Thorichthys Maculipinnis - Will he kill her???

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TheLorax

Gambusia
MFK Member
Aug 6, 2011
108
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16
Houston, TX
I ordered a pair, 2" each, from Rapps a couple weeks ago and they were doing fine in my 135 CA/SA community tank. The male would chase the female around a bit, but it wasn't bad. Today she started hanging out at the top of the tank, mostly in the corner, almost all the time. I noticed she has a torn tail fin, and every time she leaves the corner, the male chases her around some more till she goes back.

Will she die if I don't separate them? Is there a way to separate him from the other fish temporarily without putting a barrier in? I have a sheet of egg crate I've used before, but I know he can squeeze through.

I appreciate any help, as I really don't want to lose her.
 
Plastic bin from dollar store. Zip tie a piece of foam at each end. I call it the time out cage. Put the aggressor in it for a couple days.

Picture2892.jpg


....Bill
 
Thanks, I put him in the time-out box for a day, but now they're back at it again. She's not hiding in the corner and looks healthy so we'll see what happens. I just hope they are not two males. Rapps wouldn't send two males if I specifically asked for male/female, right?
 
TheLorax said:
Thanks, I put him in the time-out box for a day, but now they're back at it again. She's not hiding in the corner and looks healthy so we'll see what happens. I just hope they are not two males. Rapps wouldn't send two males if I specifically asked for male/female, right?
Click to expand...

Rapps is human and makes mistakes. I ordered a 5" male midas back in january and got a male... You should post pics to get a better id..
 
In my opinion these are the only options you have.

- hope the "male" starts leaving the "female" alone.
- add small dither fish for the "male" to chase around and thereby stay occupied.
- move the "female" to another tank away from the "male" or vice versa.
- sell one of them.

I also have a Thorichthys Maculipinnis (aka Ellioti) that I bought from Rapps a month ago. Around 2.5-3 inches now. I don't know if it's a male or a female being that I have never kept these fish before and therefore don't know much about them. This little fish is in my 125 gallon community tank. It likes to bully the fish smaller than it but leaves the fish bigger than it alone.

In my honest opinion it is difficult to sex a fish at 2". Even some one as professional as Jeff Rapps can make a mistake at that size.
 
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