Llama

I have 3 platies, 2 females one male.

One of the females looks as if she may be pregnant already.

Right now I'm noticing the male do something strange...

He's going next to the female (always the same one - the pregnant looking one) and staying next to her. He doesn't appear to be attacking her or something. Eventually he touches her with his fin or something, and she SWIMS OFF really quickly. Eventually he follows her, as soon as he gets close he moves slowly towards her and touches her again.

And repeat.

I don't know what they're doing, but she doesn't look too pleased.

Help?

Shawnie

all normal behavoir..no freaking out allowed

when time allows, adding some more fems will help her have a break from the mr

fems can carry sperm for a few weeks inside them so she very well could have been pregnant when you got her....

Llama

Its so weird though. She keeps freaking out. But he has his dorsal fin down, doesn't look to be agressing on her or anything.

He stopped now, went off to nibble at some algae or something.

You sure its perfectally normal? I'll get another lady soon.

Shawnie

perfectly normal....I have 6 plats and the boy is ALWAYS doing that to one of my fems at all times....some more plants (fake or real) for hiding helped my girls....


should see guppies ...who have the same behavoir but to me, are much worse!! LOL

Llama

This is sincerly very very weird. He spent ages chasing her... then stopped to nibble at some plants, ignoring her all the while. He then seemed to remember she's right there next to him, and gave chase again.

She doesn't appear to be making much effort to hide... and he doesn't appear to be interested in his other tank mate...

Does this stress her out or something? Should I try to (is there any way to) stop it?

Autumn8504

This is very common behavior. He is trying to mate with her. This could stress her out if he keeps it up. You could try adding another female(s) (this would be ideal IMO), or you could separate them. As a last resort, you could either bring the male back to where you got him from, or give him away. I don't think there is anything else that you can do to stop it.

SammyJ

That is normal. Guppies, Swords, and most any other live bearer will be all over a female. I ended up buying another type of swordtail just so my female koi sword would get a break from the male koi sword. Strangely enough though the females now compete for time with the male. Nature, just when you think you have it figured out you don't know a thing