Help for my lonely male Swordtail?

Question

I've had my 20 gal. freshwater planted aquarium for about five years and have had the same fish in it for the whole time (I made sure it was VERY well established before I added fish). Anyway, I started with one male Swordtail, three female Swordtails and an oto cat. The male Sword and the cat are still going strong but the last of the females passed away last week. I actually want to phase out my freshwater and move to saltwater (I have a new custom 50 gal tank but only have room for one setup) but my male Sword seems really lonely. I hate to just leave him all by himself until he dies but I don't want to get two or three more young females for him as they will probably live another three to five years and then I'll have to get a companion for the last one and on and on in an endless cycle. Also, my friend no longer has his Koi to whom I was feeding the inevitable Swordtale fry (mean, I know, but I don't have room for 50 Swords in my tank). Is there anything I can do to help my Sword, maybe another fish that won't live so long that he can't mate with but will make him feel less lonely? The cat doesn't help as he spends his day hanging on the walls of the tank in search of algae.

Update:

Lyssa, it's a 50 gallon main tank with a 20 gallon sump. Like my freshwater tank I have no intention of overstocking.

Lost in Love · Accepted Answer

I would say, if you are ready to move on to saltwater, and he seems lonely, that you could look into rehoming him or maybe seeing if a good LFS might want to put him in a show tank instead of sell him to a newbie who may not know how to care for him.

Lyssa · Answer

Sell your freshwater fish back to your aquarium store, thats what I do.  Just as an FYI, 50 gallons is tiny for a saltwater tank.

comella · Answer

nicely it is going to matter on the betta in questions temperment. some bettas would be advantageous. some will pass nuts and attack each and every factor. Others will hide each and all the time. usually solid tank friends are quickly, and don't look like a betta. My concerns on your tank on 2 ranges. If the molly are showy with vast fins, and sails. they could be a objective of attack, yet in a huge tank a betta with lots of hide a molly different than a ballon molly might in basic terms out swim a betta. additionally tetras and barbs could be fin nippers. i might attempt putting the betta tank against the main suitable tank. If the betta does not pass thoroughly psycho. attempt him out interior the tank. definitely on your tank it is greater probably the different fish will %. on him than he will harm them.

Emily · Answer

Try posting him on craigslist. I am sure somebody with other fish would be happy to take him. Swordtails do best in groups, so giving him a home with more swordtails would be best for him

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Help for my lonely male Swordtail?

4 Answers