Female platy acting strange?

This is my favorite platy, she just had a batch of fry about two weeks ago. Tonight she's been sitting on top of the stump, occasionally swims up a bit and then right back down to the stump. The male has come over to her a few times but she ignores him. She is breathing faster than normal. Anyone have any ideas?

 

Can you give a bit more info on the tank? Tank size and tank mates?

Water parameters (pH, temp, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates)?

 

It's the 55 gallon community in my profile. Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20.

I just moved a male swordtail in today and he seems to be chasing the make platy away from that side of the tank, and checking the female out. How possible is it that she wants to mate with one of them?

 

She's probably in labour, what's your male female ratio? If she's been with a make within at least the last 6 months she's pregnant.

 

You have stocking issues in your tanks if you'd ever like to discuss them.

What are the sexes of the platies?

Platies and swordtails can't successfully breed, but maybe he's stressing her out.

 

You have stocking issues in your tanks if you'd ever like to discuss them.

What are the sexes of the platies?

Platies and swordtails can't successfully breed, but maybe he's stressing her out.

Actually, swords and platies can breed, but what are the sex's like Texas asked. Wait, never mind you said the sexes. Yeah your way overstocked... You need a 1 male to 2 female. She's probably stressed by the males or she's in labor.

 

Actually, swords and platies can breed, but what are the sex's like Texas asked. Wait, never mind you said the sexes. Yeah your way overstocked... You need a 1 male to 2 female. She's probably stressed by the males or she's in labor.

Good to know, thanks!

 

Good to know, thanks!

No problem, I think it's lesser known than the guppies and Molly hybrid. I've read a few things, I'm not sure if it's true or not, but some say that the variutis are sword and platy hybrids. I'd have to dig around and see if it's try or not, but interesting non the less.

 

I have one male platy and three females, which I believe is the recommended ratio is it not? The swordtail isn't a permanent resident, he's only here until I get my mother's water issues sorted.

Is it really likely that she's in labor again after only two weeks?

The swordtail was finally defeated and has gone off into the opposite corner, and she's moved to a different spot, sitting on the gravel between a couple plants.

Edit: in regards to stocking issues, I'm kinda at a crossroad of sorts, trying to figure out whether to start a platy only tank or just get rid of them altogether. They were some of the first fish we had and things have escalated quickly since then.

 

She shouldn't be in labour after only two weeks, how do you know she gave birth? Yes you have the right ratio so thumbs up to you.

 

She dropped them in a breeder. I forgot to write it in my aquarium log so I don't know the exact date. I grow them out in my shrimp tank for feeders.

Now my raphael cat is inside the white holey Rock, and she's sitting inside that little hole in the top of the rock. She's pretty much been sitting on something for two days straight. Sometimes she swims up and hangs out on that side of the tank, but she's not hanging with her friends and doesn't come up to eat as often as usual. She isn't clamping her fins at all and nothing looks abnormal. I just don't know what to do for her.

 

My female platy's mate passed the other day and almost right after his passing she is constantly swimming up and down the sides of the tank. When the male was alive they would always swim together.

 

I'm sorry for your loss (and hers as well).

Could you check your water parameters? Often dead fish cause ammonia spikes, which could stress your female Platt and be causing her to glass surf.

 

I'm sorry for your loss (and hers as well).

Could you check your water parameters? Often dead fish cause ammonia spikes, which could stress your female Platt and be causing her to glass surf.

So the weird thing about my water parameters is that about a month ago I checked my water parameters and my ammonia was high. I did a 25 percent water change or more every day for 2 weeks or more and it never budged. But the weird thing was all my fish were acting completely normal. So I was told by someone that the ammonia is ammonium which isn't harmful. I checked my water parameters the other day it is the same reading (I use prime btw if that info helps)

 

your test kit could be giving the wrong readings if it's expired too btw

 

your test kit could be giving the wrong readings if it's expired too btw

I got it new 2 months ago

 

You could also have ammonia in you tap water

 

You could also have ammonia in you tap water

I don't use tap I used purified water which I tested and it has no ammonia

 

Maybe she’s lonely, platys are community fish. Do you have any other platys with her?
Sorry for your loss

 

Maybe she’s lonely, platys are community fish. Do you have any other platys with her?
Sorry for your loss

I have one other female in the tank. But maybe she is lonely cause she would always swim with the male???

 

I don’t know the level of emotional attachment that platys can have with one another, but my two Platy fry swim together all the time.

Also platys like clownfish, assessors, and seahorses don’t mate for life

 

A 25% pwc will do little to nothing for your water quality.

What are your exact parameters?

If your ammonia + nitrite is over 1ppm do two 50% water changes and retest and post your readings

If your ammonia + nitrite is under 1ppm do a single 50% pwc and retest and post your readings.

Also make sure you dose prime for the entire volume of the tank every 24hrs until fully cycled

 

Hello,

These past few days my female Platy has been very reserved, not eating much and almost staying still, or hiding under the log.
She doesn’t seem to have any physical / noticeable changes.

Water parameters are as they should be. A 100l tank with a mix of tetras, cherry barns and ottos, so not over stocked.

Thanks in advance

 

Is she pregnant? Sometimes they act a little weird and more shy just before giving birth.

 

I don’t think so - her body shape has many changed much at all. We have a Betta fish and I wonder if he may be bullying her! Was guaranteed that Betta’s are good tank mates provided there is only one of them!

 

How long have you had her?

 

How long have you had her?

Had her about 2 months, the Betta fish about 2 days

 

I don’t think so - her body shape has many changed much at all. We have a Betta fish and I wonder if he may be bullying her! Was guaranteed that Betta’s are good tank mates provided there is only one of them!

That's very possible. Have you noticed any physical damage to her? Even if not the betta may still be bullying her. Bettas are bad community fish.
Have you raised the temperature since adding the betta? They like slightly warmer water than platies and the warm water may stress her.

 

That's very possible. Have you noticed any physical damage to her? Even if not the betta may still be bullying her. Bettas are bad community fish.
Have you raised the temperature since adding the betta? They like slightly warmer water than platies and the warm water may stress her.

I haven’t noticed physical injuries, but he keeps going for her. I was advised totally different in the lfs. He’s now going for Tetra fish too! The Platy is spending most of her time hiding for now!

 

I haven’t noticed physical injuries, but he keeps going for her. I was advised totally different in the lfs. He’s now going for Tetra fish too! The Platy is spending most of her time hiding for now!

Seems like a pretty safe bet that's the issue.
Any empty tanks you can move the betta to?

Unfortunately, you can't always trust the fish store. They're trying to sell you things.

 

I don’t have a spare tank! I’ll perhaps need to see if the LFS will accept him back! Don’t want him terrorising the rest of the fish!

 

I haven’t noticed physical injuries, but he keeps going for her. I was advised totally different in the lfs. He’s now going for Tetra fish too! The Platy is spending most of her time hiding for now!

You could either return the betta or get a 5 gallon tank for the betta. You can move a little of your filter media from your current filter to the 5 gallon filter so you wouldn't have to worry about cycling it.

I hate it when stores and people recommend bettas for community tanks. They are not community fish. They get stressed with lots of other fish around, they are likely to bully other fish, they need warmer water than a lot of fish, they can easily be the victI'm of fin nipping and they don't do well with high flow filters necessary for most community tanks.
Anyway rant over

 

You could either return the betta or get a 5 gallon tank for the betta. You can move a little of your filter media from your current filter to the 5 gallon filter so you wouldn't have to worry about cycling it.

I hate it when stores and people recommend bettas for community tanks. They are not community fish. They get stressed with lots of other fish around, they are likely to bully other fish, they need warmer water than a lot of fish, they can easily be the victI'm of fin nipping and they don't do well with high flow filters necessary for most community tanks.
Anyway rant over

Yeah it’s frustrating. I did mention that I wasn’t sure they’d be a good match, also that I thought my 100 litre would be too big, but was assured it was ok.

I’m a beginner so assumed I’d be right in heeding their advice - I was not!