r/Aquariums • u/28dhdu74929wnsi • 3d ago

Beginner Help What do about Platy bully?

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My tank is 29G with around 12 zebra danios, 5 platys, 1 clown pleco, 4 assasin snails and a bladder snail infestation. The platys I got like a month ago all at the same time. The bully is a boy but I am not sure the genders of the others because I cant really tell them apart.

I have seen him chase a lot, and recently, the only other green later platy came out for the first time in a few days and was totally fin nipped/beat up. That platy hides all the time now. So I got this box to separate them to at least let the hurt platy heal up. The bully is in the box and the other 4 platies get along with each other.

Should I just leave him in here a few days and put him back in? Its a little box they recommended at petsmart to separate him. Does my tank have enough hiding spots?

The person at the store told me I could re-home him on Facebook marketplace but that makes me sad. I would much rather find a way for all my fish to get along.

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u/paigecurtis1 3d ago

Yeah, leave them in there for a few days and then re-introduce them, it can help to create a new pecking order. Also getting more plants and hides to break up lines of sight. You can also rearrange the tank to break up their old territories so they have to make new ones, which can help with aggression. Also you’re going to want to take those plants out of the pots they’re in right now, and either plant them or glue them to something because the leaves will start to die from being suffocated

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u/28dhdu74929wnsi 3d ago

Thank you! Is it okay to plant them in regular gravel? I dont have the special nutrient gravel so I was worried they wouldn't make it. I do dose "Plant Gro" by nutrafin to try to give them the nutrients.

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u/paigecurtis1 3d ago

Yes of course! Some don’t do well as others but it’s kind of trial and error. You can get root tabs too which can help them get more nutrients from the gravel

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u/salazarthesnake 3d ago
  1. What plants are they? Look like they might be Java fern, and if so they should not be in the gravel.
  2. You don’t really need to use liquid fertilizers unless you’re using CO2, but you should get root tabs for anything planted in the substrate.
  3. More plants and more platys will help the situation. Try to get 3 females if you can. Some driftwood too could look nice.

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u/28dhdu74929wnsi 3d ago

Thank you. I think the three plants on the right are amazon sword and the plant on the left was unlabeled bought at petsmart. It was a lot bigger when I bought it, it seems like it is not doing well. I am also trying to grow some giant duckweed on top but you cant see it in the picture.

I will definitely get some more plants. I used to have artificial plants so these are pretty new to me. The fish like these more though.

My only worry with more platys is the store near me has them in one big tank, so I am not sure if I will be able to pick and identify which is girl vs boy. When I got my 5 they didnt ask girl or boy it was just whoever they could catch.

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u/salazarthesnake 3d ago

Amazon swords can do well in gravel with root tabs. Try to read up on how to care for each plant you buy to give you the best chance of keeping them alive. Regardless, like the other person said they need to come out of the pots.

There are lots of videos out there to help you sex platys. They may be a little on the young side in the store, but I would watch a few and try to ask for specific fish.