Bully male molly

[Mollyforever]

I had three Mollies in my 20g tank. When i got them they were all female looking. But it turns out two of them is actually a male, and one male is in fact a platy. Then my female molly, Captain, got pregnant and the male molly Phoebo has been harassing her like CRAZY. He literally tries to mate with her every 3 minutes.
The male platy is pretty young and doesnt really bother anyone at all.

Captain was so stressed her anal fin turned white at the tip and lost some scales due to Phoebo’s nonstop attempt to mate with her.

I tried reorganizing the tank, putting him in breeding box for a time out, even put him in a separate tank for a week.

So I went to the lfs and returned the platy, and got three more female mollies. Captain is in the 10 gallon tank because he wont stop chasing her even with more females….

Now he is attacking one of the new female. Just her!!!! He is crazy and i am starting to think I dont like this guy because he is always stressing at least one fish.

How do I deal with him!?? UGH

Water parameters are
8pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate
80 F
15dgh
9 dkh

i have only live plants and lots of hiding places.

 

[Sgooosh]

I had three Mollies in my 20g tank. When i got them they were all female looking. But it turns out two of them is actually a male, and one male is in fact a platy. Then my female molly, Captain, got pregnant and the male molly Phoebo has been harassing her like CRAZY. He literally tries to mate with her every 3 minutes.
The male platy is pretty young and doesnt really bother anyone at all.

Captain was so stressed her anal fin turned white at the tip and lost some scales due to Phoebo’s nonstop attempt to mate with her.

I tried reorganizing the tank, putting him in breeding box for a time out, even put him in a separate tank for a week.

So I went to the lfs and returned the platy, and got three more female mollies. Captain is in the 10 gallon tank because he wont stop chasing her even with more females….

Now he is attacking one of the new female. Just her!!!! He is crazy and i am starting to think I dont like this guy because he is always stressing at least one fish.

How do I deal with him!?? UGH

Water parameters are
8pH
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate
80 F
15dgh
9 dkh

i have only live plants and lots of hiding places.

you can try to rehome him, some fish are just brats. put him in a seperate small tank

 

[Mollyforever]

you can try to rehome him, some fish are just brats. put him in a seperate small tank

Yeah I was wondering if I should surrender him to the fish store..But he is such a beautiful fish his fins are gorgeous… but I guess I should return him

 

[Sgooosh]

Yeah I was wondering if I should surrender him to the fish store..But he is such a beautiful fish his fins are gorgeous… but I guess I should return him

i mean if you have a separate tank you can still keep him in like a 10g or smth?

 

[Mollyforever]

I have one extra 10g for qt or treatment.. and wouldnt he be lonely being just by himself?

 

[Sgooosh]

I have one extra 10g for qt or treatment.. and wouldnt he be lonely being just by himself?

you could put him right next to the big tank so he can see his friends

 

[otterblue]

you could put him right next to the big tank so he can see his friends

Cutest answer ever!

 

[Colin_T]

Get rid of the male and keep only females in the tank. The female will produce babies for the next 6+ months even without a male and you won't have to deal with him being a jerk. You will however, probably need a bigger tank when they start popping out babies.