One platy left and trouble with ammonia

I have a mickey platy. He was added a week after setting up a new tank. We lost one other platy and goldfish from the fair that both weren’t healthy when we got them. My platy that is left has started hanging out at bottom back of tank by air bubble wand and gulping at bottom. He seems to be eating ok and Ive tested the water every other day. Its been about a week and half since last water change because we just got back in town a few days ago. I have posted a pic of water testing results and our aquarium. I have been adding since start of aquarium seachem prime and stability to help keep our fish as I didn’t realize once we got aquarium for goldfish and bought mickey fish that I was supposed to let cycle first before adding fish. I want to do whatever necessary to help our last fish survive and learn what Im doing wrong. The ammonia has registered the past week at 2 ppm but was previously 0ppm before my water change which was 20 percent water change. Nitrates and nitrites are still 0ppm and pH stays 6.0-6.5. Temp stays about 70-72 with heater. We have a very nice and effective filter and bubble wand. Any help or thoughts would be appreciated Thank you

 

Well, if the tank hasn't been cycled well, this could cause a problem to your fish. But maybe some more real plants in that tank could help you out.

 

Thank you. I have a couple real plants in there but I’ll stop and grab more and take out plastic plants. Would it be good to do another partial water change?

 

Thank you. I have a couple real plants in there but I’ll stop and grab more and take out plastic plants. Would it be good to do another partial water change?

Well, a small water change won't hurt. But real plants are way better for the biological balance in a tank than those fake plants.

 

I would keep doing water changes to keep that ammonia down below at least 0.5. You're basically doing a fish-in cycle now. You'll want to test for ammonia and nitrite daily and anytime those two numbers combined go over 0.5 do a water change to drop it back down. The tank will be cycled once ammonia and nitrite are at 0 and stay 0, and once you have some nitrate.

So do a water change to drop that ammonia, add prime and stability to new water you add in (make sure new water is close in temp to tank water), and do this daily until it's cycled. Once it's cycled test weekly for any changes and do water changes when necessary (most do water changes weekly to keep nitrates below 20-40).