Girlies are little witches..

Well, I can account for girls being little cows now. Got up this
morning and the smallest of my two platty girls was ripped apart Poor little one. I'm not sure whether to up the numbers more or not, I know a sorority is better overstocked than understocked. It's down to 6 now, how many should I take it up to for a 20 gallon. It's got quite a few plants and hidey places at the moment, but I can steal plants from the other tank to plant it reaally heavily. Feeling quite upset, never had a death in a sorority before

And then I don't know if it's just the big girls picking on the smaller ones. In total I've got 5 smaller girls, could probably pick out some other small-ish ones if anyone thinks it's a better idea to change it so they are all similar size?

My 6 girls are in a community and i think this is better, for me anyway. this is beacuse the other fishes keep the female battas busy. for example my platies and guppies are always going near the dominant girls territory and therefore she spends time chasing them of than other females. works for me but maybe not for everyone?

I would firstly make sure there isn't a rougue male mixed in.

Well, I did explain about the females barring up in another post about them Van. The ones I would have suspicions about would be:

Royal Blue - One of the ones barring up
MG/Mustard - One of the ones barring up
Fancy HMPK - Is being chased away by the other girls, kinda hiding at the moment

The dragon is most definitely a female, I've seen her releasing eggs during her time with the Turq boy. Then the other one is you're girl with the silver fins, this one and finally the lavender girl who at the moment is very stressed out by all the goings on..

Pics, maybe? All the females:

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All of the girls, except the dragon because she's a definite.

The last one, the marble, i would be suspiscious of. Obviously quite young, but has that slightly extending point to the anal fin. The dorsal also looks male'ish? Maybe pop her in a breeding net or similar, with something floating and see if she starts building?

Yeah, she was one of the ones I wasn't sure about, but then dismissed the suspicions as the other girls were really turning on her. Will pop her into a breeding tub and see what happens. How long should I leave her for in there? I know with other fish it's usually 48 hours tops, if they haven't jumped out by then LOL.

Awww....so sorry Cara....that must have been a hell of a shock

As Van said...pop that last one in a breeder or somethings with floating plant. We did that a while ago with one and in the morning there was a bubblenest!!

I've put her in with a big bit of frogbit and see what happens. The blue one is up flaring at her at the moment.

I feel even more terrible because she only just got here

I'm so sorry cara, it's so nasty when something like this happens. Touch wood i haven't had any fighting related deaths yet. Hope you find out the cause soon, it'll be such a shame if the fancy girl turns out to be a boy

I'll be gutted if she turns out to be a boy!

She's a nice looking fish though:)

Yeah but I'd bought her as a pair with a matching male LOL:

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See? Gutted LOL

Lovely pair :Love: Just have to wait and see. If no bubblenest then maybe condition her and see if she releases any eggs once in the chimney with the male in view. Should give you a good indication then but will take abit more time.

She may turn out to be girl, so its just a case of eliminating the possibles:) Its so difficult to sex young PK's, as even in the same spawn they all develop at various rates.

She IS flaring at all the girls coming near at the moment but I can't really see a "full beard". The blue girl has got a beard though, always saw that from her but she never caused any further trouble.

I'll be starting to feed them up anyway, so will see if there is a nest or not then try you're plan Netty. Only thing is, I can't keep her in the trap all that time LOL

Could you put her in one of your bigger containers that you got? She'd be fine in there for a little while.

Yep, can do. Haven't got a heat mat set up yet, haven't bothered to clear the table in the garage for it at the moment. Have actually got the daddy of Solo in one of the tubs as he was a bit down back in his tank and he's bubblenesting in it :shock: Thought he would have hated it, but obviously not. Have the two sitting on top of the tank in the living room where the water is staying about 26 degrees and they've got a wee light and everything hehe.

Lol....I just fed the juvies in their containers and have row upon row of little bubblenests :Love:

Awww :Love: :Love:
How sweet! You'd think they wouldn't do that as well, wouldn't you? I suppose it's different in sizes for a HMPK compared to another fuller tail type, though.