Guppies are usually peaceful, but bullying still happens — especially in small tanks, male-heavy groups, or community setups with fin-nippers. Bullying isn’t just “annoying.” It leads to chronic stress, suppressed appetite, colour fading, and torn fins. The good news is that many bullying issues are fixable quickly if you focus on what drives the behaviour: line-of-sight chasing, competition at feeding time, and mismatched ratios.
Step 1: identify the pattern
- is one fish chasing everyone, or is it a pair dynamic?
- is it constant, or only at feeding time?
- does the bullied fish have nowhere to hide?
Step 2: create line-of-sight breaks
Add structure that interrupts chasing paths: a dense corner cover zone, a tall piece of decor, or even rearranging existing items. You’re not trying to build a jungle — you’re trying to add “visual walls.”
Step 3: adjust feeding strategy
Feed smaller portions more widely across the tank so one dominant fish can’t control the surface. For persistent bullies, try sinking foods so the whole tank doesn’t cluster at one spot.
Step 4: ratio and stocking fixes
- male-heavy groups often trigger constant chasing
- if mixed, a higher female-to-male ratio reduces pressure
- if one fish is relentless, removal or rehoming is sometimes the clean solution
Bullying is solvable, but it’s easiest to fix early. Once fins are damaged and stress is chronic, secondary health issues become more likely. Aim for a calm social layout and guppies will behave like the peaceful fish they’re meant to be.
