Platy acting strange

So in my tank my platy was acting really strange floating in one place not swimming. Either top or bottom of the tank wasn't eating I thought it was quite sudden behaviour. He even got in the plants and was floating upright not moving. I noticed another male platy was chasing him and he would start swimming again. I moved him into a new tank and notice I thought he had a wound on the side of his body. After an hour or so in the new tank with some melafix he was swimming about, eating well and so much happier. He's been in the tank alone looking so happy for a week. I don't want to keep two tanks going but I'm assuming there's maybe be a fight with the other male platy. What shall I do?

I only have 2 male platys and 1 female. I was never told about breeding or ratios when getting rhem and my female had babies about 6 months ago which have now gotten bigger and I'm looking for new homes for. Any advice please

Get some more females if there's enough room in the tank?

They're females which are the baby platys they are older now. I'll attach a pic. Would this still be why they were fighting

I only have 2 male platys and 1 female.

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The ratio needs to be the other way round. More females would help to reduce the aggression.

2 is a bad number, as is 3. beyond that, there may be peace. That depends on tank size as well - in a too small tank, they get on each other's nerves very easily. Can you grow out the babies and keep them?

I can keep them. Most of them are nearly fully grown I think so shouldn't that have stopped any aggressive behaviour? I'd like to keep them but wouldn't they continue to keep breeding ?

Pennyangus said:

I can keep them. Most of them are nearly fully grown I think so shouldn't that have stopped any aggressive behaviour? I'd like to keep them but wouldn't they continue to keep breeding ?

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Yes, they'll keep breeding. When I kept livebearers I used to regularly catch several and take them to my local aquatics retailer for re-homing.

But if you don't want to breed them you could remove the males and sell them but it could be possible that the female(s) in with them is already pregnant. But otherwise if you want them to keep breeding do what the others have said.

Thanks everyone so my platy had been in a separate tank to give him some time to heal his wound. I did a water change yesterday and thought he was acting so much better and thought about adding him back to the tank but when I looked his wound hadn't healed. How long would this take? I've very red around his gills it looks like a wound and some scales missing. I thought best to keep him in smaller tank for longer so I added a bit of aquarium salt and continued with him in there. He's been happy and eating lots swimming to the top to eat.


Until I came home tonight and he's laid upright head touching the floor and tail up. Then he's swimming upside down looks like he can't use any of his left side opposite to where his wound is. It this swim bladder or could it all be something else please help !!!