swim level | All levels |
| Beginner-friendly | Yes |
Sources & confidence (11 species)
These back the Swordtail figures and the recommended tank mates above. Each figure is read from the TankStocking species database (v2026.06); below is the care reference behind it and how confident we are in that data. Confidence reflects the source quality, not whether any pairing is safe. Full source list and the welfare model are on the methodology page.
- Swordtail Xiphophorus hellerii — Fishlore swordtail profile / FishBase Xiphophorus hellerii high confidence
- Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp) Atyopsis moluccensis — Aquariadise (aquariadise.com/caresheet-bamboo-shrimp-atyopsis-moluccensis) high confidence
- Bleeding Heart Tetra Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma — Seriously Fish (Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma) high confidence
- Boesemani Rainbowfish Melanotaenia boesemani — Seriously Fish; Aquarium Co-Op Boesemani guide high confidence
- Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/mikrogeophagus-altispinosus) high confidence
- Brilliant Rasbora Rasbora einthovenii — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/rasbora-einthovenii) high confidence
- Bristlenose Pleco Ancistrus sp. — Aquarium Source / aqua-fish.net Ancistrus care guides high confidence
- Bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/corydoras-aeneus) high confidence
- Celebes Rainbowfish Marosatherina ladigesi — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/marosatherina-ladigesi) high confidence
- Clown Pleco Panaqolus maccus — Fish Laboratory (fishlaboratory.com/fish/clown-pleco); AquariumStoreDepot high confidence
- Congo Tetra Phenacogrammus interruptus — Seriously Fish (seriouslyfish.com/species/phenacogrammus-interruptus) high confidence
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Verdict
Top Swordtail tank mates
A ranked shortlist: the species the engine clears with Swordtail and that suit its size and temperament best — tap any to load the exact pairing in the planner.
| Species | Adult size | Temp range | Min group | Swim level | Why it works |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamboo Shrimp (Wood/Fan Shrimp) | 10 cm | 20–27°C | 1 | All levels | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | 6 cm | 21–28°C | 8+ (shoal) | Midwater | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | 10 cm | 24–28°C | 6+ (shoal) | Midwater | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Bolivian Ram | 8 cm | 24–27°C | 2+ (pair/group) | Bottom | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Brilliant Rasbora | 9 cm | 22–26°C | 6+ (shoal) | Midwater | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Bristlenose Pleco | 13 cm | 23–27°C | 1 | Bottom | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Bronze Corydoras | 7 cm | 22–26°C | 6+ (shoal) | Bottom | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Celebes Rainbowfish | 8 cm | 22–28°C | 6+ (shoal) | Midwater | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Clown Pleco | 9 cm | 23–28°C | 1 | Bottom | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
| Congo Tetra | 8 cm | 23–28°C | 6+ (shoal) | Midwater | Peaceful temperament, similar adult size |
Other engine-cleared options (not necessarily ideal)
These clear TankStocking's hard welfare checks with Swordtail, but are larger, bolder, or otherwise less ideal than the shortlist above — read up before committing.
Anabantoids (Bettas/Gouramis)
Barbs
Corydoras
Invertebrates
Livebearers
Loaches
Oddball
Rainbowfish
Rasboras
Possible with care
These can work, but the engine flags something to watch — read the reason before you commit.
- Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) — Territorial
- Paradise Fish — Aggression
- Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apisto Cacatuoides) — Territorial
- Convict Cichlid — Aggression
- Firemouth Cichlid — Territorial
- Jewel Cichlid — Aggression
- Kribensis (Rainbow Krib) — Territorial
- Oscar — Aggression
- Golden Wonder Killifish (Striped Panchax) — Aggression
- Rainbow Shark — Aggression
- Redtail Black Shark — Aggression
- Pictus Catfish — Aggression
Best avoided
A hard welfare check fires for each of these — don't mix them with Swordtail.
- Chocolate Gourami — Species-only fish
- Licorice Gourami — Species-only fish
- Tinfoil Barb — Predation risk
- Discus — Temperature clash
- Green Severum — Predation risk
- Multifasciatus Shell-Dweller — Territorial, Species-only fish
- Common Goldfish — Coldwater + tropical
- Fancy Goldfish — Coldwater + tropical
- Gold White Cloud Mountain Minnow — Temperature clash, Coldwater + tropical
- Rosy Red Minnow (Fathead Minnow) — Coldwater + tropical
- White Cloud Mountain Minnow — Temperature clash, Coldwater + tropical
- Bumblebee Goby — Territorial, Species-only fish
- Dwarf Pufferfish (Pea Puffer) — Species-only fish
- Common Pleco — Predation risk
Swordtail community ideas
Each build is scored by the same engine as the planner — tap one to load it.
Swordtail + cory
✓ Good starter plan4× Swordtail, 6× Bronze Corydoras
Active livebearers up top with a calm bottom shoal in a 29-gallon.
Load this build in the planner ↑Swordtail + platy
✓ Good starter plan3× Swordtail, 5× Platy
Two compatible livebearers — colourful and lively, ideal for a planted community.
Load this build in the planner ↑Common questions
What fish can live with swordtails?
Peaceful community fish that tolerate similar water: platies, mollies, guppies, corydoras and peaceful tetras. Swordtails are active, so avoid very timid tankmates.
Do swordtails jump?
Yes — they are notorious jumpers, so a tight-fitting lid is essential. A longer tank also gives these strong swimmers the room they need.
Can you keep multiple male swordtails?
Males can be territorial with each other. One male with several females, or a males-only group with enough space and sightline breaks, works best.
More on Swordtail
Related guides on TankStocking — each scored by the same welfare engine as the planner.
Can Swordtail live with…?
Compatibility is a planning estimate: individual temperament, tank layout, and group sizes all matter. Cycle the tank, add fish gradually, and watch how they behave. See the methodology or browse the full freshwater fish list.