Platies Are Really Skinny - Need Help

So I have a bunch of platys and I noticed two of them are really skinny. I have had them for maybe almost two years and they eat just fine and their fins are up. They don't hide and are active but they're just really skinny. I saw this really clear thing like super skinny that it was popping and I'm not sure If it's a parasite or not. I haven't introduced anything new in awhile . I moved them from my other tank into a smaller one. What should I do? If it is a parasite are my other fish at risk? Thank you

 

If you haven’t introduced anything new into your tank then it isn’t a parasite. What do you feed them? The clear poo would probably indicate that they have an empty stomach.
Can you get a picture of the clear thing sticking out of him?
What other fish are with him?

 

So I have a bunch of platys and I noticed two of them are really skinny. I have had them for maybe almost two years and they eat just fine and their fins are up. They don't hide and are active but they're just really skinny. I saw this really clear thing like super skinny that it was popping and I'm not sure If it's a parasite or not. I haven't introduced anything new in awhile . I moved them from my other tank into a smaller one. What should I do? If it is a parasite are my other fish at risk? Thank you

If they're eating fine and not withdrawn, getting skinny can just be old age weight loss. You mentioned that you've had them for a couple years now. The life expectancy of a platy from birth to death is only 2 to 3 years. Keep a watch on them in case of parasites such a white stringy poop or scratching against objects. But you may simply have some seniors on your hands.

 

If you haven’t introduced anything new into your tank then it isn’t a parasite. What do you feed them? The clear poo would probably indicate that they have an empty stomach.
Can you get a picture of the clear thing sticking out of him?
What other fish are with him?

It was a split second I think I saw something. I feed them tetra tropical flakes. I am waiting for them to actually poop but it's taking a bit

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If you haven’t introduced anything new into your tank then it isn’t a parasite. What do you feed them? The clear poo would probably indicate that they have an empty stomach.
Can you get a picture of the clear thing sticking out of him?
What other fish are with him?

Other platys. One is about to release fry. 4 neons, and a gourami

If they're eating fine and not withdrawn, getting skinny can just be old age weight loss. You mentioned that you've had them for a couple years now. The life expectancy of a platy from birth to death is only 2 to 3 years. Keep a watch on them in case of parasites such a white stringy poop or scratching against objects. But you may simply have some seniors on your hands.

So if it is a parasite what should I do and are my other fish at risk? Sorry I'm just freaking out because I've had a family of platys fir years now and I don't wanna lose them.

 

If it is a paracite, they're are a few treatments available. I had a paracite problem a few months ago and went with a recommendation of using PraziPro. It's what I used and it worked great. You normally only need to use 1 tsp per 20 gallons of water for 1 5 day treatment. So save some money and only buy the 1 oz bottle. I bought the 4 oz. Now I have $21.00 worth of PraziPro that will probably go bad before I have to use it again.

So if it is a parasite what should I do and are my other fish at risk? Sorry I'm just freaking out because I've had a family of platys fir years now and I don't wanna lose them.

 

If it is a paracite, they're are a few treatments available. I had a paracite problem a few months ago and went with a recommendation of using PraziPro. It's what I used and it worked great. You normally only need to use 1 tsp per 20 gallons of water for 1 5 day treatment. So save some money and only buy the 1 oz bottle. I bought the 4 oz. Now I have $21.00 worth of PraziPro that will probably go bad before I have to use it again.

Should I do both tanks just it case? Will it hurt my fish if there is no parasite and I'm doing it because I assume?

If it is a paracite, they're are a few treatments available. I had a paracite problem a few months ago and went with a recommendation of using PraziPro. It's what I used and it worked great. You normally only need to use 1 tsp per 20 gallons of water for 1 5 day treatment. So save some money and only buy the 1 oz bottle. I bought the 4 oz. Now I have $21.00 worth of PraziPro that will probably go bad before I have to use it again.

They've been skinny for awhile I'm pretty sure. I may just be freaking out but is there any key or big behaviors or symptoms I can look for that confirms a parasite or something is wrong?

 

Should I do both tanks just it case? Will it hurt my fish if there is no parasite and I'm doing it because I assume?

No. It won't harm the fish, but do a partial water change before hand, remove the carbon unless the only carbon you have is what's inside a cartridge of a hang on back filter and the cartridge has been in the tank for at least 3 days, the carbon is usually spent by then and can't absorb anything else. Then carefully measure the amount you need and put it in the tank. I so very slightly overdosed and the side effect was loss of appitite for 5 days. But it did them no harm. I just did 2 back to back 25% water changes and put carbon back in the filter and their appetites slowly returned to normal. All of my fish are healthy and the tank remains paracite free because I haven't added anything else since. It has 5 grown angelfish, a school of 6 redeye tetras, 4 cory catfish, and 1 red male betta.

 

So

No. It won't harm the fish, but do a partial water change before hand, remove the carbon unless the only carbon you have is what's inside a cartridge of a hang on back filter and the cartridge has been in the tank for at least 3 days, the carbon is usually spent by then and can't absorb anything else. Then carefully measure the amount you need and put it in the tank. I so very slightly overdosed and the side effect was loss of appitite for 5 days. But it did them no harm. I just did 2 back to back 25% water changes and put carbon back in the filter and their appetites slowly returned to normal. All of my fish are healthy and the tank remains paracite free because I haven't added anything else since. It has 5 grown angelfish, a school of 6 redeye tetras, 4 cory catfish, and 1 red male betta.

I figured out the string was actually his fin. And because I haven't added anything in like 2 months and the fish I added are fine. Is it contagious? Could the other fish get it IF they have it? I don't think they do but should I look for anything just in case?

 

So

I figured out the string was actually his fin. And because I haven't added anything in like 2 months and the fish I added are fine. Is it contagious? Could the other fish get it IF they have it? I don't think they do but should I look for anything just in case?

Not sure what you mean by his fin?
Was the string on his fin or something?

 

Not sure what you mean by his fin?
Was the string on his fin or something?

No he had it up so it was really thin and it looked like a string

 

So

I figured out the string was actually his fin. And because I haven't added anything in like 2 months and the fish I added are fine. Is it contagious? Could the other fish get it IF they have it? I don't think they do but should I look for anything just in case?

I'm only giving you instructions to treat for parasites because you said you were freaking out about possible paracites...and there actually may be. Antiparacitic medication is safe as a preventive as well as a treatment unlike antibiotics. So treatment won't hurt if it will make you feel safer for the fish. And as I explained before, some fish get skinny as a result of old age and you've had them for a couple years and their life span is only 2 to 3 years. You may just have some seniors on your hands. But the treatment won't harm them if it's just a preventive treatment. If it were antibiotics, we would need more symptom discussion before I would recommend them.

 

Pk

I'm only giving you instructions to treat for parasites because you said you were freaking out about possible paracites...and there actually may be. Antiparacitic medication is safe as a preventive as well as a treatment unlike antibiotics. So treatment won't hurt if it will make you feel safer for the fish. And as I explained before, some fish get skinny as a result of old age and you've had them for a couple years and their life span is only 2 to 3 years. You may just have some seniors on your hands. But the treatment won't harm them if it's just a preventive treatment. If it were antibiotics, we would need more symptom discussion before I would recommend them.

Ok thank you


The carbon is the filter right? Sorry just making sure I'm not missing anything

 

Yes. If you use a hang on the back of the tank filter, your 2 tsp of carbon will be inside the floss filter cartridge. It becomes spent in about 3 days an can't absorb any of you medication after that so you won't have to remove it. But if you have a canister filter with a 2 cup bag of carbon in it, that would have to be removed before treatment.

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The carbon is the filter right? Sorry just making sure I'm not missing anything

 

Yes. If you use a hang on the back of the tank filter, your 2 tsp of carbon will be inside the floss filter cartridge. It becomes spent in about 3 days an can't absorb any of you medication after that so you won't have to remove it. But if you have a canister filter with a 2 cup bag of carbon in it, that would have to be removed before treatment.

So I just ordered the 1 oz and I'll just remove the filter anyway. You remove it so the filter doesn't steal the medication right?

 

Yes. Carbon absorbs impurities in the water including medication.

So I just ordered the 1 oz and I'll just remove the filter anyway. You remove it so the filter doesn't steal the medication right?