dancerhas

I'm growing weary...

Our 3 platies are spending a fair amount of time relaxing on the bottom of the tank. They're not completely inactive, just not really busy.

No symptoms. Fins are half laid down when resting, and spread out when swimming. No spots. Feces are normal looking, not clear or slimy.

I just saw our High-Fin Platy flash a rock one time.

ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: Low...exact level is unknown (strips don't register around 0-20 PPM, stupid junk)

We did a 30% water change yesterday, and vacuumed the gravel thoroughly. We do this weekly.

I just rinsed out the filter, and changed the carbon.

How am I supposed to treat my poor fish if this is all I have to go on

An asymptomatic disease or just paranoia?

Steen16

Are they pregnant?

dancerhas

We think they may be...could it just be pregnancy hormones?? haha

Our male is the most active.

Steen16

LOL

Im not sure but it would also be helpful if you got yourself an API liquid test kit, the strips are inacurate. You could have ammonia poisoning but the strips just arent picking it up.

dancerhas

I've been meaning to get one for months now, but it seems that our local Petsmart has stopped selling it.

I thought ammonia poisoning, but I wonder, how can I have ammonia poisoning in a regularly cleaned, cycled tank??

Steen16

Is your tank over stocked?
Does your tap water have ammonia?

Lucy

I agree with steen, a test with a liquid kit would give you a more accurate reading.

dancerhas

No, only 3 platies, 3 danios, and our two small CAE's (3 and 4 inches) in 29 gallons

It's never tested positive for ammonia. We have well water...I'm not sure if that means anything except no chlorine.

We seem to have had better luck with betta's, so maybe it is ammonia poisoning. I might just have to get a Liquid Ammonia test kit (they did have those last time I checked, just not the master kit) We've been using an ammonia "meter".

So if my tap has ammonia...then what? Shouldn't the bacteria in my filter take care of that?

Steen16

Get prime its a water conditioner that detoxifys ammonia, but keeps it still edible for your bacteria.

dancerhas

How long would it take the bacteria to remove the Ammonia? Seeing as how prime only detoxifies it for 24 hours.

Steen16

Probly long enuf.

But you would have to ask some one else.

Lucy

Jumping the gun here as to whether or not there's ammonia in your water.
If it's well water, I would doubt there is.

The temp is 80F? That seems a bit high for plays.
Do you have a bubble stone? Higher water temps means less oxygen in the water.

dancerhas

We have an 8-inch bubble wand going at full blast. Temp is actually 78 F right now.

I'll probably pick up a liquid test kit tonight....then we'll see what it says. It was my assumption that well water didn't have ammonia in it.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Steen16

True.

I would be hard to say if it is a lack of oxygen, wouldnt the fish be at the surface? not on the bottom?

dancerhas

That's what I thought too.

Steen16

I think the best thing to do is get the test kit then go from there.

Shawnie

jumping lucys gun LOL ...well water could still have ammonia ...is the tank new? did it fully cycle? I agree with the other peoples to get the liquid test kit to be sure and in the mean time do some daily changes with prime to keep anything that MIGHT be present that the strips arent getting neutralized....it wont hurt anything if its not ammonia by doing the changes

dancerhas

tank is 6 months old. I'm pretty sure it's been fully cycled. I've been using the current filter floss for about 2 months now.

Anybody know if API Stress Coat works the same way as prime? I have some of that already.

Lucy

Stress Coat+ is supposed to, not just plain Stress Coat.

Shawnie

being cycled is one thing but theres always chances of a mini cycle or ammonia popping up ...and stress coat + works the same but not the stress coat

lucy is a black belt in hood this week LOL

Lucy

dancerhas

Well I tested the tank water and tap water with the API Liquid Ammonia test kit, and both read negative. I also picked up some prime just in case. I found it ironic that a little 3 dollar bottle of prime treats just as much as an 8 dollar bottle of stress coat.

dancerhas

Since I've started changing their diet a little bit, adding freeze-dried bloodworms, and peas, they seem a little perkier. I still wonder why Spike flashed though...

aecw

I have a tank of platys and I have seen my do the same thing for a couple of days. I tested water, changed water and basically they were pregnant. I have also had a platy that appeared to almost be unable to stay afloat - she rested on the bottom all the time. She would still make the effort to swim up for food but it took alot of effort on her part! My fish guy suggested frozen bloodworms daily - he said she might have gulped too much air when she goes for the flakes. She was all better after a couple of weeks! I now alternate flakes and frozen bloodworms but back to your platy problem - I have seen a whole range of "moody behavior" in my platys especially if there is a busy male in the tank! If all your water perimeters appear to be fine I'd just watch and see - she might be just having "a moment" (common in the female population in any species - I personally have many!)

tilly99

Ive had platys for years, my eldest is about 6 years old! They seem really easy to care for and quite hardy.They do tend to have lots of babies though.Sometimes mine seem quiet and listless and then pick up.Mine love bloodworms! when a male platy is seriously interested in mating,she gets chased until exhausted.Poor thing! Im glad im not a platy!

marcie31401

I have 2 platies in my 20g tank, and for a while we had them in our living room of our apartment, which was fairly dark because of the colors and hardwood floors. They would never come from behind/under rocks unless I reached down there and moved them a little. We recently moved to a different apartment that is much brighter with natural light, and both platies have been swimming around and enjoying life like the others! I don't know if that contributed, but it certainly seemed to make a difference.

dancerhas

They've seemed good so far...all swimming and eating. Spike (our High Fin) just deflated the other day...couldn't find any babies...so I'm guessing they got eaten or sucked up...we looked all over for them. Since then she's taken to sitting on top of one of the decorations...just sitting there. She'll come out and swim sometimes, and eat, but doesn't do much else. Thanks for the replies...I'm hoping it was just moodiness.