Bully Platy

**jester** · 09-19-2012, 04:35 AM

hey guys i haveny been on the forums very much as my single platy was doing quite well. ive had the aquarium going about a month and a half and all my levels are at 0. so i decided it was time to give my little buddy some friends.

https://twitter.com/#!/MapleLeaf_Med...com%2F9CriYZuU

i went and purchased a glowlight platy and a salt + pepper platy to join my sunset wag. they all seemed fine after adding them, and throughout the night, with the s+p doing its own thing for the most part and the orange ones kind of drifting/swimming together.

however today i noticed that the 2 orange ones were floating a little farther apart and kind or slanted/side ways (aggressive posturing i figure?) finally the wag slammed into the glowlight (the wags a bit bigger ive had him 1.5 months) and pushing it the glowlight didnt really seem to fight back much and the s+p would occasionally come by and push off the wag (protecting the glowlight) the s+p gets along with both for the most part only pushing at the the wag here and there when hes being a dick) but he gets along with glow light completely.

what can i do to fix this? ive done some searches and one person said they netted the bully and left it in the tank in the net (along the top) for 24 hrs released it back and the behaviour had stopped) right now i only have the one tank so i have the wag in the net in the tank so that the fish cannot fight.

basically after that long story i wad wondering if u guys have any idieas? if it comes down to it id rather not have to kill one but id have to remove the wag (as i feel this behavior is from a month + alone it is now territorial) where as the s+p and GL were added together and will be more open to a new fish (replacement for wag)

all fish are male as i do not want fry.

also any suggestions on a replacement? i was thinking another platy but not a wag/orange (so it wont trigger memories and aggression from GL) maybe a blue one? or i was thinking of a turquoise or green cobra guppy?

**mizzoutank** · 09-19-2012, 05:38 AM

Sadly that is what happens when you put only males into the tank.

They each will try to become the alpha male, and do so is to be the tank bully.

Netting the guy won't solve anything over night. Fish don't learn from "time out" in a net. The only thing you could try is turn the lights off for a day or so, move your decor around while the lights are off and then turn back on. It's a half trick used to try and get the fish to think they are in a new area/set up...and then having all 3 males in their "new" tank-they may work out a balance of who's space is where. etc.

**Lady Hobbs** · 09-19-2012, 04:05 PM

What size is the tank? Multiple fish need space to get away from the more dominate ones. In a small tank, they can not do this. The only fish that need "friends" are schooling fish.

Watch that tree stump decoration you have in there. Fish can swim into it but can not get back out.

**jester** · 09-19-2012, 05:26 PM

the tank is a 10 gallon, from what i read that there prob shouldnt be more then the 3 livebearers in there, so thats all i have. only the new glowlight swims into the top of the stump but can still get out.

i have the stump a large silk plant with lots of cover and 3 other fake plants (i have 2 more i can add if u think it will help)

so far ive tried turning out the light moving the decor and turning it back on, the fish swam for a bit then the dick started going towards the glowlight so i turned the light back off, with the light off they swim more indapendantly but when the light comes on the wag (aka big dick) searches out the glowlight.

**gronlaura** · 09-19-2012, 09:06 PM

I have 8 male platies on my stocking list for when I set-up my 1st tank.

Is it not a good idea to have males only? I don't want to deal with fry.

**mizzoutank** · 09-19-2012, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by gronlaura

I have 8 male platies on my stocking list for when I set-up my 1st tank.

Is it not a good idea to have males only? I don't want to deal with fry.

Please use this thread for reference and not hijack the OP's questions.

Back the original post:

Sometimes a fish just becomes a bully and has it out for a fish. Others who know that type of fish could chime in...but recent example personally my Dwarf Gourami just hated my EBR. it was crazy how he did not want the EBR anywhere near his area.

**Goes to 11!** · 09-19-2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by jester

i have the stump a large silk plant with lots of cover and 3 other fake plants (i have 2 more i can add if u think it will help)

Add the other plants with the goal being to try to break up the sight lines and give everybody their own space to occupy [Rescape again if need be].

You have nothing to lose but some aggression.

**gronlaura** · 09-19-2012, 09:50 PM

Sorry - was asking as previous reply to the OP referenced male only platies.

**moghedan** · 09-20-2012, 12:54 PM

In the picture you have shown, you do not need to worry about fry anyway. they have no place to hide and would be eaten.

If you have a larger tank with more plants and want to avoid fry, a school of small tetras, like Neons or Cardinals will make sure no fry exist.

**mbowling25** · 09-20-2012, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by gronlaura

I have 8 male platies on my stocking list for when I set-up my 1st tank.

Is it not a good idea to have males only? I don't want to deal with fry.

There's generally more aggression with males. So depending on the size of your tank and the number of hiding places, it may/may not be ok. You could make it work with all males, but it's on you. I can't deal with the aggression, so I have a female only tank (platys and mollies) because I don't want to deal with fry either. They are very peaceful with each other, but if I wind up with a bully (I haven't), she goes. A couple of them have come home pregnant, but only one fry survived. The fry wound up being a "he", so I had to rehome him.