The Montezuma Swordtail is native to Central America. It can be found in parts of northeastern Mexico where it tends to inhabit rivers and other bodies of water that are thick with vegetation. These fish are one of the only wild types of Swordtail existing in the aquarium hobby – most Swordtails seen in pet stores were bred or hybridized from Xiphophorus helleri. Wild Montezuma Swordtails closely resemble wild Xiphophorus helleri, but they tend to be larger and have black spots. These spots are most evident in males of the species – male specimens also exhibit the distinctive swordlike extension of the caudal fin which is typically lined in black.