Help with bullying

[JJenna]

I've read lots posts and Co-op pages regarding the topic and I still not sure what to do in this case. A week ago I purchased 21 endlers, 7 males and 14 females. As the clerk was getting ready to bring the bag out he said, "ooops one snuck in there...you got yourself a freebie" I didn't think anything of it. It was a mixed tank of endlers. After I acclimated the fish and released them into the tank I notice one that looks more like a fancy tail guppy and is a tad larger than the endlers. I am no expert on guppies or endlers so I don't know if it is in fact a guppy. Still thought that it should be fine with the endlers as they are related. 

Today I notice that both male and female endlers are chasing the 'guppy', 6 ganging up on the guppy. Guppy is in constant motion trying to get away. I don't see any signs of nipping but they just will not let the guppy alone. Using a net I nudge the guppy to the back of the tank where there is more vegetation to hide in. Guppy stays in the back for 5 minutes and the second they emerge, the endlers are all over the guppy. 

I don't want guppy to get even more stressed so I get out the little breeder box my daughter has that's about 4"w x 2"d x 3"h and catch the guppy in it and place a snippet of plant to hide in. 

I plan on keeping guppy in the box until lights out and then release them. All the topics talk about isolating the bully but in this case it's 6 bullies against one not to mention how to catch the 4 female endlers that are in on the bullying when there are 14 to pick from, haha. Is there anything else I can do? Definitely do not want to release guppy into big tank with the barbs and turtle. I think that would be tantamount to "fishicide" (if there is even such a word for fish lol) 

Pic of said guppy. 

 

[Patrick_G]

Poor guppy! She looks a little ragged but not too bad. I think you should maybe take her back to the store if possible. 

[nabokovfan87]

Give the fish a week to recover, then try to introduce her again.  She has to basically learn to stand up for herself or be moved. 

The tankmates in question aren't aggressive (not compared to others) and It might just be over excitement.  Sharks test things with their mouths, some fish do too.  It happens, but hopefully she learns to handle it and that will reduce the stress.  Ease her into the tank, see what happens.

[PineSong]

I feel for you—I had two guppies bullying others when I first set up my tank and it was super stressful.

Your guppy is female and no doubt the males would like to breed with her. Not sure why female Endlers are joining in on the harassment; my female guppies and Endlers are not bullies but some of the males are. 
 

They may work out their pecking order and eventually leave her alone. You are also allowed to just return her to the store because you don’t want the stress of watching them harass her. Fishkeeping is supposed to be enjoyable, not stressful!

[Ninjoma]

My purely intuitive thoughts are to return her or get more female guppies to spread out the aggression and make the existing guppy feel more secure. 

[Patrick_G]

On 12/28/2022 at 2:41 PM, Ninjoma said:

My purely intuitive thoughts are to return her or get more female guppies to spread out the aggression and make the existing guppy feel more secure. 

Option 2 will probably work but you’ll also have lots of Endler/Guppy hybrids if you keep them with male Endlers.

[Guppysnail]

Your female guppy is of breeding age. I’m going to hazard a guess it’s the boy endlers relentlessly trying to impregnate her. I would return her as breeding instinct in both these fish are very high. 

[JJenna]

Somehow the guppy escaped the breeder box during the night and things are quiet in the tank. I don't want endler hybrids that's for sure, so I will be returning her to the store. 

[JJenna]

Just an update, the time out for the guppy was really helpful, now she is chasing the boys....fickle girl.