So I decided to make another ...

[Mariah]

So I decided to make another female tank! I put 4 girls (whom had been kept seperate) into the tank and at first they were fine... Than they started fighting I was watching them carefully to see if they were just deciding on who was boss...
At first I thought Angel was the boss... Than Yasmine decided to lip lock her! I was like 'oh my gosh!' I immediatly seperated them.
So now yet again Yasmine is on her own in her own tank. She has some missing fins - just some nips that I know salt will fix so im not that worried.
So I go back to the tank to see Angel and Snow fightng. Poor little Nala is just chilling by herself. I think shes scared...
So now my question is how long should they be fighing for? There just tail bashing and nipping at each other but there NOT liplocking so I have left them in there for now... It has been alomst an hour since this started....
Also the fighing between Angel and Snow is that to much? Should I divide the tank up in 3?
Thanks for listening and please give advice ASAP. I should also add its a 5 gallon tank. I know alot of you guys think its to small but I have another 5 gallon with girls in it and they dont fight at all.

 

[Alix]

are they spawn sisters? have they been kept alone there whole life?

 

[Naughtygirlrlw]

First do you have lots of plants and hidey spots in there for them?
Second you should take all the girls out and try rearranging their tank. That might make them less territorial.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I think what you are witnessing is the reason people don't agree with keeping 4 females in a 5G. It is just too small. Unless of course it is divided. I think the only solution is to separate the fish and/or divide the tank.

I know you didn't get a 10G because you didn't have enough room. Perhaps you can find the room? A 10G is only 20"X10"X12". Surely you could squeeze it in somewhere. Think of it this way, you can sell your 5G's and buy a 10G used from the paper for about the same price. You wouldn't be out any money, or maybe just a little bit, but your girls could live peacefully together.

 

[Mariah]

Two of them are sisters (Nala and Snow) - they came from the same place and were in the same tank. I had them in seperate tanks when I brought them home though....
The other one is not (Angel) but she was in a tank with other females and she got along fine with everyone. When I brought her home she was in her own tank for quarantine...
Yasmine the one I took out was by herself in a cup... Shes defentally not going back in there. That was scary watching her liplock Angel like that. For a moment I thought she had killed Angel....
Its been about 2 hours now and they have stopped fighting. There all just chilling right now. I fed them and the only one that ate was Nala. Im assuming there just really stressed out... Am I correct?
Yes there are lots of hiding places and plants as well. I also added salt to the tank because of there fins.
Is there anything else I should be doing?

 

[Mariah]

I think what you are witnessing is the reason people don't agree with keeping 4 females in a 5G. It is just too small. Unless of course it is divided. I think the only solution is to separate the fish and/or divide the tank.

I know you didn't get a 10G because you didn't have enough room. Perhaps you can find the room? A 10G is only 20"X10"X12". Surely you could squeeze it in somewhere. Think of it this way, you can sell your 5G's and buy a 10G used from the paper for about the same price. You wouldn't be out any money, or maybe just a little bit, but your girls could live peacefully together.

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Fishenthusist you make very good points
I have a 5 gallon in my room that has females in it and they are wonderfull together. The 5 gallon I am talking about now is in the living room on a table which only has room for a 5 gallon. A 10 gallon would hang off the table...
I really would like to have a 10 gallon for my girls but I really dont have the room... The only reason they are in the 5 gallon and not seperate is because of me going away to school...
I am going to see how they get on and if they start fighing again I will divide the tank for sure

 

[Mariah]

Ok well Im going to divide the tank up. They have started to fight again... Boss mare is Angel...

 

[Mariah]

I did indeed seperate the 3 girls. They are much happier in there own space and the tank looks cute as well!