matt11390

Hey Everyone,

I have had 3 male red coral platies for about 6 months now. One just recently died. The other two are in opposite corners of the tank and all they do is hover at the top unless they come out to eat. When they eat they swim normally.

I have tested my parameters and everything is perfect (amonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH is 7.6, phosphates). All my other fish (mollies, cories, neon rainbows, otos, bermese loach, amano shrimp) are swimming and eating normally. I feed once a day on 5 days, twice on one day, and one day they fast. Up until recently the platies were swimming naturally and schooling together just fine. There is not any aggressive behavior from any of my fish that I have witnessed.

Do you think the remaining two are acting they way they are because of the one that died? I don't think this is the case as I began to see some signs of this behavior before the one died. Any ideas?

Shawnie

hi matt....what do you mean by "perfect" for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates? what are the readings? for platies to hang out at the top isnt normal for platies that ive had...mine are all over the tank....

matt11390

Hey Shawnie,
My readings are at 0 for every one of them. I do a 50% water change weekly and watch the quality religiously. My water is great. I agree about the behavior not being normal. They were so lively and schooling all over the tank for such a long time. It's got to be something.

mercurybebe

Matt,

I have a lot of platies and my guys are always all over the tank, active and begging for food nonstop!

I have only seen one of my platies act like that...she was hovering near the top of the water, not swimming much at all, except to eat and not interested in her tank mates. I lost her last night unfortunatly. I certainly hope that this isn't the case for your babies and that they act normal soon!

matt11390

Perhaps it could be something as simple as health issues. I bought all three from the same tank. Right before the first one died I noticed all three began acting abnormally. Perhaps that stock they came from were carrying health issues and the remaining two are dealing with it now? I don't know. When they swim out of the corner to eat, they act close to normal. They eat good and display their fins naturally, etc.

Shawnie

hi matt....hmm maybe they do have an illness...but to have all 0's, im wondering if you have planted tank? there should be some nitrates for a cycled tank...can you update your aquarium info as platies arent even listed in there and was wondering maybe if another fish was picking on them?

matt11390

In my original post I posted the other tankmates besides the platies. I haven't seen any aggression. Of course, sometimes aggression happens after the lights go out. However, none of my fish display any aggression. I don't know.

I do have a planted tank. It is heavily planted and they are all growing wonderfully.

mare2009

Hi matt..although you may have a cycle issue with your tank readings all being 0, it would not explain the behavior of your platy's, while all the other fish swim and act normally. Sometimes they do become shy if there is too much activity going on in the tank. They will hang around plants or bottom decorations. I would just keep an eye on their health, look for any thing that looks different then it did previously. good luck.. If you need help with any problems with the cycle going on in your tank, we're here to help each other

janiskfp

How are they now?

If they were my male platies, they'd be acting the same way. No females. They may just be miserably horny. Judging by how it affects people, and knowing that platies breed like few other fish, it could even keep them from eating, make them physically sick, or who knows what else.

George Carlin said it best "If God hadn't intended us to masturbate, he would have made our arms shorter." Take a look at your fish.

aquarist48

Good morning. Due to the fact the tank is heavily planted, 0 nitrates is pretty much the norm. (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong) Mare has "beautiful" tanks and platy's. Hello Mare!
Ken