Platy Behaviour Query

[soybean]

Hi there

I kept and bred goldfish for years so I'm not new to fishkeeping. I've had my tropical tank for about 6 months, mainly varieties of peaceful tetras, guppies, and corydoras.

I recently added 3 male platys. They were all doing fine, until one died 2 days after adding him (I suspect he was ill when I got him). A week or so after that, one of my remaining males started chasing the other relentlessly - I swear he was seeking him out for an argument all the time. The other platy never fought back. I wasn't exactly surprised by this behaviour from two males, but didn't like seeing one so stressed out.

The other day I returned the aggressive male platy to the store and came home with 3 females. For the first day everything was fine - the placid male I owned was very interested in these newcomers indeed. I didn't see any mating behaviour though. The three females get on fine.

However since then the once placid male platy has become very aggressive towards all of the females. I'm not seeing any mating or courtship behaviour - it is constant persuing, picking, nipping, barging, etc. Just now I've put him in a big breeding net to give the girls a break for a few hours. He's sulking but I don't care.

Will this calm down? I could understand it if they were males, but they're definitely not. Is it just establishing territory or dominance? I would've thought that would go unchallenged seeing as he is the only male. I have been watching the tank for hours every day and have not seen any mating.

I'm just hoping this is something that will settle down - if not, he's being swapped for another female too!

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[jackyb07s4]

have any of your females actually been bitten?

 

[soybean]

He is nipping/pecking at them - both at their tails and their sides.

 

[jackyb07s4]

well, as far as I see it, you only have one option. Take him back to the store too.

 

[soybean]

So this isn't normal behaviour? It won't just settle down?

 

[jackyb07s4]

generally males don't attack the females like you are describing. You said they were being attacked but do the females have shreaded tails?

 

[GSD]

I have found males to be constantly pestering the females regardless, mine will chase them and chase away the female he isnt interested in that time, and then switch to a different female hours later, hence why the ratio of 1:3 males to females is recomended. I think its pretty normal behaviour to be honest, mine are always bickering amongst themselves.

I suppose you have afew options, wait and see if he does settle, take him back, or increase the ratio of males to females to spread out aggression.
Sudden agression can be a sign of poor water quality so i would check that.

 

[soybean]

Just done a water test and everything is fine, it's water change day tomorrow too.

I've noticed that he actually doesn't bother my mickey mouse female half as much as the two red and orange ones.

I'll give it another week and see if things calm down.

Thanks for your help

 

[jackyb07s4]

hope everything turns out ok