Guppies Attacking Swordtails

[1873teddy]

Hi there, posted this yesterday on the planted tanks forum but no responses unforunately!

I added 2 swordtails to my tank yesterday & have 6 male guppies which are constantly nipping & attacking the swordtails, is there anything I can do about this? Or will they settle down over time?

Many thanks,

Craig

 

[Tormented]

They may settle down, but i had two male guppies with a swordtail pair. They were picking at the swordtail male, and i had to remove them.

That's just my experience though, it probably depends on the guppy.

 

[bud29]

Guppys can be vicious to new additions in the tank. I had 1 guppy in my 5 gallon, put another in, and they fought so much I had to get a tank divider. I occasionally would remove the divider to see if they could get along, but sure enough, after about 30 seconds they were going at it again. I had to keep that divider in until one died

 

[1873teddy]

Eeeek, doesn't sound good, it seems to be the same bloody guppies all the time so may have to remove them if it continues :-( the swordtail female is getting harrassed too. Poor fish!!! Wish I had know they were so vicious & I would have added another species instead.

 

[bud29]

Eeeek, doesn't sound good, it seems to be the same bloody guppies all the time so may have to remove them if it continues :-( the swordtail female is getting harrassed too. Poor fish!!! Wish I had know they were so vicious & I would have added another species instead.

Yeah, I think that they're not that vicious if you put in all the fish at the same time, but they really don't like new additions......the only instance of aggression with guppies was towards newcomers, IME. Otherwise they got along fine.

 

[Tormented]

Maybe you can take out all the fish and rearrange the decorations. That works with bettas though, i don't know if it will help with guppies.

 

[bud29]

Maybe you can take out all the fish and rearrange the decorations. That works with bettas though, i don't know if it will help with guppies.

Good idea, I've heard rearranging decor can help reduce aggression in other fish too.

 

[bettaowner]

Strange. I thought swordtails would pick on the guppies.

 

[1873teddy]

My colleague mention rearranging the tank setup also, as this throws their territorial instinct, had said to my friend that he can have the Guppies but they really brighten my tank so would obviously prefer to keep them in.

Will try the rearranging first & if it continues, I will re home them.

Thank you so much to everyone for your help, it is stressing me out here seeing the fish being harrased so much.

 

[JBarlak]

Get some female guppies So the swords can live at peace

 

[1873teddy]

JBarlack, appreciate what you're saying but when I got the Guppies I enquired about females & the knowlegable young lady who attended me advised that they breed profusely & the males inherit an illness called 'the bends' which literally causes their spine to bend through over breeding.

So thank you for your suggestion but I'd rather not!

 

[bud29]

good choice. Guppies give birth to about 40 fry at a time, so you would have tons of babies in the tank.

 

[Jbaygurl78745]

Get some female guppies So the swords can live at peace

I had problem with my make guppies killing each other added all at same time. With only one left in tank went an got a female and it killed the female the night while I was sleeping :-(((

 

[Tormented]

JBarlack, appreciate what you're saying but when I got the Guppies I enquired about females & the knowlegable young lady who attended me advised that they breed profusely & the males inherit an illness called 'the bends' which literally causes their spine to bend through over breeding.

So thank you for your suggestion but I'd rather not!

I have only seen females get that.