Platy Males Posturing?

[chonsworth]

I just added a Honey Gourami to my tank of 4 Pepper Cory's and 2 Platys (males). (20 Gal)

Typically my smaller white + orange one can be a bit of a butt to the other (short little chase/persnickety) - The normal pecking order of the tank that's been established with these guys.

Anyways, I've never seen this before today; and it only happened when I added the Honey in. It seems that my larger tuxedo platy decided to re-establish pecking order after being lower on the totem pole - first bugging my new Honey (who just shys away) and now approaching my orange + white platy causing these weird displays between the two (both of them are doing it, but the white + orange platy is doing it the most)

Do I need to worry about a fight and a dead Platy? Or is this just a temporary thing?

 

[Colin_T]

Just monitor them over the next few days, they should settle down when they work out who is boss. The problem is because you have 2 males that are similar sized and they both want to be boss.

 

[Akeath]

My male Platies do this as well. I remember being worried the first time I saw this behavior in my fish, too. But it's actually just a peaceful way to double check that the pecking order still holds and a chance for the fish to show off to each other. I've never seen any damage done whatsoever from this. It's a standard part of group dynamics for peaceful, social fish. They will often display like that and then swim together before and afterwards.

Like you've seen, fish will often do this for longer periods of time than is typical when a new fish of any sort is added to the tank, and especially if it is a new fish of the same type. But if you watch carefully, you'll see them doing this now and then even without a new arrival. I've also seen a male Platy do it to Honey Gourami and Bolivian Rams (neither of which really responded). Platies aren't the only fish that do this type of displaying, either. I've seen it among group members of a lot of social fish including Harlequin Rasboras, Gold Tetras, Praecox Rainbows, and Honey Gourami. It's often accompanied by an improvement in color, although that's so subtle you might not notice it with all types of fish. Longfin or Highfin Platies look particularly pretty when they display like that because part of the display involves spreading their fins out as far as they can, and it was only once I had a Longfin Platy that I noticed just how often Platies do this.

As far as one of your Platies generally being a butt to the other, if you got another male Platy or two that could get better. Usually in groups even Platies who chased each other away when kept in pairs will soften a bit and start hanging out more peacefully.

 

[chonsworth]

Usually in groups even Platies who chased each other away when kept in pairs will soften a bit and start hanging out more peacefully.

Good point, I lost a Platy a while back (I had 3) and only then did he start being a butt to the other one.
Just never saw it and the reputation of Platys for being peaceful/easy community fish had me scratching my head on if they'd escalate. So far today just a bunch of showing off like before and no real fighting.

I gotta say though, Thing #2 (that's his name, his counterpart is the one that died) did his display to the new Honey and it was really funny because the honey was like 'whatever dude' and put his fins out like 'gimme my space' - it's really added a fun attitude to the tank.

Thanks for the replies! I'll keep an eye on them and once the Honey settles in look to bring another Platy onboard.