I wanna beat up a platies fish

[michaelg210]

I am rather new to fishkeeping. Recently acquired 3 Platies, beautiful colors. All 3 are males.

However, one is just slightly bigger than the other two and constantly picks on them, nipping at their fins, tails, and bodies. He even takes them head on.

I wondered if perhaps he is just establishing dominance or something, but this guy is an incorrigible repeat offender.

Is this normal or do I have a psychotic fish. Is there any way to treat it or should I return him for a more mellow platie?

 

[StuG]

My platies behave exactly the same as yours do. I also have 3 males.
Knowing what I know now, I wish I had gotten 3 females rather than 3 males.
They have calmed down some though since I got them. The runt of the three still gets picked on by the other two, but for the most part they behave.
If you just got them, you'll probably see less and less outright aggression, though they will still chase each other.

 

[DragonFish71]

I put my "terrors" in time-out. Yep, time-out. Each time you see him terrorize the others, dip him into a net and hold it against the glass so he can't get out for a few minutes. Fish can learn behaviors, notice they swim to the top whenever you walk by? They think you're going to feed them, that's learned behavior.

 

[logansmomma1228]

With most fish it is best to keep them of 2:1 female to male ratio at least, the more females the better. They will most likely be less aggressive, and too few females will result in them constantly being harrassed by the male.

 

[michaelg210]

Time out

I put my "terrors" in time-out. Yep, time-out. Each time you see him terrorize the others, dip him into a net and hold it against the glass so he can't get out for a few minutes. Fish can learn behaviors, notice they swim to the top whenever you walk by? They think you're going to feed them, that's learned behavior.

you are too funny, but that is exactly what i did several times, kinda like give him a response to his behaviour, but then i thought, how can he possibly connect the time out (which is what my daughter and i also called it)- how can he possibly connect the time out to his behaviour, especially since it is not always the response, in other words he gets away with it most of the time cause we are not there 24/7.

I am also worried he will be a fin nipper, as I plan on putting the betta back in the tank with them. I was told, take the betta out for a while, like 7 - 10 days, then put him back in to what he will think iS an already inhabited tank.... either way i worry about this one picking on the betta. Guess we will see.

Thanks for refreshing my sense of sanity.

 

[michaelg210]

female to male ratio....

With most fish it is best to keep them of 2:1 female to male ratio at least, the more females the better. They will most likely be less aggressive, and too few females will result in them constantly being harrassed by the male.

only thing about that is i did not want them to breed, so i picked all males.

 

[StuG]

only thing about that is i did not want them to breed, so i picked all males.

lol, sounds like you and me went through the exact same thought processes.
I did at one point consider justletting them go at it and then eat the babies, but I figured there'd be no way I could actually stand by and watch that happen, so, 3 males it was!

 

[RaptorBro]

i got a male and a female and within a 2 weeks they just had there first set of fry 4 only made it.....

 

[brimac41]

only thing about that is i did not want them to breed, so i picked all males.

I didn't want them breeding all the time neither , but my LFS gives me store credit for the babies , doesn't add up to much but every $ counts so I let them go at it and place the fry when I can get to them before they turn into dinner and put them in a couple of "Breeders nets" and trade them in when they are big enough . $2 or $3 off some food , water conditioner or what have you helps .

 

[mwe_ch]

i got a male and a female and within a 2 weeks they just had there first set of fry 4 only made it.....

Well then your female was pregnant when you bought her as the gestation period is about 6 weeks!

As for the male aggression -- the original thread subject -- make sure the water parameters are good as aggression can lead to stress and if the other two are stressed, they can get sick more easily, so you have to be extra careful to keep them healthy (if you aren't already, adding vitamin supplements might be an idea).

 

[michaelg210]

Vitamin Suppliments

Well then your female was pregnant when you bought her as the gestation period is about 6 weeks!

As for the male aggression -- the original thread subject -- make sure the water parameters are good as aggression can lead to stress and if the other two are stressed, they can get sick more easily, so you have to be extra careful to keep them healthy (if you aren't already, adding vitamin supplements might be an idea).

any reccommendations as to what I might add?

 

[michaelg210]

I finally got the nerve to put the betta in the tank, watched them for about 45 minutes. He sure put the bully in its place, he swam over to check it out and bully rolled over on his side and shied away. Now the little three still pick at each other, he tries to hang with them but can't.

Betta doesn't bother the platies, platies, perhaps intimidated, don't mess with him either and sort of give him his space.

 

[michaelg210]

Bad idea betta and pladies

I finally got the nerve to put the betta in the tank, watched them for about 45 minutes. He sure put the bully in its place, he swam over to check it out and bully rolled over on his side and shied away. Now the little three still pick at each other, he tries to hang with them but can't.

Betta doesn't bother the platies, platies, perhaps intimidated, don't mess with him either and sort of give him his space.

Well this morning was a different scene. Checked on the tank, and the betta was pursuing two of the pladies like the red barron in a dogfight with allied planes. I immediately netted him and put him back in his bowl.

Two of the pladies were missing pieces of their tail fins. Guess he must have worn them down during the night.