manmade

hi all, just wondering what i can do about one of my platys.

i have a "community setup"...i guess,
with

3 rasboras
1 fruit tetra
1 dwarf honey
2 red large platys
and 1 medium orange platy...ever since a few days ago i noticed the orange platy has been getting his fins nipped.
when i'm around watching them (and i watch them a lot) i dont notice any hanky panky...they all get along extremely well.
the orange platy isn't even hiding or seem bullied or anything like that. i don't know what's going on, but any suggestions on what i can do to prevent it?
by the way, i've had the platys and rasboras for about a week and a half. thanks in advance. =)

Luniyn

Does it look like bites have been taken out of his fins or does it look like his fins are shredding? Any chance you can post a picture? I'm only guessing without knowing more, but my guess is that maybe he has fin rot? It would explain why he isn't hiding or acting abnormally, yet still has damage to his fins. But it's only a guess.

COBettaCouple

The tetra could be nipping.. they do that. Our platys at one point had a betta tankmate (petco fish 'expert' advice) and even after one lost a fin and another lost 2 fins, they still swam around like nothing had happened. What gender are your platys?

Luniyn is right that finrot is a possibility and a picture would tell.

capekate

I also have platys that I watch alot. I know that the males will chase each other around for dominancy. If there are female in the tank with a few males the males will push each other around. Maybe that is the cause of any fin nips?

manmade

i'll try to post a picture later tonight.
how can i tell what sex they are?
none of the fish seem to dominate over the other...at least when im around.

I had another similar platy before...in size and colour.
for sure it had some of its fins bitten, (i think it was like that when i got it) i got rid of it because i thought it had fin rot, with all this cotton looking stuff from the fins.

capekate

It seems that the platy, for me is the easiest fish to identify gender. the females anal fin, lower fin is in the shape of a fan or triangle. A nice stright lined fan. The male fin is also fanned but the difference is that at the tip he has a type of tube that is a wee bit longer and thicker than the fan. If there is a mature female and mature male in the group they will start following the female around and the males will bully each other or the one next to the female, if they can. They dont hurt each other its usually a sign of the lateral aggression with the fins and body waving at each other.

COBettaCouple

if you have both genders, prepare for fry.. those little stomachs with fins are prolific breeders.

manmade

im too late...its gone to a better place...=/

COBettaCouple

we're sorry to hear that.