Agressive Platy.

P

PartyAnimal1UK

just an english girl at heart
Dec 11, 2001
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I RECENTLY PURCHASE TWO PLATIES AND 2 SWORDFISH, THE LFS TOLD ME THERE WHRERE NOT AGRESSIVE AND VERY PEACEFULL.
THE PLATIES ESPECAILLY ONE OF THEM IS CONSTANTLY CHASING ONE OF THE SWORDFISH, SO BAD THE SWORDFISH HAS RESULTED TO HIDDING BEHIND THE FILTER HELP!!!!
 
First try not to type in all caps as it is annoying to read.

Platies and swords are generally peaceful but they are also pretty much the same family of fish and can easily interbreed. Most live bearers must be kept in a ratio of 2-3 females per male so that there is choice and no particular female will be harrassed. With your ratio it would seem that the male platy is trying to chase off the male sword so that he can have any females to himself. What is the ratio in the tank right now?

It may be that the aggressive one will have to be returned.
 
No prob. But do you know how many are males and which are females?

For swords if the tail is long they are male. For platies, the males are the ones thta have a small fin on their belly pointed backward. The females fins point all down.
 
i would guess then that the swords are females not got very long tails and then one each of the platties then male, (fin pointinng backwards) is the aggressive one, does this help.
 
Seems that the male is trying to breed and is not attacking the sword. The female sword may just not want the attention. that is why it is important to get more females than males. He will chase after her and rub against her a lot. Unless you see actual damage to fins or body then it is probably okay. Make sure there are places to hide.
 
Another thing. Female swords should pretty much look like female platies. they generally (as far as I know) have no sword. If there is some sword then it is probably male. In this case the males are being aggressive to each other and the only thing to do is get rid of the female and have all males, get rid of the aggressive male or get more females in the tank.
 
Yes, swordtails and platies will interbreed and produce fry. One site that does scientific experiments with xiphophorus, is www.xiphophorus.org; they have crossed bred many of the wild species of platies and swordtails. The also have plenty of images of wild forms of platies and sword tails.


jim
 
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