Select Aquatics Presents Raising Large Swordtails, Levamisole and Fish you Should Never Keep!

This Video discusses approaches to Raising Big Swordtails, looking at the X. mayae, helleri and montezumae, How to Dose Levamisole, and Fish that you should Never, Ever Keep... and why! Check out selectaquatics.com for more pictures and videos!

[@reyrecks]

The legend of the man eating swordtails lol

[@AquaApprentice]

You are very good at covering every bit of your process and documenting it. This is great stuff to just sit back and listen to even if you dont plan on keeping the same type of fish. Thanks for sharing

[@josephkrug8579]

Swordtails, especially the green more natural varieties are my favorites. Thanks for doing all the work to keep them going. :)

[@bigbuck6217]

Just found you and your channel. When I was a kid in the early 80s I bred red brick and red velvet swords and traded them to the local pet shops for credit. I'm now getting back into the hobby, and was just thinking last week about trying to set up to start breeding swordtails again after all these years. So glad I found your channel.

[@truecrimson1]

I did the same thing in the mid to late 80's. Awesome to hear I wasn't the only one.

[@Lumpydog]

Greg, thank you for making the very informative video about swordtails. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. Thank you for sharing. I wish that I had your dedication to maintain a large fish room. Cheers. p.s. Yes, I'm old enough to remember the large red velvet swordtails. My dad had a trio of them when I was a child. They had amazing deep and consistent red color.

[@EuthanasiaSUPREME]

Original Red Brick swords are wild in the streams where I live. The natural green swordtails are also common here. I've seen HUGE swords in some places deep in our jungle valleys.

[@NotAnAngryLesbian]

Concerning fish that grow very large. When I was in 6th grade I brought home a pacu. It was about three inches long. I kept it for several years in a 30 gallon, 36" aquarium. Eventually, it grew so large I traded it in to the local fish store. It was about 18". They put in their 300+ gallon display tank. I dodged a bullet there. Had no idea what a pacu was at the time and this being 1976 it wasnt practical to try and research them.

[@thurminatorfishing206]

This man is a true legend should be in the aquarist hall of fame should there be one! He has inspired me to get back into the hobby after 18 years!

[@AndrewPiorkowski]

Greg, your fish are amazing. I have been waiting for you to post this information. I don't think it's common knowledge regarding just how dynamic aquariums can be. Beautiful swords as always!

[@DuaneLabsRMe]

Back in the early 70s my brother and I used to purchase fish from woolworth chain store in marietta ohio as a pre teen child we became fortunate enough to purchase 1 large green swordtail and a pair of red bricks that all had reached a body size of about 7 and 8 inch fish, these fish became our prize fish but getting them to reproduce seemed to be an issue size was never obtained back them as kids we tried and tried the biggest we ever grew out were 4 to 5 inch bodies how i miss those beautiful giants of the tanks thank you for the wonderful video

[@thefishylife6823]

Those original red brick swordtails, are you sure they aren't still around? I heard they have some huge redbrick swordtails in Czech republic that originated from u.s. ? I think those are the ones your talking about?

[@donnakatemorgan8963]

Question I noticed some of the swardfish had red or yellow top fins. Are you just focused only on the size aspect then bringing the colors back?

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

With the X. helleri Rio Otapa - the fish with the yellow and red coloration, I do not do any selective breeding beyond tossing the occasional early maturing male. The colors you see are all the natural, wild coloration. the larger males just appear as part of the population, and are not selected for. Currently, none of the swords shown in the video are being selectively bred, all are being simply colony raised.

[@donnakatemorgan8963]

Greg Sage Thank you

[@eddyortiz8110]

How Greg love your Montezumae I wish I had room for a larger tank for some of them. I breed the Red Alpha and Solid White body Koi Swordtail,Ruby Reds,Sailfin Mollies ,Arnoldi Wags. I've gotten Levamisole from you a long time ago .thanks.

[@CJBlack265]

So much great information- I particularly enjoy the part of your videos when you answer emails - If you ever travel close to Washington State, I'd love to see you on Real Fish Talk with Cory and Joel - 💕👍

[@ranjanty]

I bought a trio of red brick swordtails but a male died within a week and one of the females died a week later. One of the females is still doing good and is about 3 inches now. It's been about 3 months now and I have no idea why they died because I'm fairly new to fish keeping. I just received 6 koi sanke swordtails this morning after they sat in the Chattanooga P.O. for 3 days over the weekend. I was surprised they were still alive and hope they recover well. The plants weren't in the best shape either. My experience with buying fish is they all lived when bought from the lfs. Not so much for fish that were shipped to me. Also I'm amazed at the amount of breeding thats going on in a 29 gallon and a 10 gallon of endlers and guppies. Everything I've heard on KZbin is that they will eat the fry but it doesn't seem to be happening in those tanks. As always thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@edro3838]

From Ohio as well (Cinn) back in 70’s had female lyretail with 5” bodies…Greens, Bricks, Berlin’s. Always had the best luck with faster small males (reg tails of course) got 50% lyretail fry. 55 gal tanks and 25% water changes twice a week, Dyna-flow filter. Fed flakes, blood worms, live brine (fry) In Tx now and would love to find some good lyretails.

[@Jimsfish]

I have a family group of red velvet swordtails that are reaching 5 1/2 - 6 inches for the males 5 inches for the females male swords are still growing

[@oubai.toriiii30]

I owned three species of swordtail right now. I have found wild swordtails here in my country in the Philippines. It is somehow an endemic species of swordtail, but sadly it was never been documented ever since I have discovered it. I got to individuals from the river. But I failed to get the female. They truly grow big in the wild. I hope they will never gone extinct.

[@donaldstevens5034]

I am having trouble with swordtails dying. They show no signs then bam they are hanging on the bottom. Can't swim right. Bodies look healthy but they are sick and then dead in one day. Water is good. I tried General cure on some and some I tried Prazipro. Nothing works. I have Platies , and Cories in the same tank. They are fine. All the swords came from one source fish store at different times. All my fish go to quarantine tank and are treated for worms ,ich and fungus before I put them in main tank. They are in Quarantine for 3 to 4 weeks. The sickness must be internal. No signs on the outside. They get sick in one day then die. They get weak and can hardly swim. About to give up on swordtails. Any suggestions please.

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

It is light sensitive, and should be stored in a dark container. But I have never turned the lights off during treatment. Thank you! Greg Sage

[@jayblomquist3339]

Great video love swordtails!

[@samiam159007]

I don't understand, was the fish in the jar 5.5in with the tail or without the tail?

[@netandjer7024]

wow super video i do not know anyone who is as dedicated to the fish hobby and to your fish as much as you are

[@coolfishnetwork]

the monster fishkeepers forum is a good place to rehome large fish. those guys build diy tanks in the thousands of gallons sometimes.

[@prathikshakobi4206]

where is this aquatic located? pls addres

[@degaresaquatics]

What’s your ph level ?

[@richarddr1234]

I have those red swords. They are tiny though

[@polskiklubmiosnikowmieczyk2771]

Super!

[@FIUPanther305]

Awesome video, so much knowledge! Thanks for sharing!

[@FishmanEricRussell]

Great info and story. Thanks for sharing

[@richardmcnair5243]

Well done.

[@jomsborgwiki5749]

🤠👍👍

[@HeatherNielsenScarletAquatics]

I really enjoyed watching this. Thank you for sharing such an informative video. Your fish are stunning!

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

Thank you. I have been considering an episode on the Levamisole. Greg

[@Clutchpearls]

Thanks Mr Sage. Your my favorite KZbin subscription by far! You are so informing and have it down to a science !!! Do you have a waiting list for the sailing mollies currently? I was going to order some and on your website and they are not available. kindly, -Justin

[@ArtyMars]

Wow the black stripey tail on the Male at 2:08 is INSANE so cool!

[@akwarium-kawaekegzotycznej5267]

Very nice Swordtail fish and very interesting film, stay healthy !

[@theeasywayoutcampers6550]

Great video! Great Content! Great Details! TY for sharing your fantastic wisdom and technical skill in breeding swords!

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

Entirely possible that Red Bricks exist somewhere else. I have not seen them in U S for a long time -

[@brad823]

Hi Greg, Watching your video much later but enjoyed it and lots of good info. Thanks. One question though, please. Does the Levamisole have any negative affect on the eggs or unborn fry of livebearers? Something I heard recently.

[@FishEZ]

Another well-done video. Thanks for all the effort to put them together. This one also is very informative and there's a number of points you make that can be applied to a wide variety of situations.

[@nathanhutto701]

thanks for the levamisole information. I've been looking everywhere for proper dosage, re dosage, and if its necessary to turn off aquarium lights.

[@newmexicoaquatics282]

Thank you so much Greg. Thank you for sharing! - Little Bobby

[@heatherleelovejoy9690]

Great video! I bought some levamisole from you a month or so back, great product! Question... I have a few tanks and the only pet stores I have around me are chain pet stores, I believe in always quarantine everything I bring in my tanks, how do you quarantine and if you use medication during that process what do you use?

[@catfishcave379]

Fabulous video - I'm well on my way to 10" swordtails!! (a little gene splicing with a pangasius shark should do the trick...) My Monties have grown a lot in the 18 days since I received them from you (from 11/16 to 3/4 or 1"!) As much as I wish my memory said I saw 9" swordtails when I was a wee lad, I think I remember 4.5 to 5" with 2.5" swords. I'm stuffing mine with bug bites and a few other small pellet growth foods and frozen blood worms. I assume my lucipinnis are eating, because the "hive" is always active in their cave - they just won't venture out to eat when I'm looking. Time to get some live worms! Question - will 1" lucipinnis get along with 6-7" clown loaches in a 180g? The clowns have plenty of caves they can squeeze into, and there also tons of caves and crevices way too small for even the most inquisitive clown. Even clowns can't defy physics - 1.5" diameter bellies simply will not fit through a .625" diameter hole with or without a shoehorn! I'm not worried about the 2.25" jurupari - they can't even catch the lone shrimp that escaped into their tank. (and neither can I - my wife thinks it's hilarious I have been outsmarted by a "lowly" crustacean.)

[@masonfranz9313]

Really enjoyed the detail, experimentation and insights shared in this video. I've never thought about how big an individual fish could or should grow, but the reference back to the wild strains makes it much more interesting to me.

[@Hangar77]

Enjoyed it, always learn something new here. Thanks!

[@shesellsfish]

I always learn something new from your videos. You have such dedication and motivation to provide the best fish and motivation to other fish keepers.

[@BP-kp8gj]

Hi Greg When treating with levamasole does the lights need to be turned off. Manufacturer says it light sensitive.

[@davidmcclure137]

Thanks for the detailed info related to swordtail husbandry! Very informative...

[@greenthumbaquariums1185]

There's always good info in your videos. Thanks! I hope you consider publishing the Levamisole bit that starts at 21:48 as a separate video that we can all direct people to as needed.

[@1deaver]

Totally agree on tank location linked with fish stress.

[@madfishdiva]

Really interesting information and specimens.

[@penniewyatt9391]

I have some wild swordtails in Hawaii, living in large ceramic ponds that get almost daily rainwater water changes and they are pretty aggressive and large. The ones that are super jumpers or overflow jumpers have been sorted out over the years. Minimal feeding, once a day, 6 days a week, due to heavy bug loads. Seventh day is to control mosquitos. They remind me of giant sailfiin mollies. Fat and fast.

[@penniewyatt9391]

We only have one fish store here, petsmart, with sad health standards.

[@marvinnelson5073]

I remember the beautiful large red swords.

[@thurminatorfishing206]

Marvin Nelson i’m trying to get an old school line of the red velvets, you know the ones we used to see that where actually that deep dark red not orange that alot of people are calling red velvets today.

[@marvinnelson5073]

Thurminator Fishing I will keep my eyes open. There’s some guy someplace with a VW minibus and a basement full of them right next to the cold fusion reactor.

[@marvinnelson5073]

I wonder if someone will have to go back to crossing with platies to get there.

[@chewy2420]

Thanks for the great video!!

[@LeonTroutskiunplugged]

Hi Greg, great video. What is the evolutionary purpose of the sword? Just curious...

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

My understanding is that it makes them appear larger than they really are to attract females. And it has worked out that the sword simply continued to lengthen.

[@joeyprince2910]

Hello Mr. Sage , here is a suggestion. In the description put a link to your website

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

Thank you!

Great info.!

[@MechPoblete]

you said its easy to loose thier size within a few generation, but can you regain bulk by selective breeding?

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

Yes, but progress is slow, and you are dealing with 8-9 month generation times -

[@car77777]

Love ur videos!

[@sagerracing]

Nice video, can you do an update of your P. Velifera's and are you planning on keeping any other molly species such as p. salvatoris or p. Latipinna or any other?

[@selectaquaticsoferie]

Thank you! I have a few more of the overview videos to get done, covering each of the species here, and then I will do videos on the status and progress of each species, as they become available, and the velifera will be one of the first.

[@sagerracing]

Sounds great! I would love to get some of your fish but i live in sweden unfortunetly.

[@artvandalay541]

You’re one of two people that I’ve ever heard pronounce the word “pleco” correctly in my life. Potato/poe-tah-toe : pleco/pleck-oh, I guess. Lol.

[@gregsage7389]

If you have any questions or concerns about anything in any of my videos, please email me at [e-mail]. Greg Sage, owner, Select Aquatics

[@gregsage9696]

Thank you for the comment on contacting monster fish keepers! Greg Sage