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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Help!! My platy is sick!!
Hey guys!
I am having a problem with one of my platys. About 4 days ago I noticed that she wasn't feeling very good. She wasn't very active and she was constantly opening and closing her mouth at the top of the tank in the corner, and her gills looked a little swollen and red and she had very heaving breathing. She is in a cycled 35 gallon tank with 0 ammonia 0 nitrates and 0 nitrites a normal pH (according to API)and steady 80 degree temp. She lives with 1 male, 3 other females(one that I got a few days before this all happened), 5 very active babies ranging from 2 to 4 months old (2 of which are hers) that are all platys and a very shy 6 inch pleco. I do weekly 10% water changes and monthly rock vacuums. About 2 days after I noticed her breathing heavily I did the needed gravel vacuum and about a 50% water change with that. Now she is no longer breathing like that and opening and closing her mouth like she was, but she is still stays to one corner with a small swim across the tank here and there(which is more than what she was doing), still has a loss of appetite and now she is pecking and tail slapping all her tank mates. I have noticed that she sorta has a unusual arch in her back, that wasn't there before, and I don't know what that is from. I have had her for about 6 months now, and she was one of my firsts and I love her a lot. I am not sure how old she is, but she is also one of my biggest, so I don't know if she is just getting old or what not. I really don't know what is happening to her and have never seen any of my platys do this before. Does anyone know what might be wrong with her?? Any ideas would be great thanks!!
Last edited by platyaddict; February 8th, 2009 at 03:14 AM.
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| what test kit are you using? did you quarantine the new fish before you added, it's possible that the new one had some kind of disease at the store and passed it along? red gills sounds like ammonia poisoning or lack of oxygen in the water. do you have an air stone/bubble wand?
sorry for all the questions but that should help other members figure out what's wrong | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor
| Sounds like Ammonia poisoning to me, especially as it stopped when you did a waterchange. If your tank is cycled it should be showing 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 5-20 Nitrates. | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Yes, I have an air stone along the back of the tank and no I did not quarantine my new fish when I got her and I never have quarantined new fish and it has never really been a problem. I have always heard just float the bag in the water for 30 minutes and net them into the tank so that is what I do. I use API Master test kit and all the readings are good, not the slightest change in numbers for anything. None of the other fish seem to be affected by the newbie they are all getting along fine. I don't know maybe the new one does have some sort of disease and maybe my sick fish is really stressed by her arrival and made her more likely to get it. That arch in her back is kinda scaring me though. | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Ok so I just tested my water again and here is what I got....
Ammonia 0ppm it was bright yellow with not even a hint of green
nitrite 0ppm it was light blue with no purple
nitrate It wasn't yellow but wasn't really that orange so I am thing like 2.0??
Ph between 7.8 and 8.0 which I thought was normal...
Should I go thrown in an ammonia fizzy just in case | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Master
| I wouldnt use any meds...just a small water change with some prime or stress coat+ if you have it...if you got nitrates, its cycled...but having no nitrates at first and having a small amount an hour later, did you really bang that #2 bottle when mixing? those crystals need a good time to mix up ....and if you are heavily planted in the tank with live plants, your nitrates will be low....the prime, or stress coat+ will help her feel better... | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Well the testing on my first post was before the 50% water change and then the testing after was last night with the increased nitrate. I do not have any live plants in the tank just fake ones. I will go and get some prime or some stress coat. Thanks Shawnie. You are always so helpful! | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Helper
| I feel bad for your platy Hope it gets cured. | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| I am about to go to my LFS which is better Prime or Stress coatI researched it online and it seems that prime might be better... but I figured I'd leave it up to the experienced on that call. Any opinions?? | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper
| I don't really think one is better than the other. I would recommend stresscoat + over stress coat though as that one is the one similar to Prime. I see more people using Prime but I dont think one is better than the other. | |
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February 8th, 2009
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| | Fish Lore Newbie
| Well I went ahead and got the stress coat+ and she is already showing signs of feeling better... she is swimming around and seems to be more active... hopefully she will eat dinner tonight! she still has a funny arch in her back and I am hoping it will go away.... Thanks for all of ya'lls help! | |
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