Lethargic female swordtail

I completed my fishless cycle (6/1-6/20) then got 2 female platy, one male & one female swordtail.

The female swordtail got really inactive then poo'd then got active again. I reduced the feeding, figuring she'd get active instead of hiding in the upper corner of the tank. I learned that she was probably getting worn out by the male swordtail. So I got another female swordtail. At first, the first female joined in the action, then I saw the new female nip her.

Back the original female goes, to her hiding spot. Is this normal? I'm worried she might be sick.

My live plants are new, so not very dense. Could it be she would normally want to hide a lot anyway?


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PupukahI I holomua.

 

try feeding something with a lot of fiber ... maybe a intestinal issue how long have you had her she could still be adjusting

 

I've had her for a little over a week.

This morning she was roaming around the bottom of the tank, out from her hiding spot.

Perhaps I am just bring a concerned first time fish owner!


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PupukahI I holomua.

 

What temperature is your water at? Is the tank cycled?

 

The temp is around 80F and it is cycled. No ammonia nor nitrites, but the nitrates are at 10ppm.


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PupukahI I holomua.

 

Is she pregnant? If she's heavily pregnant, that's pretty normal behavior.

 

I don't think she's pregnant, since her shape is pretty streamlined. Clearly she has a different personality from my 2nd female swordtail who is a firecracker!

 

I got another female swordtail, and the original female is hiding a lot less. But the new female is so dominating, all of the other 4 fish are at her beck and call!


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PupukahI I holomua.

 

My gourami killed the second swordtail, and I got two new female swordtails.

My goal was to give the main female a break, but the new swordtails are pineapple (vs. red velvet) and are half the size.

The main female swordtail is stuck like glue to the male, and they are mostly laying on the bottom behind plants. Not a lot of swimming, and I'm worried that if I don't get another large red velvet female I might lose the main one to harassment!

Ideas?

 

U can put her in one of those breeder things intil she gets better

Best wishes
Madison

 

I don't have a breeder box yet. This morning I woke up to find the only male swordtail dead.

And the only female swordtail of his size is gulping air and shaking sideways and her fins look a bit shredded.

The happy fish in our tank are the 6 harlequin rasboras, the smaller female swordtails, the female platy, and especially the 6 Callistus tetras.

 

My last female red velvet swordtail died today. So now all three red velvets are R.I.P.

 

How big is your tank? Were you acclimating these fish properly? And do you or do you not have a gourami? You mentioned earlier that your gourami killed your second swordtail, but did not list the gourmaI among your remaining fish. If you do have a gourami, what type is it? Some of those guys can be territorial and harrass the heck out of your fish. You caould also be overstocked, depending on your tank size.

 

'm really sorry you lost her.

 

How big is your tank? Were you acclimating these fish properly? And do you or do you not have a gourami? You mentioned earlier that your gourami killed your second swordtail, but did not list the gourmaI among your remaining fish. If you do have a gourami, what type is it? Some of those guys can be territorial and harrass the heck out of your fish. You caould also be overstocked, depending on your tank size.

My tank is 29g. The fish acted stressed even after the gourami was moved out 1 1/2 weeks ago. But perhaps it was because that left only one male and one female red velvet swordtail of the same size. And they kept hiding (on bottom behind plants)from the 12 fish that keep swimming back and forth in the middle level of the tank.

 

When is the last time you tested your water? The symptoms you are describing sound a lot like how mine behaved when I caused a minI cycle when I took extra filter media for another tank. You may want to check your water parms.

Did you do a water change for each dead fish? When fish die they release ammonia which can affect the other fish in the tank. There for every time a fish dies a water change is in order.