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Jeana727
Overnite Zeus (quess I may have to re-think "HIS" name blink.gif ) is being chased.....relentlessly! Do you just let them go about their business? Or do you separate them?

When this happened to Sassy the males chased her to utter exhaustion (for her & ME!!) Her fins got torn & she could hardly remain upright! Right now Zeus looks kinda stressed out & a bit tired.

Is it safe to assume that the chasers are all male? I am sure the Spot (Comet) is male....he is ALWAYS the 1st to start this chasing behavior!! Some of the fish totally ignore this.....females? Even some of my young fish join in the chase!

Let me know what you do!
daryl
Actually, not all the "chasers" are necessarily male, and not all the "chasees" necessarily female, but, in general that is the way of it.

Having one female in a tank of males is setting yourself up for a breeding event. Depending on the breed of the fish, the males can get very aggressive and physically harm the female (and themselves) body checking her into the tank sides and any deco that is in the tank.

To reduce breeding activity, it is best to try to keep the temperatures of the tank at even, steady temps. The changing temperatures can often set off breeding behavior. Heavy feeding regiments, also, can set things up for breeding behavior.

But, supposed that you have controled what you can - and they are still going at it. The best thing, of course, is to separate the two sexes. I try to keep males and female strictly separate at all times, EXCEPT when I specifically want breeding to occur.

If you cannot separate them into separate tanks, at least until your female drops her eggs - or to give her a break and a much needed rest - you can give her a "time out" basket. This can be any plastic basket that floats and has sufficiant room that the fish fits into the basket and can turn around. Make sure that the slits in the basket side are small enough that the fish in the tank or the basket cannot get their heads stuck in them and that the cuts of the slits are smooth and do not have sharp mold flashing on them. I like the little plastic baskets that are sold for closet organization. They are 12 X 6 X 6 inches with open work on all sides and a solid bottom. I have also used a plastic colandar from the kitchen at times for isolation. It works well, also. It is preferable that you have the slits in the sides so the water flows through well and you get good water exchange for the fish in the basket.

smile.gif
Jeana727
Thanks Daryl! I am THE WORST at telling the sex of a goldie! I have read numerous things & looked at butts for quite awhile! (I do not know how many Saturdays or Sundays I have spent looking at the back side of a goldfish!! I'd be embarrassed to say!) Still I am not SURE on this!! I may be the worst student EVER! Maybe when some eggs literally FALL out of one of them I will get the hint!!! blink.gif

But I am going looking for a nice sized "fish resting basket". I'll bet I have SOMETHING safe around here to use!If not I am off the the Dollar Store!!
x-Lucy-Fish-x
You could get a tiny rubbermaid and drill lots of holes in for water circulation biggrin.gif ..I had that idea randomly last night actually..
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