Swordtail chased almost to death?

[slo22]

Hello-
I have a 20 gallon tank, currently with 7 platy/swordtail mixture. I have 3 male swordtails, 1 male platy, 2 female platies, and 1 female swordtail. I know my male/female ratio is off, but I am not sure what to do about it. My female swordtail appears to have a nipped tail, and I don't think it was that way when I got her just a few days ago. Now she is just staying stationary at the top of the tank, not swimming happily around like the others. Actually, the boy swordtails seem to chase each other alot too. Should I remove the girl and if so, what can I put her in? I work every day, so it is hard for me to get to a pet store until the afternoon. Will that be too late for my girl? I am afraid they are chasing her to death. Although now that she is lethargic, they seem to be leaving her alone. She ate this morning, but not aggressively. I have a bad feeling about this.

 

[HUKIT]

Yes stress for fish has the same effects as humans which can have significant effects on health, everything from elevated heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. This can also lead to a release of the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for many of the negative health effects associated with stress. In addition to having a negative effect on growth, reproduction, and digestion, chronic stress will also lower the ability of the immune system to respond effectively and fully. This lowered immune response is what allows parasites, bacteria, and fungi to infect a stressed fish and cause disease and death.

My best advice would be re-home the excess males to correct the male to female ratio of 2:1, this will allow the males to spilt his attention among the females and no isolating a specific fish.

 

[slo22]

One more question. Since I have a mixture of swordtails and platies, do i count my female platies in the 2:1 ratio? or would it be only 2 female swordtails for every one male swordtail? And then a similar ratio for the platies? I admit, I thought that having some female platies would help even it out, but I am wondering if that is not correct. maybe the male swordtails only chase after other swordtails and ignore the platies? I hope I am making sense...

 

[HUKIT]

Platys and swords can and will hybridize, but in my experience if they have adequate females of their own species this decreases. So I would try to keep the correct ratios for each species.