🐟 Marigold Lyretail Swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii)
A Warm Red-and-Gold Body Like a Marigold Bloom • Flowing Lyre-Shaped Tail and Tall, Extended Fins • A Hardy, Easy Livebearer for Any Community Tank
 
📋 The Marigold Lyretail Swordtail has a warm red-and-gold body, rich red blending into bright yellow like the flower it's named for, finished with flowing lyretail fins: long extensions on the top and bottom of the tail and a tall, extended dorsal fin.
Like nearly every colour variety in the hobby, this colouring and fin shape are the product of generations of selective breeding, rather than something found in the wild olive-green-to-brown original form. It comes from Central America, from Mexico down to Honduras. Every Marigold Lyretail Swordtail we ship is feeding well.
This is a true livebearer, giving birth to fully formed, free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs. Males develop the species' signature sword-shaped tail extension as they mature, and both males and females carry the long lyretail fins. It's a hardy, easy community fish, though males can spar with each other, so keeping more females than males in a group helps keep things calm. Its long fins look their best alongside calm tankmates. It's also a known jumper, so a secure lid matters. It reaches up to 14cm including the sword, so a 100L tank suits it well.
 
💡 Highlights
🟠🟡 Warm Red-and-Gold Body: Rich red blending into bright yellow
🎏 Flowing Lyretail Fins: Long tail extensions and a tall dorsal fin
⚔️ Signature Sword Tail: Develops in mature males only
🐣 True Livebearer: Gives birth to free-swimming fry, no eggs involved
💪 Hardy and Easy: A reliable community fish for most tanks
🦘 A Known Jumper: A secure lid is recommended