Do Platties have bad attitudes?

[cat-fish]

Are Platties naturally more aggressive than other livebearers? What would be a good tank mate with them? I currently have a 10 gal. tank with 2 male platties, 3 female platties and 2 female guppies? I can’t seem to keep any male guppies around for very long. Would swords or mollies be a better choice as tank mates?

 

[shadow]

I'm not sure of swords, but I have kept Platys and Mollies together and they have been fine. It depends upon the fishes personality.

 

[Sasha]

Each fish has its own personality. I keep guppies, platies, mollies and a swordtail together happily and they never bother each other!

 

[cat-fish]

Thanks for the tips! I think that I’ll try a trio of mollies this time (2f, 1m). Maybe the platties will think twice about picking on a fish more their own size. So far the platties (mickey mouse type) have left the 2 possibly pregnant female guppies alone. Any positive thoughts send this way would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Platiesowner]

Maybe it's a coincidence, but I have a Micky Mouse Platy that is a total bully too! He chased a female to death...and just generally picks on the other male. I added a pineapple swordtail and he didn't pick on him and started leaving the other male platy alone.

HTH
-Jason

 

[Wisperian]

It depends on the fishie

 

[yhbae]

It definitely depends on the individual males... My current male is real nasty, so I had to go with 6 females just to make sure no single female gets too stressed. When I had only 3 females, boy, was he nasty to one particular female.

Now he starts to chase that female then get confused because of other females...

 

[Wisperian]

My mickey mouse male is a fry gobbler lol yea I think it depends on the fish (my opinion)

 

[cat-fish]

Thanks for all of the moral support everyone.

 

[christine]

Whee my 10 gal has 2 male platies too, I think they are a little agressive mine are always chasing each other...but when one's sick the other one stays right by him and is very nice.....wierd fish..

 

[cherokeerose]

I read in a book that fish can be very territorial and it suggested that if bullying continues, the aggressor could be isolated in another tank for a week or so. When he's reintruduced to the community he would have lost his dominate position in the tank and that could settle him down a bit.

 

[csr mel]

i have found that female platies get very agressive during their time of the month. i am not entirely sure fish have a "cycle" like people but it seems if there is not a male around, my females get annoyed with each other and pick fights as well as try to mate with each other.

it seems female platies need a male to set things straight with good old fashoned lovin.

 

[cat-fish]

I'm glad I don't have the only crazy fish in the world. I've only had them a month, I guess I'm starting to understand their moods?