Platy issue?

[Dagon]

I wondered if anyone has some thoughts...

One of my platys (female I think) is lethargic, hiding under some rocks, fins down, perhaps getting thin. But still coming out to feed/beg for food with the rest of the tank. No obvious blemishes.

Was trailing poo plus a see through 'trail'

All other tank mates fine and lively.

Tank not overstocked. I was a bit slow on the last water change, but nothing too drastic. Have done a 20 pc water change.

What might be up?

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[BBradbury]

Platys

I wondered if anyone has some thoughts...

One of my platys (female I think) is lethargic, hiding under some rocks, fins down, perhaps getting thin. But still coming out to feed/beg for food with the rest of the tank. No obvious blemishes.

Was trailing poo plus a see through 'trail'

All other tank mates fine and lively.

Tank not overstocked. I was a bit slow on the last water change, but nothing too drastic. Have done a 20 pc water change.

What might be up?

Any thoughts appreciated.

Hello Dag...

If your fish are acting strangely, you can bet it's a water problem. Water changes should be large and frequent. I change at least half the water in my tanks that require it every week. Smaller tanks under 30 gallons could use a couple of 50 percent changes a week. Larger tanks can probably go a week or a bit longer between those large changes. Most tank keepers can't commit to this, but I do. The larger and more frequent the changes, the better.

B

 

[Dagon]

Thanks for your insight. You are right- I was a little tardy in my tank maintenance. I'm sure the water change was helpful.

The platy does seem a little more frisky now (the last change was three days ago).

Hopefully she will recover in full.

Just one query, if it was a straightforward question of water quality, wouldn't I expect the other fish to be affected ? There are around a dozen fry , perhaps 6 weeks old. All are fine. Wouldn't they be more vulnerable/worse affected?

 

[BBradbury]

Your Fry

Thanks for your insight. You are right- I was a little tardy in my tank maintenance. I'm sure the water change was helpful.

The platy does seem a little more frisky now (the last change was three days ago).

Hopefully she will recover in full.

Just one query, if it was a straightforward question of water quality, wouldn't I expect the other fish to be affected ? There are around a dozen fry , perhaps 6 weeks old. All are fine. Wouldn't they be more vulnerable/worse affected?

Hello again Dag...

Good question. I would think fry would be more sensitive to changes in the water chemistry than a healthy adult fish. I don't have an answer for this. Hopefully, the fry will stay healthy. It takes time for dissolved waste material to build up in the water to the point the fish are stressed. It's best to remove a lot of the old water frequently and replace it, so there's no chance for toxins to build up.

Keep up with the water changes. The more water you change and the more often you do, the better.

B

 

[Matt68005]

"internal parasites" are rare, much more common are worms. Specfically, camallanus and capallaria, roundworms/nematodes.
You need levimasole

 

[Dagon]

Matt - thanks for your thoughts.

Can I ask, how confident are you that worms are the problem? Also, should I assume the rest of the tank will be affected if left untreated?

I have shrimps and understand that they will be vulnerable to treatments including copper. Will this be an issue?

The affected Fish still looks in bad condition; hiding under rocks. Fins down and a bit wasted. But still eating. No tank mates affected.