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Well I have a Golden Wonder Killi, a Festivum and 2 platies in my 30 gallon. Water parameters are at the exceptional things like nitrite 0, nitrate around 15 and ph of 7.4 ish. No problems with the killi until today. He finally noticed the festivum. The festivum is new and just hangs in the corner, and the killi hangs in the opposite part of the tank. Well he noticed him, and started instigating a fight. Everytime he does this, the festivum shows no aggression just holds his ground or backs up a bit, and when the killi tries to bite he just bites back. I never saw this from the killi at all, he usually backs away from everything. Well the festivum is fine, but the killi has a slightly messed up face. What's going on here? I was worried about it being the other way around. There's a ton of hiding places, infact the festivum hides behind a plant most of the time I usually can't find him.

How long have they been in this tank for now? Killi's are sometimes aggressive, specially the males.
You might have to put one of them in a different tank.

The killi will not back down, you're better off moving him. Those killis are known for being aggressive.

he backed down after about an hour...he looks pretty messed up now, he never showed any aggression before this...since then he has stayed in his one place again. Whats the smallest size tank I could put him in if he tries this again?

5.5 would be minimum, 10 is better.

All the killis I've owned so far have been VERY territorial. I would suggest getting a 5.5 and putting the male in there with maybe a female or two. IMHO, killis do best in a species tank anyway.

I was thinking...maybe if I put him in a holding tank for like 3-5 days, and put him back into the big tank, maybe he'd think he was the new fish and go back to his old friendly self? I was thinking maybe he thought there was competition for food or he didn't like a fish being as big as him? I've even had this killi with tetras and there was no problem.

out of curiousity do golden wonder killis prefer to have its own kind around? i've never kept a killi before...

They can definitely be territorial but I'm sure he'd love a girl. With neough space (ie, not if you move him to a 10 gal) another pair, or better a third female, would work very well. The females aren't as striking but they're still lovely.

-Molly
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