AlexMacken AlexMacken
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  • Posted on: 27/9/2018 12:46
What is going on with my platy? #1
Hi
I apologise if this is a daft question
I am new to keeping platy as previously have had larger cold water fancies
Around 4 week ago I purchased 3 platy all of which I was told were male.
2 high fins and a smaller one that I believed to be a juvenile male.
For the first 48 hours the juvenile male was subdued and hiding. Following that he was happily swimming around with the other 2 fish. One of the high fins who I believe to be the dominant male seems to have taken a shine to him and follows him everywhere. He is not trying to be aggressive but nudges him and is like his shadow
The kind of behaviour that I believe would occur between a mating pair.
The smaller fish also appears to have developed a stomach which made me panic and try to double check it was in fact male.
It’s fin is pointed not fanned but not elongated like the other males.
Thinking it could be boredom or due to the limited community I have added another 2 males at the weekend to try and break it up a bit but the behaviour continues.
I am worried that if this fish is In fact female it will be worried to death by the number of males in the tank- even though none of the others show any interest apart from the one that follows him everywhere

Any help or advice would be much appreciated
Thankyou
AlexMacken AlexMacken
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  • Posted on: 27/9/2018 13:07
Re: What is going on with my platy? #2
Did try to upload some photos but didn’t seam to appear
Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 27/9/2018 18:47
Re: What is going on with my platy? #3
It sounds like he's late maturing and that's confused the other male. Male only groups need to have a quite a few members to prevent this sort of thing happening to just one fish. In a larger group, any chasing will be spread over a number of fish rather than just one.
AlexMacken AlexMacken
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  • Posted on: 28/9/2018 21:22
Re: What is going on with my platy? #4
Hi
Thanks for your reply
Was planning on a larger group of 10+ but adding them gradually to let the filter adjust. Is there an ideal or minimum number that I shoul be aware of?
Thanks again for you comment
Any help is so much appreciated 👍
Fishlady Fishlady
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  • Posted on: 28/9/2018 23:04
Re: What is going on with my platy? #5
Six or more should hopefully sort out the issue.
AlexMacken AlexMacken
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  • Posted on: 29/9/2018 9:59
Re: What is going on with my platy? #6
That’s brilliant
Will try that
Thankyou so much for your help