VarietySwordtail
Marigold Swordtail Swordtail
Xiphophorus hellerii
About this strain
A warm, golden-orange strain that ranges from pale lemon-yellow to deep amber depending on the line. Males have a sword that grades from gold at the base to yellow at the tip, often edged in black. The coloration is produced by xanthophore pigment expression without red dominance, giving the fish a distinctly sunny, warm tone rather than the fiery look of the red strain. Feed high-carotenoid foods to sustain color intensity — it can fade in fish kept on plain flake diets. A beautiful mid-tank fish that catches light exceptionally well.
Origin
Developed through selective breeding for xanthophore-dominant expression, most likely originating from Asian and European fish farms in the latter half of the 20th century.