Species learning profile

Green swordtail

Xiphophorus hellerii

Green swordtail (Xiphophorus hellerii) is a freshwater fish associated with river habitat in Central America. The male's lower tail rays extend into a sword used in courtship display.

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নদীPoeciliidae

At a glance

পানি
মিঠা পানি
Habitat
নদী
সর্বোচ্চ দৈর্ঘ্য
16 cm
বিস্তৃতি
Central America
গোত্র
Poeciliidae
বর্গ
Cyprinodontiformes

Observe

How to identify Green swordtail

  • The male's lower tail rays extend into a sword used in courtship display.
  • Guide context: river habitat in Central America.
  • Reported maximum length: 16 cm — roughly ruler-length. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.

Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.

Place and pattern

Where it lives—and how it behaves

Habitat and range

This species is associated with river habitat across Central America. Flow, seasonal floods, connected side channels, and access to spawning reaches all shape its river habitat.

Behavior

Lives in social groups and bears live young

Food-web connections

What it eats and why it matters

Diet

Algae, insects, and plant matter.

Ecological role

An adaptable omnivore in vegetated streams.

Remember

One fact worth keeping

Green swordtail প্রায় 16 সেমি পর্যন্ত বড় হয় এবং সাধারণত নদী-এর কাছে থাকে।

Think like a conservationist

A conservation lens

River fish depend on connected water. Dams, blocked migrations, pollution, and altered flow can matter even when the channel still looks wet.

This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.

Recall

Quick knowledge check

Which habitat is most closely associated with Green swordtail in this guide?

Keep exploring

References and further reading

Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.

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