what to do with a bully?

D

D-Bak

The 'ICK'sterminator
Jun 2, 2006
80
0
0
40
Columbus, Ohio
I have a swordtail that endlessly chases around my other fish ( 1 platy)

Is there anything I can do??? I am thinking of gettin another fish this weekend becaue my cycle shoudl be done by then....

Would it help to have another fish in there?? what sex?? What if I get molly that is a little larger than the swordtail???

Any help is greatly appreciated...


Thanks guys
 
as long as it isnt hurting the platy i would say leave it for a bit. In time a lot of fish calm down, especially after the stress from a cycle.
 
I would also reccomend you give them a bit of time to relax before the new fish arrive.
 
why return it?? well ok if its endless... but generally a bit of chasing is fine as long as it isnt stressing out the other fish too much.
 
With a bully that is hurting/killing other fish, the only option is to move it to another tank. Fish will be fish, and there is no way to change that(except if it's a schooling fish that is kept in improper numbers).
 
As far as swordtail ad platys go, they are similar fish that may try to interbreed. So, having to few females can cause male aggression (toward males or females). Also remember that swordtails like to have their space. A larger tank with fewer fish and more hiding places for timid fish can reduce the ill effects of aggression. Of course some fish are just jerks, if none of the above work just kick out the aggressor or move the most timid fish.
 
I also have a swordtail (female) that chases my other two mickey mouse platties (one male and one female) in my 10 gallon fishtank. This usually occurs during feeding time. Is this normal, or should i return this part-time bully to the fish store.
 
Watch and see. If the bullying results in the injuring of other fish, or visible signs of stress, you'd do well to just return the bully. I recently had a white cloud minnow that bullied 2 tankmates to death, so I just returned him and exchanged for a different species.
 
IME, livebearers that are not kept in schools tend to be waspish with each other. Kept in groups, mollies and swordtails are (mostly) peaceful with each other, but if there are only a few in the tank they'll harrass each other endlessly. We have wild sailfin mollies here, and schools of twenty to a couple hundred fish seem to be the norm. Of course, you haven't got space for a school in your 10g …
 
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