Kingdom Animalia Order Cyprinodontiformes Genus Xiphophorus Higher classification Xiphophorus | Phylum Chordata Family Poeciliidae Scientific name Xiphophorus alvarezi Rank Species | |
Similar Xiphophorus, Yellow swordtail, Marbled swordtail, Xiphophorus mayae, Xiphophorus montezumae | ||
The Chiapas swordtail or upland swordtail (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 platy and the swordtail. The Chiapas swordtail was discovered and first described by Donn E. Rosen in 1960, along with four other species of Xiphophorus.
Description
Growing to a maximum 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 benthopelagic 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.