Really skinny platy?

[goodeyesniper]

Today I was looking at my fish tank and I noticed one of my platies was on the floor of my aquarium, stationary. Eventually he started to swim around and looked like he was struggling a little bit. Then I noticed he looked quite sick! He was always a bit smaller, but now he looks awful!

He is very thin, my other two platies (both males) have a bit of a belly on them and this guy seems to have nothing. His head is an awkward size and shape now in comparison. You can see in the pictures the comparison between my sunburst and this guy. I've had them for a month or two now. Maybe even longer.

He's looking a little discolored as well. Not too curved though so I don't think it's TB. Maybe this skinny disease I've heard about?

I cannot check my parameters on my tank--I just got home from school for break and I left my test kit there by accident. I also do not have a QT set up, nor the room for one really. I could maybe finagle a 2.5 if I had to.

Over the course of the past month and a half I've lost two neons as well. I just assumed it was their time but now I'm wondering if they were sick too.

I feed them once daily or every other day, and I change the water weekly (although I did miss a change or two during that time because of so much schoolwork).

10g, 78 degrees.
3 Platies, 4 Neons, 2 RCS, 1 Zebra Nerite snail.
Last time I checked my params it was 0/0/20

All help appreciated! Thanks so much!

 

[freyar]

Is it eating?

 

[goodeyesniper]

I just put some food in the tank near him, he kind of chased it around and whenever I thought he was going to grab a piece, he just nibbled at the water's edge. He might have eaten a tiny piece of flake, but nothing that I could see.

 

[janice_016]

Does the fish appear to be flashing ( rubbing up against things in the tank) or any white spots on it.

Maybe take a sample of your tank water to your local pet store to have them test it.
I wouldn't recommend adding any chemicals to your water if they say to.

How are your other fish?

 

[goodeyesniper]

The other fish in my tank are all fine, healthy and eating. I think it might be an internal worm problem, so I just bought Tetra's Parasite Guard to use in the tank.

No one seems to be rubbing against anything.

I have a spare 2.5g tank I could use for him, however I don't have a heater or airstone. Would that be a poor idea or should I just throw the tablets in my 10g and hope for the best?

 

[janice_016]

I wouldn't recommend putting him in a separate tank especially without a heater and air stone.
It may stress him out aswell

I have never dealt with an internal worm problem. Or know much about it unfortunately.
Sometimes it's best to treat the entire tank though.

I hope the treatment works out for you! Keep us updated.

 

[Candiceg]

I would treat your whole tank with general cure or something like that. Sounds like internal parasites.

 

[freyar]

I heard you can buy medicated food but that would be useless as he's not eating.

 

[Oceangirl]

You have wasting disease! I just had that with a few fry and adults. See the tail? used to be fan like and now its kind of collapsed? I treated mine with Methylene blue, fungus guard, or clout. I know general cure treats it I think. You need to treat the whole tank and it will most likely wipe out the BB. It can ramp up suddenly. I treated a whole tank and most got better. I caught a platy with it and 5 days of methylene blue and 100% water changes on a water jug I cut the top of off. Better and back in the tank. don't put methylene directly in tank, will stain silicone and some decor. stained my black sand for some reason?

 

[goodeyesniper]

here's the update!

Been 48 hours since the treatment and he's not better at all. In fact, I found him stuck up against my filter. he doesn't seem strong enough to swim away from it. I ended up netting him to the opposite end of the tank but he kind of just sat there on ground. he moved slightly just now, kind of rubbing himself along the sand and flipping over.

I'm wondering if I should euthanize or do the second treatment? I think it may be too late :/

 

[Ursi]

Sorry to hear about your fish it's always hard to make that decision but I always think you know your fish best, and if you think it's too late to save him and he's suffering then maybe it is best to euthanise, only you will truly know whether he has a chance to recover