Chiapas swordtail
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chiapas Swordtail | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation status | ||||||||||||||
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Xiphophorus alvarezi Rosen, 1960 |
The Chiapas Swordtail (Upland Swordtail) or Xiphophorus alvarezi is a livebearing freshwater fish of the Order Cyprinodontiformes, family Poeciliidae, and genus Xiphophorus. It is, therefore, in the same genus as the Common Platyfish and the Swordtail. Xiphophorus means sword-tail in Greek. The Chiapas swordtail was discovered and first described by Donn E. Rosen in 1960, along with four other species of Xiphophorus.
[edit] Description
All livebearing fish, not unlike the Chiapas Swordtail, are virtually harmless. Growing to a maximimum length of around 7.5 cm, the females are larger in size than the male. The genus Xiphophorus is common in freshwater aquariums, though the Chiapas swordtail is not a marketed fish.
Ideal, suitable conditions for Chiapas Swordtails include a water temperature of around 25 - 28 °C. These are obviously benthopalegic fish. Water pH should range from 7.2 to 8.1. They are quite resilient fish. They come from Central America. Major population sites include Southern Mexico and Huehuetenango, El Quiche, and Alta Veracruz, Guatemala. They are often found in fast-flowing rivers. In nature, schools of more females than males are common, and enjoy dense aquatic foliage to give birth in. They reproduce quickly and prefer live foods and aquatic plants.
