I'm loathed to part with him because he is obviously happy, but he has managed to eat through 5 other swordtails, including the mother he got pregnant, and the baby she got birth to, 8 mollies and a tetra. I have had him about 9 months now and he's grown quite a bit since then. He doesn't seem to bother my other fish most of the time, but be obviously has a bad temper. Should I remove him and flush him down the loo? or keep him and hope he will be ok if I get some more fish?
2006-11-28 23:40:24 · 14 answers · asked by Kami 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
That's very unusual indeed! I had swordtails and they were all placid.
Is it possible that your other fish just died and he was picking at the carcass? Swordtails can be very persistant when they want sex, or if they want to be dominant, and they will eat what fits in their mouths (like babies) but they usually are not aggressive.
Try getting him several females and see if he calms down.
You can also try putting some semi-aggressive fish in with him. Do NOT get a puffer fish!!! Puffer fish should never be kept with other fish. And many of them are brackish water fish (meaning they need salt in their water - less than saltwater, but more than freshwater).
Without knowing the size of your tank, I can't suggest any fish for you to put in with him... maybe some blue labs, or some kribensis cichlids, or some black skirt tetras?
2006-11-29 02:00:57 · answer #1 · answered by Zoe 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just to clarify - it ATE your other swordtails? Swordtails have relatively small mouths and a fish will only eat other fish that are small enough to fit in his mouth. Swordtails love to eat their own babies, that's true, but I can't imagine it ate other adults. Do you mean he harassed them to death?? Usually a male swordtail will be just fine with a harem of females. The recommended minimum is two females per male, but my dominant male insists on keeping all four of the females in my tank. He nearly harassed my other male to death before I move the poor bugger to a different tank. A male will usually only harass a female to death if she's the only one with him. Another reason a swordtail may become uncharacteristically agressive is that your tank may be crowded. You don't say how big it is or exactly how many fish are in it.
2006-11-29 01:20:11 · answer #2 · answered by Lady G 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is suprising because swordtails are quite docile fish usually. If he is not bothring your other fish and you are not planning on getting any more for the moment, then keep him. If you are getting mor swordtails or platys then perhaps get rid of him. It is more humane to place him on a tray of ice cubs and put him in the freezer than to just flush him straight down the loo.
2006-11-28 23:45:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well it sounds like the other Swordfish are gone now so you might as well keep him if he doesn't bother the other fish. The fish shop should of probably warned you cos some do tend to eat each other
2006-11-28 23:42:12 · answer #4 · answered by scott e 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just get a few more fish bigger then him like a paradise fish, gourmis, or pufferfish(if the swordtail ate all the little fish.) He might also might of changed his behavior because he is ready to breed
2006-11-29 00:08:55 · answer #5 · answered by SED757 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a sort of rule of thumb is 4xs the component of water for the size of fish. So in the journey that your tank is 10" x 8" x 4" (i understand, no longer the demension of a 30gal. tank yet yeah) that's 320" or sort of three hundred Guppies...(As you may crowd guppies) i does no longer abide by using that nevertheless because it is not healthy (I found out that rule at a puppy shop...ew) you may co-habitate maximum omnivorous fish regardless of the undeniable fact that bettas and tetras, in my view, are a techniques too aggressive. Cichlids are fairly aggressive too regardless of the undeniable fact that I did shop one with a pair of gouramis and 10 angelfish with out too plenty situation...only be certain you hold your fish nicely fed. (i could sub a blue gourami for any cichlid any day) For frogs, only verify sufficient above water surfaces. i could say follow one inch of fish according to gallon and purchase a mix nutrition or learn. As for backside feeders...Peckoltias or Ancistrus' (approximately 5" max length...a million is physically powerful on your tank length) are a sprint extra acceptable (in my view) yet despite you opt for, ask what that's and the size it's going to be. in the event that they say (user-friendly) plec or hypostomus plecostomus do no longer purchase it! the shop I worked in could tell people who and that that they had deliver returned a a million and a nil.5 foot fish and sweetness what happened! Loaches are aggressive and that i does no longer propose them. only ask the puppy shop...go searching and see how the fish are stored. sturdy luck.
2016-10-13 08:19:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No don't kill him!!!!! I know he is a bit of a psycho but flushing him or freezing the poor little guy to death is just awful!!!
Speak to your fish shop and make sure you get fish that wont get eaten. Maybe ones who are bigger than him?
Good luck!!
2006-11-28 23:58:36 · answer #7 · answered by Rae 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
you sure he's a swordtail? There is no way they can eat other grown swordtails, unless they beat them to death and then eat them. I have never heard of such thing. Just put it in a saparate tank. don't kill him!
2006-11-29 02:39:13 · answer #8 · answered by Atousa 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
don't get more fish!!! thats the last thing to do with his bad temper he'll probably attack or kll the new fish, plus new fish could bring disease into the tank and kill off the other fish, my best advice is that its your decision but yes i would part with it.
2006-11-29 07:45:56 · answer #9 · answered by kerrmat1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh come on, just keep him in a separate tank!
2006-11-28 23:48:26 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋