Platy And Guppy Help

[blueboy1]

HELP ME!!!!!!!!!! 
I have 6 black tetras, 4 platies(there were six but fin nip finished them off), 3 guppies and a pair of gouramis.
I have had everything going fine in the tank until i noticed that 3 of my platies had nipped fins, two of them died in the space of 2 days as they couldnt reach the surface for air (i tried to help but they died in night) and i have 3 male guppies, 2 with slight fin nipping and 1 which has been severly fin nipped and separated from the rest of the tank, he had almost no tail and i have never been so shocked that one night i was sitting there watching the tank activities and i noticed that the tetra were mauling the guppy and literally thrashing it about in the tank, the gouramis occasionally joined in. WHAT DO I DO?
 i dont know if the guppy tail will grow back and i dont know if tetras are normally this agressive but they were absolutely fine until the guppies were added, do i remove the tetras? Will the guppy tail regrow or is it all but dead? The other platy that survived has fought on and is fine with the other three (any babies will be interesting) Do i add some more fish or something like a red tailed shark to keep them together as they spread out so much in the 200l tank? ANY help will be appreciated!!!
EDIT; GUPPY FINALLY PASSED TODAY SO 2 GUPPIES, 4 PLATIES GET ON FINE BUT TETRAS AND GOURAMIS SEEM TROUBLE WHO DO YOU THINK IS CULPRITS??

 

[Chaydell]

I've heard that some tetras can be nippy and know from experience that gourami can be as well. When I add fish to my aquariums I turn the lights off and rearrange it and leave the lights off until I let the new fish out of the bag. I've read that this eliminates territorial boundaries and makes all the fish start on equal footing. That has worked well for me so far. If you didn't do this before, you may try to do rearrange the tank now and see if the aggression stops. Hope this helps.

 

[blueboy1]

ok will do to try sort this out, will do just about anything to stop nipping as i have two pregnant platies and im hoping for surviving fry

 

[bluesword23516]

I have a white skirt tetra and at first it was a little nippy.

I've heard that some tetras can be nippy and know from experience that gourami can be as well. When I add fish to my aquariums I turn the lights off and rearrange it and leave the lights off until I let the new fish out of the bag. I've read that this eliminates territorial boundaries and makes all the fish start on equal footing. That has worked well for me so far. If you didn't do this before, you may try to do rearrange the tank now and see if the aggression stops. Hope this helps.

This is a good idea, if it is just the one, take it out if you can. For a day maybe just keep it in a fish bowl or wide, tall vase. Then place it back in the tank and see if this helps

 

[blueboy1]

do this today, no more fatalities as of yet so thank for the tip!!!

 

[Chaydell]

No problem. I just hope it is a permanent fix. Just a warning tho. I have had times when the rearrangement was a temporary fix. Meaning once territories were reestablished the aggression started up again. If this happens for you, you may well have to remove some of the fish from the equation. Hopefully they all get along his time around.

 

[blueboy1]

Well at went to lfs today to get a birth isolation thing for my platy and he said that if the gourami carries on nipping then I should take it back and he will give me fish in return for him and some of losses.
P.S. Do you know any links to picture of pregnant platys near giving birth or have your own as I don't want to hold the platy in the hatchery for an unnessecary amount of time

 

[Chaydell]

I don't but I am sure if you google it you can find some links.  I remember reading a great post about it, but I honestly can't remember if it was on this forum or another one.  I think it was here and it was about guppies, but I think the writer said it could be applied to any live bearer.

 

[mystichorseangel]

I have found in my experience Black Tetras are semi-aggressive, and should be housed respectively. I have since separated my guppies from my tetras, and now only have 4 black tetras and a red gourami in one tank and my guppies in another. Even when school size was increased the black tetras were still aggressive to their schoolmates and one in particular behaved as a "leader" and is always harassing the rest.
In short, I would definitely watch those tetras!

 

[Chaydell]

Look in the new to the hobby forum. The article I was talking about us pinned there. That should answer your questions.