XIPHOPHORUS HELLERI
SWORDTAIL OR HELLERI
EASTERN Mexico was the original habitat of this fish. It has a striking appearance and lively ways that delight the aquarist. The original stock sold at the then fancy price of 10 dollars a pair. They were strongly overcast with iridescent green and had metallic green in the tail spike. The saw—tooth line, along the center of the body, was red and distinctly formed. The tail sword in the male was straight and long. Being good breeders, they lent themselves nicely to selective breeding with many variations. Chief among which is the RED SWORDTAIL. This fish is considered a Hybrid developed, so the story goes, as a result of the mating between a male Red Platy and a female Swordtail. Be that as it may, the fish is extremely beautiful. The deep red body has a white chest and the sword is gold with black edging.

Other hybrids and variations are the MONTEZUMAE HELLERI. In general color, this fish is a warm yellowish red with bro’vn to black markings. It is quite fertile and grows, in some cases, to a length of 41,4 inches exclusive of the sword. Others are RUImA Or BERLIN HELLERI, GOLD and RED ALBINO HELLERI, BLACK HELLERI, GOLD HELLERI and the latest produced so far, the BLACK TUXEDO HELLERI, so named because of markings that resemble a tuxedo, white Chest with a broad black band around the sides and blue-green coloring on top. This has also been produced in RED and is called the RED TUXEDO HELLERT. Most male hybrids have very short swords and some males have none at all. Breeding requires several healthy females and plenty of plants for young to hide in.