a turn for the worse!!!! HELP!!

[shammond15731]

I thought my platy was on the mend only to see her today and it looks like her gill is puffed out and her dorsal fin is messed up. She is the only one in the tank now so I know it isn't from a bite. Does anyone know what is wrong? Sorry the pics are poor but they are from my phone and she won't hardly show her bad side.

 

[Shadowraven]

With platys it can be hard to see some problems since they are often so fat in the belly anyway. Her belly isn't swelled there is it?

I think I can just barely see the gill, but not very well. Is is discolored or swollen in the area around it? What color is the gill itself?

I also noticed that you have a lot of bubbles remaining on the surface from the aeration. What are your water parameters?

 

[shammond15731]

Just check my QT and it has pH 7.5 nitrite 1 and nitrate 80! I am getting ready to do a pwc NOW!! The bubbles really pile up when I use the melafix?? I have never used it before so I wasn't sure if that is normal?

 

[shammond15731]

The area around her gill looks normal the only swollen part is the inside which is pushing it open and it looks pink inside the gill. Her belly isn't swollen I have been watching that closely hoping she isn't pregnant from coming from a tank with a lot of males where I got her from. Last thing I want is a sick prego fish.

 

[shammond15731]

I just don't understand why just one side and not both? Not that I want both sides affected but it does not make sense to me.

 

[Shadowraven]

I suspected that would be the case. The pink gill sounds more like ammonia poisoning than nitrate, but your nitrAtes are off the scale and you should have a 0ppm reading on the nitrItes. That wouldn't explain why only one gill would be affected and not the other, unless it is an infection, which is possible.

You need to do 50% or greater water change to get that down. Since your fish is already having a problem, you only make it worse by keeping her in that enviornment without fixing it.

Also what ARE your ammonia readings? Is this a fully cycled tank?

I asked about the persistent bubbles because that is an indicator that there are too many dissolved organics like ammonia or nitrates in the water. Medication can do that to some extent, but my first thought was it was organics. Especially from the description of your fish.

Just to be safe in case it is an infection and not something else, I'd add 3 tsp of salt per gallon to the water. Salt should do no harm to your platy. An alternative treatment would be using Methyl Blue. Make sure that there is no carbon in the filter if using the last treatment. Always treat the water AFTER you do a PWC and not before.

 

[shammond15731]

Ammonia is 0 as of now you must have replied while I was doing my water change and after doing at least a 75% pwc my levels are ph 7 nitrites 0 nitrates 40 and ammonia 0. I will get some salt tomorrow since my lfs is now closed. Should the salt be a one time dose or more?

 

[shammond15731]

Also this tank I have had up for over a year it was my first small tank originally used for my daughters goldfish when she got them but it has not had fish in it for about 2 and a half months since we have had the 30 gallon and no longer have the goldfish. I had thought of putting a few tetras in it but it has become my hospital, and to my surprise a very unhealthy hospital all of a sudden.

 

[Shadowraven]

Ammonia is 0 as of now you must have replied while I was doing my water change and after doing at least a 75% pwc my levels are ph 7 nitrites 0 nitrates 40 and ammonia 0. I will get some salt tomorrow since my lfs is now closed. Should the salt be a one time dose or more?

The other numbers are great, but the nitrAtes are still too high. Better, but still high. Salt is persistent until removed by water changes. It is a one time dose.

 

[shammond15731]

How can I get the nitrates down? Another pwc or is there something to treat the water with? I thought about some floating plants that require only low light I have heard that plants will use nitrates, would that be of any help or no?

 

[Shadowraven]

Plants will help to get the nitrates down some, but you need more than a couple to have a noticeable effect. Planting more will help, but if the plants are not cared for properly they can become a problem instead of a friend.

To bring nitrates down you need to keep on your water changes, make sure that the tank is vacuumed of all debris right now and watch how much you are feeding your fish. Don't feed them anymore than they can consume in 3 minutes. A fishes stomach is not much bigger than their eye. That can help you determine just how much they can eat at one time.