Male/female Ratio?

[JellyPi3]

What is the correct male/female ratio for a tank when it comes to common livebearers (platies, mollies guppies etc) because i was lead to believe it was 3/4 females to one male, but i was recently told i was wrong and its 3/4 males to one female.

I didn't think this was right. Any ideas?

 

[Piltdownpaul]

1 male to 3 females will stop the females being pestered too much -works for me

 

[paw-paw]

It is one male to 3 females with livebarers. some male livebarers can pester a female to death if there aren't enough females.

It is with egg scaterers that is suggested 2-3 males per female I believe, tho I am not sure.

 

[Phatphish]

def 1m to 3f is the ideal ratio IMHO.

 

[JellyPi3]

well i work in a PAH store and i sold a customer 3female mollies and 1 male, and i got a right telling off, and have been asvised to tell all customers that it's 4males to one female. i knew this was bull !

 

[paw-paw]

well if the female dies quickly because of the males, than the store can sell more fish
You were right and you can tell them that

 

[5teady_2012]

What is the correct male/female ratio for a tank when it comes to common livebearers (platies, mollies guppies etc) because i was lead to believe it was 3/4 females to one male, but i was recently told i was wrong and its 3/4 males to one female.

I didn't think this was right. Any ideas?

The average ratio is 1 male to every 2-3 females.

 

[moll]

You would not have a farm and have 3 bulls for every 1 cow, one male can inpregnate many females but lots of males after 1 female will lead to fighting and bullying just like a nightclub on a Friday night.

 

[AngelOfDeath]

I find 1 males to 2 females works fine for me, but then again, my male has never seamed THAT interested, he may be a homosexual

 

[TigerSword]

Well different people say different things.

A ratio of 1 males to 3 females is ideal. This prevents the females from getting pestered too much.

I currently have seven adult swordtails and god knows how many fry. I have 3 males and 4 females (It used to be 5) in a planted tank, and they seem to be fine. Obviously one male is dominant but it changes almost weekly. My females seem perfectly healthy and the males have a few scuffs but nothing serious at all. I just think it's funny when the two other males have enough of the dominant one and gang up on him .

I think it entirely depends on the fish and the size of your tank personally.

They are going to be split up though, into 4 tanks in total so I can raise the fry alongside them and hopefully build up the colonies.