Plattie behaviour is a little odd

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I'm new to this stuff and have a new 70l tank with three platties.

One of them (bigger than the other two) stays at the top of the tank -
at 45 degrees - in the corner by the pump/filter - and just does not
move. It seems to be hiding from the other two, who seem to be quite
agressive.

All hints/tips appreciated, thanks.

--
Phil

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> I'm new to this stuff and have a new 70l tank with three platties.
>
> One of them (bigger than the other two) stays at the top of the tank -
> at 45 degrees - in the corner by the pump/filter - and just does not
> move. It seems to be hiding from the other two, who seem to be quite
> agressive.
>
> All hints/tips appreciated, thanks.
>
> --
> Phil
>
Betcha you have one female and two males. Look at the shape of the fin
at the base of the belly. Males have a rod-shaped fin called a
gonopodium and females have a fan shaped fin. Females are also larger.
Livebearer males like to chase females around and two males could have
a solo female feeling pretty frazzled. The ideal ratio of males to
females with livebearers is one to two.

Unfortunately, the situation will not likely resolve itself. You need
to either move the female to another tank or get at least two more
females. If you only have room for three, see if the store (who should
have known better) will take one of the males back and trade for a female.

--
__ Elaine T __
><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><

[Mary Burns]

"Elaine T" > wrote in message
om...
> wrote:
>> I'm new to this stuff and have a new 70l tank with three platties.
>>
>> One of them (bigger than the other two) stays at the top of the tank -
>> at 45 degrees - in the corner by the pump/filter - and just does not
>> move. It seems to be hiding from the other two, who seem to be quite
>> agressive.
>>
>> All hints/tips appreciated, thanks.
>>
>> --
>> Phil
>>
> Betcha you have one female and two males. Look at the shape of the fin at
> the base of the belly. Males have a rod-shaped fin called a gonopodium
> and females have a fan shaped fin. Females are also larger. Livebearer
> males like to chase females around and two males could have a solo female
> feeling pretty frazzled. The ideal ratio of males to females with
> livebearers is one to two.
>
> Unfortunately, the situation will not likely resolve itself. You need to
> either move the female to another tank or get at least two more females.
> If you only have room for three, see if the store (who should have known
> better) will take one of the males back and trade for a female.
>
> --
> __ Elaine T __
> ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
I agree with Elaine...male platies are relentless at chasing the females
unless you have bigger numbers, and redwag males are worse than sunset. My
sunset platies are all together, 6 of each sex and the males spend more time
posturing than chasing the girls. My redwags are in seperate male and female
tanks. With one male it might be better even better with 3 girls. But then
you will have lots of fry in no time, as they are prolific breeders.I have
angels to keep population stable with sunsets. I am beginning to think they
should be kept seperately, but although the girls get on fine alone, the
males appear miserable without them, clamped fins instead of posturing and
the chase. So, unless you want lots of fry, stick to one sex. Mary

[Phil]

"Mary Burns" > wrote in message >...
> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
> om...
> > wrote:
> >> I'm new to this stuff and have a new 70l tank with three platties.
> >>
> >> One of them (bigger than the other two) stays at the top of the tank -
> >> at 45 degrees - in the corner by the pump/filter - and just does not
> >> move. It seems to be hiding from the other two, who seem to be quite
> >> agressive.
> >>
> >> All hints/tips appreciated, thanks.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Phil
> >>
> > Betcha you have one female and two males. Look at the shape of the fin at
> > the base of the belly. Males have a rod-shaped fin called a gonopodium
> > and females have a fan shaped fin. Females are also larger. Livebearer
> > males like to chase females around and two males could have a solo female
> > feeling pretty frazzled. The ideal ratio of males to females with
> > livebearers is one to two.
> >
> > Unfortunately, the situation will not likely resolve itself. You need to
> > either move the female to another tank or get at least two more females.
> > If you only have room for three, see if the store (who should have known
> > better) will take one of the males back and trade for a female.
> >
> > --
> > __ Elaine T __
> > ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
> I agree with Elaine...male platies are relentless at chasing the females
> unless you have bigger numbers, and redwag males are worse than sunset. My
> sunset platies are all together, 6 of each sex and the males spend more time
> posturing than chasing the girls. My redwags are in seperate male and female
> tanks. With one male it might be better even better with 3 girls. But then
> you will have lots of fry in no time, as they are prolific breeders.I have
> angels to keep population stable with sunsets. I am beginning to think they
> should be kept seperately, but although the girls get on fine alone, the
> males appear miserable without them, clamped fins instead of posturing and
> the chase. So, unless you want lots of fry, stick to one sex. Mary

Mary/Elaine -

Thanks for advice - off to buy some more girls..

And "Mary Burns" - I don't suppose you are Irish and an old friend of
my mum who lost contact thirty years ago ????? Just thought i would
ask, you never know..

--
Philip

[lgb]

In article >,
says...
> I am beginning to think they
> should be kept seperately, but although the girls get on fine alone, the
> males appear miserable without them, clamped fins instead of posturing and
> the chase.
>
I moved an over enthusiastic male to a "penal" tank with a male betta
and some cory cats. He seems to be doing fine.

But, as my wife points out, we've never had a "normal" pet, whether
mammal, reptile, bird, or fish :-).

--
Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

[Mary Burns]

"Phil" > wrote in message
om...
> "Mary Burns" > wrote in message
> >...
>> "Elaine T" > wrote in message
>> om...
>> > wrote:
>> >> I'm new to this stuff and have a new 70l tank with three platties.
>> >>
>> >> One of them (bigger than the other two) stays at the top of the tank -
>> >> at 45 degrees - in the corner by the pump/filter - and just does not
>> >> move. It seems to be hiding from the other two, who seem to be quite
>> >> agressive.
>> >>
>> >> All hints/tips appreciated, thanks.
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Phil
>> >>
>> > Betcha you have one female and two males. Look at the shape of the fin
>> > at
>> > the base of the belly. Males have a rod-shaped fin called a gonopodium
>> > and females have a fan shaped fin. Females are also larger. Livebearer
>> > males like to chase females around and two males could have a solo
>> > female
>> > feeling pretty frazzled. The ideal ratio of males to females with
>> > livebearers is one to two.
>> >
>> > Unfortunately, the situation will not likely resolve itself. You need
>> > to
>> > either move the female to another tank or get at least two more
>> > females.
>> > If you only have room for three, see if the store (who should have
>> > known
>> > better) will take one of the males back and trade for a female.
>> >
>> > --
>> > __ Elaine T __
>> > ><__'> http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
>> I agree with Elaine...male platies are relentless at chasing the females
>> unless you have bigger numbers, and redwag males are worse than sunset.
>> My
>> sunset platies are all together, 6 of each sex and the males spend more
>> time
>> posturing than chasing the girls. My redwags are in seperate male and
>> female
>> tanks. With one male it might be better even better with 3 girls. But
>> then
>> you will have lots of fry in no time, as they are prolific breeders.I
>> have
>> angels to keep population stable with sunsets. I am beginning to think
>> they
>> should be kept seperately, but although the girls get on fine alone, the
>> males appear miserable without them, clamped fins instead of posturing
>> and
>> the chase. So, unless you want lots of fry, stick to one sex. Mary
>
> Mary/Elaine -
>
> Thanks for advice - off to buy some more girls..
>
> And "Mary Burns" - I don't suppose you are Irish and an old friend of
> my mum who lost contact thirty years ago ????? Just thought i would
> ask, you never know..
>
> --
> Philip
Sorry, No, Burns is my married name from 20 years ago.

[NetMax]

"lgb" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
>> I am beginning to think they
>> should be kept seperately, but although the girls get on fine alone,
>> the
>> males appear miserable without them, clamped fins instead of posturing
>> and
>> the chase.
>>
> I moved an over enthusiastic male to a "penal" tank with a male betta
> and some cory cats. He seems to be doing fine.
>
> But, as my wife points out, we've never had a "normal" pet, whether
> mammal, reptile, bird, or fish :-).
>
> --
> Homo sapiens is a goal, not a description

ROTFLMAO, thanks lgb! I've almost always had some mismatch fish
somewhere, so that visitors ask why is there only one of something in a
tank, or a fish by itself. Right now it's a single male Guppy in a tank
of fast-growing voracious Monos. This fellow is the Eveready battery of
Guppies, having outlived all his brothers/sisters, and stayed ahead of a
dozen very fast moving carnivores. What usually happens is that
predators 'forget' to re-check if the prey fits in their mouth, so the
prey goes unmolested as the predators continue growing. This Guppy might
die of old age.

As for over-enthusiastic male livebearers, sometimes the time-out cools
their jets enough that they can be returned to a community tank. Another
common problem is the fish which decides to live forever (which partly
explains multiple tank syndrome!).
--
www.NetMax.tk