Fiesty Guppies!

[Yanks15]

I have 2 male guppies in my community tank. I decided to add 2 more males. When I did, it started to look like Battle Royale! Each squared off the other, new v old. It has fairly constant for about 10 mins. Is this normal and it will settle after the dominate is determined or will this go on til the new ones are driven out? Or dead?

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!

Thanks

 

[helterskelter]

LOL love Battle Royale!

it not a problem their settle down, if u have all males.
Do u have any females though?

 

[Yanks15]

Well, it looks like I may have to do something with these guys. They appesr to stating a full blown tank riot!!!!!!!!! They haven't settled at all. If anything, their antics are starting to get the rest of the tank in an uproar. I have 7 BNT and 2 Honeys with them. No females and really no more room to get any. If they don't stop, I'll have to do something so the rest of them don't get too stressed.

Any ideas?

 

[helterskelter]

their be fine I'm sure. the original guppies just dont want them in their territory, but buy doing a large water change and disturb the tank, fool's them into thinking their all in a new area and not have to be so defensive.

 

[Yanks15]

I'm doing my water test right now so if they don't settle down, I'll try a water change. The interesting thing now is that the two older ones are starting to tussle. It does seem like they are getting tired of it but still game for a go when within eye shot.

 

[Yanks15]

Now it does seem like one of the older ones is trying to impose his wiil on everybody else(guppies only) Now I'll wait to see if the other three decide to open a can of whooparse on him lol.

 

[Yanks15]

Well 12+ hours later and they are still at it. I tried to remove the old ones for a while to give the new ones a rest and when I added them back, they seemed a little more relaxed until the new ones wanted to join with them. Then it started all over again. They aren't as violent with each other just following and nipping back and forth. I try to break it up when I see it happening....Good or not? I'm hoping that seperating them when they do it will teach them to get along

Anything else I could do?

Thanks

 

[Jammyjames59]

Well 12+ hours later and they are still at it. I tried to remove the old ones for a while to give the new ones a rest and when I added them back, they seemed a little more relaxed until the new ones wanted to join with them. Then it started all over again. They aren't as violent with each other just following and nipping back and forth. I try to break it up when I see it happening....Good or not? I'm hoping that seperating them when they do it will teach them to get along

Anything else I could do?

Thanks

hiya don't worry my mate had the same problem today when he brought some neon tetras and some guppies,
the guppies were attacking the tetras and the guppies where attacking themselves!!! all was OK when they settled just make sure you feed them !!

lol im pleased i could help!

 

[Yanks15]

I'm going on 24hrs and these guys are relentless I've watched them for a while and the old ones just wont let it be. I'm really afraid they are going to stress the other two to a point of demise. If something good doesn't happen soon enough, I'm gonna pull the two older ones out and let them stay in another tank for a day. Maybe it will let the new ones develope some sense of territory so they will defend themselves when I add the others back. Otherwise, I may have to return the new guys

 

[Yanks15]

Well little update....4 days later and after several re-homings of the older guppies, there is no letting up against one of the new ones when put back in I have made sure that this one is NOT a female so I know they aren't trying to mate with it. For some reason they really don't like him and to be honest, he's the most colorful of the group...maybe it's jealousy lol. For his sake I'll probably have to pull him out and give him his own home.

 

[DaveyG]

Well little update....4 days later and after several re-homings of the older guppies, there is no letting up against one of the new ones when put back in I have made sure that this one is NOT a female so I know they aren't trying to mate with it. For some reason they really don't like him and to be honest, he's the most colorful of the group...maybe it's jealousy lol. For his sake I'll probably have to pull him out and give him his own home.

I had a similar issue with new vs old male guppies, and also to do with female guppies being introduced.

There was 1 who I found to be the culprit (the aggressor) so I put him in a breeding net for over a day and he came out much calmer. I'd try isolating him for a prolonged time and see if that works?

 

[Yanks15]

Well, Ive had a fantastic day. I woke up to a dead black neon and came home from work to a dead honey gourami I checked the water and all is well. I have a feeling the worst has happened. I think those CRAZY guppies are stressing everyone else out to a point where they can't handle it. I've tried to isolate the aggresive one, then the harrased one and when added back it starts all over again. I think removing one or the other permanantly is the only way. The strange thing is that the harrased one is constantly going back for more. I'm starting to think he's the real problem...possibly an instigator I'll start with him.

 

[Yanks15]

Pulled the instigator for good. So far, so good. The rest seem to get along better and the rest of the fish are more calm. The bad boy now rests in my daughters bedroom.........all by himself I will probably get him a couple females and see how that works out.

 

[DaveyG]

Glad to hear it's going OK.

If you are going to put some new fish in with him I'd do it sooner rather than later before he becomes territorial again!

Good luck!