Platty problem

I have 3 plattys that I was told when I got them were all female. lately one of them has become a real bossy old thing and is constantly bullying one of the other plattys. it's always the same fish she picks on, and she chases it all round the tank if ir comes anywhere near her.

Is this normal behaviour for these fish and what can I do about it - I feel sorry for the one that is getting picked on as it has to send all its day in hiding.

It can be a common problem among certain fish - they all have different personalities, just like people. One of my Dwarf Gouramis bullied the other one mercilessly, so much so that I ended up moving the bully into a different tank as, like you, I felt sorry for the one that was being harrassed.

Are you sure that the platies are all female? If so, their anal fin (on the abdomen) will be fan-shaped whereas in the male it's straight to form a gonopodium.

tardis wrote:

I have 3 plattys that I was told when I got them were all female. lately one of them has become a real bossy old thing and is constantly bullying one of the other plattys. it's always the same fish she picks on, and she chases it all round the tank if ir comes anywhere near her.

Is this normal behaviour for these fish and what can I do about it - I feel sorry for the one that is getting picked on as it has to send all its day in hiding.

I have had this problem with plattys too. I have had problems with one particular platty bullying constantly any other male platty that goes in the tank. I started off with 3, was told they were all females but it ended up being 2 males one that got bullied to death. I replaced him with another female (turned out to be a male too) and he was also bullied and has now been moved into another tank for his own safety.

I don't know if it would be different if there was not a female in the tank, because the bolshy one is fine with the girlie he hangs around with now.

I've got plattys tardis and havent had any problems with them. I'm not sure what sex they are though so perhaps they are all peaceful girlies.

I wonder if you got more of them would it make a difference?

Well there's the excuse (as if you needed it) to go and buy more fish tardis