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Hi, wasn't sure if this should go here, or in labyrinth since it is about both...

I have a 20 gal tank, currently with 3 platies (2f/1m) and about 15 platy frys, 1 dwarf gourami (purchased 2 on 9/17/04, but returned one on 10/2, for aggressiveness), and just added 6 panda cories on 10/1 (one died on 10/3, so only have 5 until tonite).

The female just gave birth about 9/16 and has been chased by the male platy ever since. The other female platy just hides all the time.

I had the 2 male dwarf gouramis, but when I noticed missing scales and fighting, I took the more aggressive one back. But now, it seems that my female platy is attaching the remaining gourami. She is the one that just gave birth. She nips at his tail and sneaks up and bites him. He swims off and she follows. He hasn't eaten any of her fries that I can tell, so I don't know why she is doing this.

I figured this would happen maybe with the male platy, but it seems strange coming from the female. Is this normal? I didn't remember hearing that platies were fin nippers.

I don't have any attachment to the platies, other than they were my first fish to cycle my tank, so should I get rid of them so they don't hurt my gourami? Or is this normal behavior?

Oh, and they have been in the tank together for 3 weeks, and this is the first I have noticed any of this behavior.

Thanks in Advance.

the female platy might be chaising the gourami for territory. the gourami might have come to close to the fry so the female platy might be chaising him off. im not sure if you got the fry inside the same tank but if you do the female platy is just doing her job and protecting the fry!

Well, no, the frys are all still in the tank. And part of the reason I got a gourami, was for them to take care of the frys for me. I don't think he as even tried to eat any of them, so I don't think that is it. That and they have all been in there for 3 wks, and with even more fry at one point, and she didn't do anything.

Oh well, maybe she was just PMS'ing]:|

Livebearers don't protect their young, they usually eat them, though once they are 3 weeks old they leave them alone, some female platys get abit snappy after giving birth as their hormones are all over the place, abit like us.

CyndieL73: has your platy settled down or is she still terrorizing your gourami?

Thanks for checking Doctor J. She seems to have settled down. Of course the Male platy and her are unseparable. And the male will not leave the other female alone. The other female just hides all the time, and acts like she just doesn't want anyone to notice her. She eats good, but stays clear of the other platies.

That's good to hear. I have a similar platy "love triangle" going. The male loves one of the females and is constantly by her side and chases the other one away. The odd female out seems quite content to be left on her own. The dominant female, though, hasn't displayed much aggression, but the only other fish in the tank at the moment are white clouds and they're not exactly a threat to the platies or to any fry.