What is going on with my guppys?

[Starlight_Guide]

Ok. I feel like I might have made yet another mistake with my fish. My one momma guppy had her babies, I got them out, and I decided that since there were no males in the tank I got some fancy male guppys. Regular females, fancy males.

They were fine last night when I put them in but now I look at them, and they are chasing my females around, When they think the female is looking at them, they flare up....and when the 2 males come face to face they chase each other too. Are they mating or are they picking on each other?

I thought because they were both guppys that they would be ok in there, but now Im not so sure.

[emc7]

How big is the tank? This sounds like normal behavior for guppies. Even so, watch for signs of nipping like split fins and signs of stress like gasping. How many males to how many females?

[Starlight_Guide]

Sorry. Its a 5 gallon. 2 females and 2 males.

The reason I noticed thats was because I was looking closely at the mom who just had her babies... the long part of her body, just before her tail fin looks paler than normal. When I look closly I can still see the scales, but its just really pale. These 2 things could be completly unrelated, but Im really worried.

[Starlight_Guide]

Oh, and every once in awhile it looks like he is nudging her. Kind of like she is ignoring him and he wants her attention. The fins and tales arent split or anything, its just constant chasing and flaring and a few nudges here and there. I put food in there to see if they would stop, and it did, but now that the food is gone, its started again.

[karazy]

if i were you i would remove one male. thats not the beat male to femal ratio

[Starlight_Guide]

Should there be more females than males then I take it?

[karazy]

yup. thats basicaly it

[emc7]

Males are always trying to mate. The females get exhausted and stressed. Fewer males helps and maybe some floating plants for the females to hide in.

[Starlight_Guide]

Ok, So, if I move him to a tank with no female guppys, will he be stressed out because he wants to mate?

[karazy]

probably not. alot of people keep males and femals appart

[Starlight_Guide]

Ok, I found one of my male guppys a new home... and things have settled down in there. Thanks guys!