Male female ratio - help too many males

[Kelly Preussner]

I have had a mostly female tank but it is slowly turning more male. I have had a few young females that turned into males & some fry that turned into males & only females have died in the past 6 months (I have lost 3). I have not seen any bullying or fish chasing except my 2 male platy chase each other around all the time. My guppies can also be a bit bothersome but I don’t see any females getting bullied.
So, here is my tank situation...
I have a 36 gal bow front that has been established for almost a year. I have the following fish:
1 male gourami
1 male molly & 1 female molly (started as 2 females)
3 male guppies
2 male platy & 1 female platy (1 just died a couple days ago).
2 female platy fry (teenager now)
5 small tetra that keep to themselves on the bottom of the tank.
The main issue I see is between the 2 male platy & 1 female platy.
Thoughts? I don’t want to get more fish because my tank is already at maximum. Do I get rid of any males? How? Return to fish store? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

What kind of tetras are they?

You can try to return some of the males to your LFS.

Most LFS‘a won’t give you money for them, they might give you in-store credit.

If they won’t give you either of these, then you just may have to give them to them.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

What kind of tetras are they?

You can try to return some of the males to your LFS.

Most LFS‘a won’t give you money for them, they might give you in-store credit.

If they won’t give you either of these, then you just may have to give them to them.

I am not sure what kind of tetra. They stay to themselves & very calm. I have enclosed a picture.

 

[utahfish]

I am not sure what kind of tetra. They stay to themselves & very calm. I have enclosed a picture.

Thats a serpae tetra or a candy cane, either way tetras are soft water species and live bearers mollies guppies platys are all hard water species. If your water is soft the tetras are fine if hard water than the livebearers fine but your water whether it soft or hard isnt healthy for both.
Find out what the GH of your water is then act accordingly. After that one can worry about male to female ratios

 

[Kelly Preussner]

Thats a serpae tetra or a candy cane, either way tetras are soft water species and live bearers mollies guppies platys are all hard water species. If your water is soft the tetras are fine if hard water than the livebearers fine but your water whether it soft or hard isnt healthy for both.
Find out what the GH of your water is then act accordingly. After that one can worry about male to female ratios

Oh wow, no one ever told me that. My entire area has hard water & I know my water is hard. I am surprised they didn’t tell me that at my LFS. Actually the water is hard there as well. I have had my tetras for about 6 months now with no trouble. I actually bought 5 thinking at least 1 would die but none did. I actually have 3 serape & 2 others (I enclosed a picture). They have also lived through a recent local move (3 weeks ago). So now what??

 

[utahfish]

Oh wow, no one ever told me that. My entire area has hard water & I know my water is hard. I am surprised they didn’t tell me that at my LFS. Actually the water is hard there as well. I have had my tetras for about 6 months now with no trouble. I actually bought 5 thinking at least 1 would die but none did. I actually have 3 serape & 2 others (I enclosed a picture). They have also lived through a recent local move (3 weeks ago). So now what??

Either get another tank to put the tetras in which you can provide soft water or take them back to the LFS and see if theyll take them back. Most fish stores keep all their fish in the same water because ideally those fish are sold quickly but as most learn most fish stores dont care about the fish health they just want money and if they sell you a soft water fish that can live 5 years plus but only lives a year so or gets sick In hard water then thats more money for them in replacement fish and or fish "meds" dont expect a LFS to tell you anything about your fish other than how much they cost.
With your water being hard id definitely stick to livebearers and avoid soft water fish like tetras, less trouble for you and the fish.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

Thank you for the information, I appreciate it.

 

[Kelly Preussner]

So I assume if I get rid of tetras then I should get more female fish. Does it matter what kind of livebearer?

 

[JuiceBox52]

So I assume if I get rid of tetras then I should get more female fish. Does it matter what kind of livebearer?

Get more of the ones that have the most males. I always have a ratio of 1 male to 3 females