Aggressive Female Platy

[Kata]

I don't really think much can be done, but it's just such an odd thing. I have 2 females and 1 male Gold Dust Platy and one of the females (the larger of the two) is very aggressive. Before I figured out what was going on, she killed one of my zebra danio's and a glowlight tetra. She also began mercilessly picking on my poor pepper Cori, at which point I separated her from the rest of the tank.

The male, and the second female weren't at all aggressive, and the aggressive female never tried to pick on the other platy. I'm just curious if anyone else has had this problem? Anything help? The idea of keeping her separated for good isn't all that great, but I love my Cory to death so I wont tolerate anyone picking on him!

 

[Mr. Limpet]

I don't really think much can be done, but it's just such an odd thing. I have 2 females and 1 male Gold Dust Platy and one of the females (the larger of the two) is very aggressive. Before I figured out what was going on, she killed one of my zebra danio's and a glowlight tetra. She also began mercilessly picking on my poor pepper Cori, at which point I separated her from the rest of the tank.

The male, and the second female weren't at all aggressive, and the aggressive female never tried to pick on the other platy. I'm just curious if anyone else has had this problem? Anything help? The idea of keeping her separated for good isn't all that great, but I love my Cory to death so I wont tolerate anyone picking on him!

Some fish are just aggressive and there's not much to be done, so you may have to get rid of it.

I have a danio that picks on all the rest of my shoal, I just pull it out and put it in a tank by itself for a while and it seems to get the message. For a while anyways lol.

 

[Kata]

Lol yeah I pulled the Platy for a while, but the moment it was released back to the tank it went for the Cory again. Unfortunately I'm not sure what to do with it other than to keep it separated. I can't return it to the store, and I can't bring myself to just flush a live fish xD

 

[Scalare]

Hi Kata, I guess platties can be like people, you get the quiet gentle type and tough aggressive individuals, keep her isolated for a while, then try reintroducing her into the tank, if she continues to be aggressive then you should rehome her, return her to your lfs. hope everything work out.

Pete

 

[Kata]

I may have to just try to return it to Petco :\ Darn aggressive platties! xD

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Lol yeah I pulled the Platy for a while, but the moment it was released back to the tank it went for the Cory again. Unfortunately I'm not sure what to do with it other than to keep it separated. I can't return it to the store, and I can't bring myself to just flush a live fish xD

How long was it out for? I do 2-3 days and can see the aggressiveness go away in the way it swims around, then put it back in and it's good for a month or so. It is the biggest one in the shoal so that may be the issue.

The store might take it back, or ask to trade it. Worst that can happen is they say no.

 

[Kata]

True, Maybe I'll make a run over on Monday and see if they'll just exchange it for a new female. I left it in a completely separate tank for 2 days, then put it into a Lee's plastic breeding enclosure in the main tank. The moment it got back into the main tank it started acting aggressively again even if fish came too close (with the exception of the male platy, he was quite happy to see her back.) I left her in there for another day and a half, before giving her another shot at the main tank. Again she went right for the Cory, so she was put back in jail

By the way, love the username Great film

 

[Mr. Limpet]

True, Maybe I'll make a run over on Monday and see if they'll just exchange it for a new female. I left it in a completely separate tank for 2 days, then put it into a Lee's plastic breeding enclosure in the main tank. The moment it got back into the main tank it started acting aggressively again even if fish came too close (with the exception of the male platy, he was quite happy to see her back.) I left her in there for another day and a half, before giving her another shot at the main tank. Again she went right for the Cory, so she was put back in jail

By the way, love the username Great film

Trade in sounds like a must and Petco should be good about it.

Thanks

 

[Batt4Christ]

Seems that even "solidly peaceful" species sometimes have oddballs that are bullies.

My early days many moons ago, I was a large cichlid fan, so bullying/aggression was the expected behavior. Then I learned that many if the barbs (especially tiger barbs) love to tear/nip fins.

Buy more recently (last few months) have experienced:

Merciless violence by a female guppy towards a beautiful veil- tail male guppy, then she turned on other tankmates of other species when she got "bored" with him. We gave her away.

Then a young female dalmation Molly that started mercilessly attacking a red dwarf gorami.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Oh- and almost forgot- once ling ago had an aggressive plecosomous! It would chase down other fish and literally suck the scales off then basically eat them! Never figured that one out.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Oh- and almost forgot- once ling ago had an aggressive plecosomous! It would chase down other fish and literally suck the scales off then basically eat them! Never figured that one out.

Fish slime is to a plecostomus, like ice cream is to a kid. That's why we got rid of ours, since our goldies are like family .

 

[DragonFish71]

Oh- and almost forgot- once ling ago had an aggressive plecosomous! It would chase down other fish and literally suck the scales off then basically eat them! Never figured that one out.

Believe it or not, that is actually quite normal. Plecos are known to latch on and suck off the slime coat of other fish.

Not to hi-jack the thread, but this does deal with aggression.


Our common pleco Gonzo has actually laid down on top of one of our cichlids and just held him there like he was trying to smother him. He also attacks my hands or the vacuum tube when I'm cleaning the tank.

 

[Kata]

Believe it or not, that is actually quite normal. Plecos are known to latch on and suck off the slime coat of other fish.

Not to hi-jack the thread, but this does deal with aggression.


Our common pleco Gonzo has actually laid down on top of one of our cichlids and just held him there like he was trying to smother him. He also attacks my hands or the vacuum tube when I'm cleaning the tank.

That's just crazy! Never seen a fish do that, it wasn't trying to mate or anything was he? That would be the only thing I'd figure.

But either way I did take the Aggressive Platy back, and the worker there was nice enough to exchange for a female sunset Platy. Everything at the moment seems peaceful (other than the male platy REALLY enjoying the company of the new female, much to her annoyance)

And I had a Dalmatian Molly once that terrorized my tank as well! I've never quite trusted Molly's after that.