Should A Swordtail Female Have Other Swordtails With Her In Comm Tank?

I have a 20 gallon with
1 young female swordtail
(without the sword since she’s girl)
1 female platy
1 highfin male platy
1 young male guppy
1 old female guppy
1 dwarf blue gourami
2 harlequin rasboras
3 female platy fry
2 green corydora catfish
3 Amano Shrimp

(I’m going to move the platy fry into one of my other tanks soon.)

Do I need to get another swordtail? The other fish are kind of mean to her - especially the highfin male platy. He chases her away all of the time. She hides a good bit. He doesn’t try to mate with her- it’s not that type of chasing. It’s go away mean type of chasing. I feel bad for her. She’s kind of young. She wasn’t fully grown when I got her. Maybe she needs another female swordtail to pal around with?

PS: I know I need more harlequin rasboras for schooling. I lost a few during an ich outbreak after introducing a harlequin without first quarantining.

 

I'm not 100% sure but I think it might appreciate some friends. Probably just more females.

Also Corydoras catfish are schooling fish so I would add atleast 4 more.

 

Platys and swords can xbreed so that's probably why he is chasing her around.

You should try to keep a ratio of 1m to 2f for livebearers so I would add 1 more f platy and remove the fry if your fry all turn ourn out to be male.

 

If she is still young she might actually be a late blooming male and that is why the male platy is chasing her away, because she is a threat to him being able to breed even though she isn't yet developed - signs to look for is the lower part of the tail will have a slight point of the sword forming and the analfin starting to fold to turn into a gonopodium. Late blooming males look like females until they start to develop, I have had several that other breeders sent me as females (they looked the part) and turned out to be late blooming males.

 

She’s definitely female
I’ll get her a female buddy

And the 3 platy fry are now swimming with the rest of the fish out in the open so I’ll keep them in this tank that way I’ll have 7 female live bearers total and 2 male livebearers


I worry about the bioload with all those platies once they’re full grown though

That’s why I only got 2 green corydoras rather than 5
It’s only a 20g

 

She’s definitely female
I’ll get her a female buddy

And the 3 platy fry are now swimming with the rest of the fish out in the open so I’ll keep them in this tank that way I’ll have 7 female live bearers total and 2 male livebearers


I worry about the bioload with all those platies once they’re full grown though

That’s why I only got 2 green corydoras rather than 5
It’s only a 20g

Like I was saying the ones I picked out had all the markers of being female, several months beyond that point they were male.

 

I wish I had room for a 30 or 40g
Actually, I have room but the piece of furniture isn’t wide enough for anything bigger than a 20g

A guy at the lfs was showing me pics of his discus fish and I’m so jealous. I want discus fish now. They’re so beautiful! They look like saltwater fish. I think his tank was a 60 gallon

He said you could put 2 in a 30 gallon though

 

Swordtails and platies are very closely related. If she is female then the male platy will probably try to breed with her

I wouldnt get another swordtail since they need a bigger tank anyway.

I would still add more cories. Its unfair to keep schooling fish in pairs, they will be very unhappy. They take up a different part of the tank to the rest of the fish so they won't get in their way. Yes, bioload wise you will be overstocked but if you do water changes twice a week then you won't have to worry about the bioload overstocking. If possible I would rehome the guppies though.

A guy at the lfs was showing me pics of his discus fish and I’m so jealous. I want discus fish now. They’re so beautiful! They look like saltwater fish. I think his tank was a 60g

He said you could put 2 in a 30 gallon though

Discus need to be kept in groups of 6+ and need around 70 gallons minimum

 

Swordtails and platies are very closely related. If she is female then the male platy will probably try to breed with her

I wouldnt get another swordtail since they need a bigger tank anyway.

I would still add more cories. Its unfair to keep schooling fish in pairs, they wipy. They take up a different part of the tank to the rest o



f the fish so they won't get in about the bioload overstocking. If possible I would rehome the guppies though.

Sorry I’m on my phone so I had to delete some of your reply so I can see whe the cursor is in my phone.

Anyway, just curious, why do you think I should
remove the guppies?
Thx

 

I would remove the guppies because they also need at least 2 females per male (more is better though). And it is a little overstocked so you don't have room for more females. Also once they start breeding they could overrun your tank. Even if you could remove one if them that would stop the issue of needing 2 femakes per male.

 

Thx. I’m thinking I will move the male guppy to a 10 gallon that only has 2 rummy nose tetras and 3 leopard danios. Would he be ok there?

Oh and like you suggested, I’ll get 2 more emerald green corycats to pal around with the 2 already in the 30g.

 

Rummy nose and danios don't really have the same temperature requirements. And I believe they both need bigger tanks than a 10 gallon as well

 

The local fish store guy told me rummies and danios would be fine in a 10 gallon at 75 degrees.
I should have trusted my gut when I noticed how active they were.

So should I move them to the 30?

 

Yes, I would only do 1 school though.