Platy Agression Problem

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PurpleSmurf

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May 4, 2005
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I picked up two red platies (both female) to fill up my 10 gal #2, round out my platy group, and take some agression off and hopefully embolden my gold crescent female (she's been hiding almost constantly for the last day or two). The new pair acclimated well. While in the bag they were ignored for the most part so I figured everything was okay. After releasing them the male began to harass, chase, and nip at the two new arrivals.

I currently have the male seperated in a betta vase and the females are all getting along well. I want to have all four together... but I'm not sure if it'll work. As for why the male would be doing this I can't imagine. Another male I could understand... but not with two new females. It shouldn't be a territory issue since I just added a rock shelf to the tank last night and switched out the bettas inhabiting the tank..

Any ideas on how I could get my group to play nicely together? If I just give them time will they eventually sort things out themselves?
 
What the heck is going on? Do a forum search and you will find a dozen platy agression threads. I'm beginning to think there is a new strain of platy spreading through the hobby, kind of like killer bees. :devil: These platys are simply mean to each other. Good female/male ratios, proper amount of hiding places, and adequate tank size really don't seem to matter. The only thing that works is separating them from the rest.

My own little Jaws was a swordtail/platy hybrid. Maybe that makes a difference. :huh:
 
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Ive had mollies lately hunt down and kill all females except the one he likes. This has happened to me with two seperate males
 
I did the search, came up with nothing helpful.

I'm dumbfounded because he was nice with the first female.... =/ He's been in the other tank all day. I'll switch him back after a water change.
 
I've had problems with my platies as well. All four platies were at first fine together. I thought I had one male and three females. Then one of the females dropped fry...after that the male was really interested in this and the other female and started attacking the third female. Turns out this third female was acutally a young male. I took it back to the LFS and exchanged for a female, but the male won't accept her, and will attack/chase her away. In terms of the timing, I don't know how much the agression has to do with chasing and eating the fry (it surprised me that the female was even pregnant...had her only a couple of days, and she didn't look big.) I only saw two fry and they didn't last long in the tank.

The agression has eased off a bit over time. They seem to interact okay during feedings, and he doesn't chase her much when the lights are off, so I try to keep the lights off most of the time. The male is still most interested in the fertile female...she's pregnant again, and he's sticking to her like glue. I'm hoping the agression continues to die down, perhaps he'll be more interested in her when she matures more? Eventually I'll be getting a bigger tank...maybe more space and a few more fish will help with interest/agression too.
 
Put him back in about 10 minutes ago and I've already caught him nipping. I'll leave him in there a few days to see if he decides to leave the two new females alone or ignore them and to keep from stressing him out.

=/ Silly fish. May have to return him.
 
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