Calm to Agressive Male Swordtail????????????

[platytetrafan]

Ok I have a black male swordtail with a female both have been very calm very pleasant fish. Tonight for some reason I saw the male chasing my tetras I have a variety bleeding hearts, painted tetras, serpaes, and neons they were all at the back of my 36g corner bow . This is the first time this has happenned normally all fish have gotten along well. When I saw this behavior I decided to get the plastic fish isolator that I have that you can also use for fry and isolated him. He was a bit pissed off that I isolated him he is still in the 36g but in the plastic trap. He seems calmer now I was thinking of leaving him in there for a few hours and then at lights out which is around 12 a.m. when I turn the aquarium light off I would remove him from the isolator and back to the main tank. What do you think? He wasn't nipping at the fish at all just chasing them around. I could tell the tetras were not too happy about his behavior I am going to try to get another female black swordtail this past week LFS did not have the black ones. LOL could he be frustrated?

 

[~Kswords~]

It's like putting the fish in the corner. I have found it to work sometimes and other times not work with what you are doing by separating him. Good thinking with trying to get another female this could help with your problem. Also be sure there are plenty of hiding places for the other fish to hide or get away from him possibly.

 

[jm1212]

has the temperature in the tank gone up recently?

 

[irishspy]

If your tank can handle it, I'd recommend getting him two females, so one isn't stressed out by being the sole object of his affections. :idea:

 

[Hooked Newbie]

Forgive me for saying this, but he may be stressed from the chaos of so many stressed schoolers not in large enough groups.

3 rainbowfish,4 white clouds,1 danio, 4 neon tetras, 2 black neons tetras, 2 serpae tetras,4 bleeding heart tetras,4 painted tetras

 

[platytetrafan]

The other fish aren't stressed at all normally like I had said all of these fish have gotten along well including the swords in the past. This is new behavior for the male sword all the tetras school together peacefully. I am going to try to return the male sword to the main tank when I turn off the aquarium light tonight. I read a while ago that someone isolated a fish the same way I did sort of like a time out for the fish for bad behavior LOL!!! Will see how he acts later on. My LFS gets their new shipment of fish on Tues late afternoon so after work on Wed or Thurs I will see if they got in any black female swords. Temperature in the tank is always at a constant 80 degrees. I have plenty of plants although artificial and I have 2 cave-like decorations for them to hide in.

 

[platytetrafan]

Well I just returned the swordtail back to the tank and low and behold he isn't chasing the tetras infact he went right back to the female but I am going to get another female for him I can only get one. Guess you can time out a fish lol.:dance2:

 

[Hooked Newbie]

Well I just returned the swordtail back to the tank and low and behold he isn't chasing the tetras infact he went right back to the female but I am going to get another female for him I can only get one. Guess you can time out a fish lol.:dance2:

You can keep a 10" pleco in a 10G tank too. Doesn't mean there won't be problems in the future.... good luck.

 

[platytetrafan]

You can keep a 10" pleco in a 10G tank too. Doesn't mean there won't be problems in the future.... good luck.

It was only a temporary solution I am going to get him another black sword female I have to have atleast 2 in the tank for him my LFS did not have anymore black ones just a question does the female have to be black or would he school with another female sword of another color? Isolating him did calm him down.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

It was only a temporary solution I am going to get him another black sword female I have to have atleast 2 in the tank for him my LFS did not have anymore black ones just a question does the female have to be black or would he school with another female sword of another color? Isolating him did calm him down.

I'm not 100% sure (98% maybe), but I believe all swordtails (Xiphophorus Helleri) are the same species with different color variations. The black are among the most desirable right now, so you may not want to cross breed them though. My original comment was to the fact that you have many schooling fish in less than adequate numbers in a tank with a relatively small foot print. Hope that makes sense.