Aggressive Platy Fish

[HollyRicci]

Hi everyone, I’m new on this forum and also new to Platy fish keeping. I used to have two fish tanks with guppies and African cichlids when I was young and decided to start again with Platy fish. However, I thought they would be peaceful fish but they are not at all!! In fact, there is always one picking on another and they seem to take turns. It’s been 3 days that my male platy who was super soft and quiet in my initial 5 gallon tank is now super aggressive in my 15 gallon tank (so I don’t think size is the problem). Apart from him, I have only 3 females and a few juveniles. The tank has real plants, lava rocks, wood, and caves. He is only picking on one of the three females. She cannot catch a break and is now hiding constantly. Yesterday I gave him a time-out in the maternity unit and he seemed quiet, put him back in the tank and here we are again, chasing the same female. Before the male, the aggressive one was the blue female and before that the yellow female who is now being bullied. I need help as I don’t know what to do... Thanks for your advice!

 

[Delapool]

Not a lot you can do unfortunately - adding two more females might help but if he is fixed on one than adding more cover may help, or time-outs / remove.