Sudden Aggressive Swordtail

[LaurieLou]

Hello all, I am hoping my small (quickly becoming large) problem can be solved here. We have a 55 gallon tank and have only had 2 male and 3 female swordtails. Everyone has been living happily and peacefully. Now, we have added 4 smaller anglefish and one of the male swordtails is now attacking everything, swordtails and angelfish alike. I am assuming we have a territorial issue here, but I am not real sure how to handle this in the short term, I don't have another tank I can put him in. We have alot of plants and driftwood for hiding places. Any ideas?

Thanks so much

 

[kribensis12]

You can only have one male swordtail to a tank or he will start to attack everything. I would sell him to your lfs. The angels will eventually fight back when they get a territiory established.

 

[theotheragentm]

Everybody just needs to establish their territory in the tank. A net divider may help separate the rogue male for the time being until he gets the picture that the whole tank isn't his tank anymore. There's no exact solution to give unfortunately, because the Swordtail may never ease up. the only way to tell is to try and see.

 

[*Fishkies*]

Yeah putting two male swordtails together, they will kill each other. Although your tanks seems to be big enough and sounds like there should be enough hiding so hopefully they'll be able to get along sometime. But they may not.

 

[theotheragentm]

Yeah putting two male swordtails together, they will kill each other.

That is not a cut and dry statement. Two males will not always kill each other. Advice like that is not sound advice to go spouting. Male aggression is based on a lot of factors, and unfortunately with so many fouling factors, it's a trial and error type of thing to get results.

 

[LaurieLou]

Thanks to all of you with your thoughts. We never had a problem with either male, they got along fine until we put the angels in. He seems to have settled down somewhat and we are keeping a close eye on him, hopefully he will continue to be good! I appreciate the responses.