Help!

[lianne3]

Today i bought three male guppies.
My tank already had two honey gouramies, four platies (one of them female), four cherry barbs and one albino catfish. I used to have another female platy but she died. My female platy was doin fine coz one dominant male always fended of any advances from other males.
But today i put in three male guppies and they havent stopped chasing her. The dominant platy has given up protectin her and just lets them chase her, sometimes nipping her.
Is it a good idea to separate them? Do you think she will be stressed?
Any suggestions on wat to do?
I was thinkin of buyin some more females tomorrow, but i shouldnt really put anymore fish in for a week should i? Wat is the best thing to do?
I should have thought about it first obviously, i wasnt aware the guppies were sex pests!!
Please help.

 

[Unicyclist]

Female guppies would probably help. How big is your tank?

 

[vinylman]

Adding females will cause a population explosion every month. More info required, please: size of tank, how long has it been running, was it cycled, etc.

 

[lianne3]

It was cycled back in the beginning of december, the original fish were put in around the 20th december. The tanks dimensions are- width 12 inches, length 18inches, depth 13 inches. I did work out the capacity and wrote it down but ive lost it. I think its around about 40 litres? Maybe, maybe not. lol. Im really not keen on them makin loads of babies because im just a beginner, and i wouldnt know where to start!

 

[Spooky76]

If you dont want babys remove some of the females.
Wait 2/3 weeks between adding fish.
Your barbs may well start nipping at the fins of the guppys too, watch them carefully. Barbs are meant to be kept in groups of 6 or more if you dont want them nipping other fish.

 

[Hollymolly4]

I would just take out the female platy and you'll be fine. She will spend her life being stressed (if not to death) by all the males. Ratio of m/f should be no less than 3f to 1 male so they can spread out their 'maleness' between them all and they each get a break. If you don't have room or want babies, all males is the way to go.
Good luck!

 

[lianne3]

I cant believe it, just as i was reading wat spooky76 was saying, i looked at my guppies and one of them looks ill. It may well be them barbs. I told the lady in the store what i had in my tank already, she said it would all be fine. I am soo pissed off now. Pets at home are ####.