xipophorus gender question

[Sgooosh]

hello, I have a tank with many "neon swordtails". it used to be a pair of one huge male and female and they had a lot of babies, but they were all female. I'm wondering if there can only be one male xipophorus in a tank because platies and Montezuma are on my wish list

 

[GaryE]

Huge question... At times, I had 10 or 15 montezumae males in my group (it ran around 50 fish most of the time), but I could never have 2 or 3. Big numbers or no numbers was my experience. The same is true of most of them - helleri, montezumae, nezahualcoyotl, mayae, and a few others all did well in groups, but fought in smaller set ups.

My milleri platys have even ratios and no aggression. @emeraldking will hopefully see this as he has a lot of knowledge of the group.

 

[Sgooosh]

Huge question... At times, I had 10 or 15 montezumae males in my group (it ran around 50 fish most of the time), but I could never have 2 or 3. Big numbers or no numbers was my experience. The same is true of most of them - helleri, montezumae, nezahualcoyotl, mayae, and a few others all did well in groups, but fought in smaller set ups.

My milleri platys have even ratios and no aggression. @emeraldking will hopefully see this as he has a lot of knowledge of the group.

woah, i only have around 20, only 5 babies are juvenile

 

[GaryE]

I had 20 once too. #$#$ livebearers....

 

[emeraldking]

What is exactly the question over here?

 

[GaryE]

It's about whether a male Xiphophorus will suppress the development of slightly younger males, or males from his own drop.

 

[emeraldking]

It's about whether a male Xiphophorus will suppress the development of slightly younger males, or males from his own drop.

Yes, that can indeed happen. Not always, though... I'm fortunate that all my tanks with swordtail species are not battle fields. Sometimes, one of the dominant males will chase a submissive male away. But soon after that, the harmony has returned in the tank. But in general, dominant males "can suppress" the development/growth of other males. But that doesn't always have to be the case. In all of my tanks with swordtails in them are multiple males present.

 

[Sgooosh]

Yes, that can indeed happen. Not always, though... I'm fortunate that all my tanks with swordtail species are not battle fields. Sometimes, one of the dominant males will chase a submissive male away. But soon after that, the harmony has returned in the tank. But in general, dominant males "can suppress" the development/growth of other males. But that doesn't always have to be the case. In all of my tanks with swordtails in them are multiple males present.

how many is in a tank?

 

[emeraldking]

how many is in a tank?

That differs per tank over here. From about 5 to over 30, depending on which tank it may concern. Most of the time, the excessive young males will find new owners in time. And there are also always stores that want them. I don't have any problems getting rid of excessive fish.