Montana Field Guide

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Montana Field Guides

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- Kingdom - Animals - Animalia
  - Phylum - Vertebrates - Craniata
    - Class - Fish - Actinopterygii
      - Order - Killfish / Mollies - Cyprinodontiformes
        
        Family - Livebearers (Mosquitofish / Mollies / Swordtails) - Poeciliidae
        
        Species - Green Swordtail - Xiphophorus hellerii

Green Swordtail - Xiphophorus hellerii

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Non-native Species

Global Rank: G5
State Rank: SNA

Agency Status
USFWS:
USFS:
BLM:

External Links

General Description

This tropical aquarium fish is an illegally released pet fish. The native range is southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Most are solid reddish orange; some are reddish orange with black fins or reddish orange with black mottling. Swordlike tail fin usually has black edges. The classical green variety with red and yellow stripes on sides is rare in Montana waters.

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database

Number of Observations: 7

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Relative Density

Recency

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

Habitat

Can exist in Montana only in warm springs, ponds, and resultant streams in water temperatures of 68-80 degrees F.

Food Habits

An avid feeder, utilizing any organisms or organic debris which are suspended in the water. Includes both zoo- and phytoplankton as well as small instars of aquatic insects.

Reproductive Characteristics

Sexually mature in 3-4 months. Internal fertilization. Several broods per year under favorable conditions.

References

Additional ReferencesLegend: View Online Publication
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- Joslin, Gayle, and Heidi B. Youmans. 1999. Effects of recreation on Rocky Mountain wildlife: a review for Montana. [Montana]: Montana Chapter of the Wildlife Society.
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Citation for data on this website:
Green Swordtail — Xiphophorus hellerii. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Retrieved on April 19, 2024, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=AFCNC06010