Welcome!

I worked with and developed several strains of Fancy Xiphophorus during the years which I worked with fish, but I never tried to develop or even worked with the Black Swordtail with Red finnage.
I have heard from other breeders that this is a difficult strain to fix and that Full Black body and Red finnage is particularly difficult to fix. I have been told that partial Black coverage and Red finnage is easier, but not as attractive.
Don't give up!


Darrell

[quote]
Melody wrote:
A totally agree that breeding practices and husbandry can improve any line, including size. What I was saying is when a Platy ends up several times the size it would naturally reach, it's probably made possible by Swordtail genes, since Swordtails can naturally reach a much larger size. Every species maxes out in size at some point, no matter how well they're cared for.

For example, you can selectively breed a Neon Tetra for size but at some point they just won't get any larger... although it would be cool to see a Neon Tetra the size of a salmon...LOL. The same goes for the Platy, but mix in a little of the larger X. helleri and their size potential is drastically increased. It's just one factor that may explain the GIANT Platy specimens.



Yes, I agree that when you're taking "Giant" Platies that Swordtail genes usually have influence, but I have another example of different size being gotten from the exact same strain raised by different people.

"During the 1980's W.Clinton Terry sent me some "Tri-color Plumetail Platies that he raised in a 500 gallon outside pond. These fish were direct descendants of Dr.Norton's huge strain and Mr.Terry's fish were about half the size of Dr.Norton's."

[quote]
Mrbill wrote:
The first "red Jet Swords" (with a distinct separation between red and black) were the result of Myron Gordon's experiments crossbreeding a red helleri with a cortezi. The illustrations label the fish as "montezuma" but the illustrations CLEARLY show cortezi - short sword, stocky body.


Bill, yes I have copies of the original articles and photographs of that experiment. Yes, that was at the time when there was confusion between X.Montezumae, X.Cortezi and other species which weren't common to the hobby then.
There were photographs of "Red Jets" from SWordtail x Platy crosses, but as you said the separation between Red and Black wasn't as distinct nor were the swords as nice (judging by the photos only.)

Darrell

Quote:

Gerard,

I've always felt that if you can't tell if it's a Fancy Swordtail, Fancy Maculatus Platy or Fancy Variatus Platy THE BREEDER DIDN'T DO HIS OR HER JOB! The fish, even though derived through hybridization, still should look like one or the other. If not it is an unfinished project in my opinion. My Albino Variatus which I developed through crossing Variatus with Albino Swordtail could be placed beside a wild X.Variatus and the form was the same. That's because I crossed back to Variatus several times.

Darrell

Gerard,

Again, that is the form that was once know as "Red Jet Swordtail" and very prone to Melanoma. In fact recently I've seen similar Swordtails (loaded with melanoma) being sold on Aquabid as high quality Swordtails! You know if they have melanoma because their fins usually starting at the tail and caudal peduncle start to get ragged.

Darrell

It's just my opinion, but I think it's more "How they're reared than Swordtail linage". Otherwise why aren't commercial Fancy Swordtails large???
The line of Bleeding Heart Platy which the late Derek Lambert brought over from England to give to me were very small (mature males one inch or less) I passed some of these to Randy Meyer and a couple of years later he brought some (same line) when visited me and the males were 2 inches easily and the females 2 1/2- 3 inches!
Also, I had a strain of large Red Swordtails and passed some to a non-Livebearer hobbyist friend and he had 1 inch mature males reared in a 55 gallon tank.


Darrell

Steffano,

I had large Platies of different strains up until I shut my fish room down in 2008.

Absolutely not do the hobbyist of today have to settle for runted Platies (and Swordtails).

As we have repeated over and over on this forum "Some work has to be put in to improve sub parr Fancy Livebearers!"

Darrell

Yes, I had hardy Hifin, Plumetail, Lyretail and "Super Sailfin" Swordtails & Platies due to either/ or outcrossing and selective breeding. Some will tell you that "Such & such strain is weak" and never try to improve it.

Darrell

Once again, I specialized in Fancy Platies and Swordtails and didn't breed or study Fancy Guppies so I'm not trying to give an expert opinion on Fancy Guppies here.

*Even if the Long Finned (I believe to be Geissens) Guppies are proving to be on the weak side that doesn't mean that the strain can't be strengthened. If I were you I'd outcross to strong lines of Guppy to improve that.


Darrell E. Mefford

Gerard,

That's an excellent suggestion!

Okay, everyone reading this, start submitting your stories!

Darrell